Review: CIRQUE BERSERK, Peacock Theatre, February 9 2016

Are they really berserk? Well, would you hang upside down from a curtain 30 feet up in the air? Would you stand stock still while knives fly past just inches away? Would you ride a motorcycle round a spherical cage - with three of your mates doing the same thing? Sounds berserk enough to me!

If they were the most eye-catching acts of Cirque Berserk (at the Peacock Theatre until 24 February and on tour) my highlights were a couple of relatively low key, more traditional acts.

Tweedy is a clown who takes inspiration from Chaplin or Keaton, his supreme technical skills hidden behind a faux incompetence. He had me genuinely laughing out loud and marveling at his invention and wit - and a child in front of me was on his feet straight away to point out the dangers to our lovable fool, so that's ages 5 to 52 covered. Alone and without gaudy make-up, there was none of the inchoate threat that clings to clowns even today. His bicycle routine was magnificently conceived and realised, truly a worthy tribute to the masters of the past.

Germaine Delbosq's foot-juggling seemed scarcely possible to believe such was her ability to fling all kinds of objects in the air and catch them on her toes without missing a beat. You long to believe it's all a trick with mirrors and magnets, but it's just hours and hours of practice and no little talent that provokes the wonder.

The Timbuktu Tumblers kept things going in a pacy show, that may be a little overloaded with balancing acts and what I can only describe as techno-polka music for my taste, but the two hours flies by and there's not a child hankering for their Nintendo in sight. Fun for all the family - just don't stand too close to the man with the tomahawks!