The annual Brighton Festival visit by the Moscow State Circus features, this year, a brand new show entitled Park Gorkogo (Gorky Park) and, in my opinion and judging by the audience’s reaction, it’s one of the best they have ever put on.
The big top has always been a magical place for both young and old alike and, as we enter the arena we are magically transported to Moscow’s famous park back in 1928, when it first opened its gates. The original park was a mixture of gardens, woodland and the funfair, but tonight it is a haven for displays of physical prowess, supreme skill and death-defying feats together with a very rare species, a really funny clown.
That clown, Valeriy Serebryakov, is the first performer we see and, after a rather unorthodox entrance, he soon sets about destroying the park in a series of physical comedy stunts that have the audience in hysterics. He works without speech, but still manages to convey exactly what he wants to say with looks and gestures which are timed to absolute perfection.
At the end of his opening act the blackout covers some very slick work by the stagehands and, just a couple of seconds later, the spotlights pick out the incredible physique of Vlad Khvostik who shows off his unbelievable strength with a series of hand-balancing demonstrations.
He is followed by The Yakovlevs, a troupe of jugglers who have added a new dimension to the art by performing their act while attached to vertical poles. Despite the occasional dropped club, the act is incredibly entertaining, particularly when the lights go out and the only help the jugglers have to complete their act safely is that the clubs light up in multiple colours.
After another encounter with the clown there follows two more aerial acts. Tatiana Ozhiganova manages to play her accordion while she flies high above the ring and The Bathing Beauties, Katia, Ksusha and Olga, perform their aerial act attached to a large metal ring. Sandwiched between them, Genadiy and Angela, The Kozaks perform their act with several, very noisy, bull whips.
After the interval our attention, once again, heads skywards as, right at the very top of the huge tent, The White Birds flying trapeze troupe amaze and delight the audience before we come back to earth to see Football Juggler Zhora Oganisyan, The Veslovskiys Roller Skating act and The Alievs who lead us into the finale with their performance on the Russian Swing.
When you combine the superb talents of the cast with the incredibly quick changes between acts what you end up with is a fast-paced, high octane festival of thrills that left the audience in no doubt that we had seen the very best that circus has to offer.
**** Four Stars
