Review: CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS BY CIRCA, HOUSE OF OZ AT KINGS HALL, House Of Oz At Kings Hall

Circa's demi-gods are back and bold at the Edinburgh Fringe, creating their special brew of acrobatic magic. Their performance is an ode to the animals of land and sea.

Prepare to be enthralled from the second the piece begins. We see the acrobats clad in monochrome, sleek and distinct, on a mission to ensure that no movement is wasted. Every gesture is divine and leaves us in awe of the super troupe's skills. We see the most spectacular embodiment of the zebra, elephant, gorilla, crocodile, frog, rabbit and our personal favourite- a spectacularly expressive snappy crab.

Every flip, somersault, skip and juggle is masterful. The background graphics add to the nautical atmosphere, as the excellent seven merge their movement to create a beautiful shoal of fish, and there follows a stand-out moment, of a breath-taking layered centipede.

We are further treated to the hoop and a dose of stunning red silk aerial work, followed by the seemingly impossible task of juggling with three rectangular blocks. An amusing trick begins where the group tumble open-handedly with paper and then we see club juggling whilst atop one another's shoulders.

There is nothing they can't do: Circa are sublime. This is an epic show, with the additional treat of audience participation via giant balloon play. Get a ticket, it's truly magnificent.

Carnival of the Animals By Circa, House of Oz at Kings Hall takes place on 7-9, 11-14, 16-21, 24-28 August 2022.

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