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Cirkus Inferno
- Tour & Scottish Premiere.
Part of the 2003 Bank Of Scotland Children's International Theatre Festival.
Cast - Jonah Logan as Lucky, Amy Gordon as Lady and Paul Weir as
the Cirkus man.
Company - Dare Devil
Opera Company from Canada.
Seen to review at Wednesday 28 May at Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh.
Dates Time and Venues - here.
Run Time - 60 mins no words.
Suggested Age - 7+ years.
Reviewer - Thelma Good.
Chaos reigns supreme.
Anarchy and Canadians seem an unlikely combination but after seeing this
show they won't.
On the Stage is a blackboard with the words Rocket Johnny's Cirkus Inferno,
we wait expectantly. The children looking at the brightly coloured posters
promising Roxanne Rolls, heck on wheels, a small box labelled Jet Skates
and a huge wooden box with the words, Caution Stay Back Combustible Dog.
Just as we begin to think the show is never going to happen the two latecomers
enter the Dress Circle, with enormous buckets of popcorn. Determinedly
they step over seats, and push along the front row, even sticking legs
over the balcony ledge. Spilling popcorn on the stalls below the audience
turns to see a man Lucky who looks as if he's stepped out of a Chaplin
film and Lady whose got a sticky out skirt and striped stockings. Both
are wearing hats, his a very flat felt one, her's is flat too but in straw.
Having worked their way across the Circle they move down to the stalls
where even more popcorn falls out of their buckets as they push and climb
their way to the front row. Behind them and in front of them the children
quickly join in the fun, scooping up the popcorn eating some and throwing
lots at until the theatre is in a riot of fun disruption. Finally having
got the two centre seats at the front they sit down to watch the show.
When the circus man appears on the stage he's appalled at the hiatus that
has erupted. The two go up on the stage and their attempts to clean things
up get hilariously out of control. The circus man goes off to return and
add a word to the backboard, cancelled.
Left to their own devices the two clowns start to explore the stage and
the boxes. Lady tries on the jet skates she finds in a box and plays a
ukulele while she rolls dangerously about the stage. Lucky isn't when
he gets attached to the combustible dog's kennel. The dog breaths fire
and things get more and more messy. The children just love these two innocent
clowns who explore with no idea of danger, they even forgive the Lady's
ignoring their accurate advice about the jet skates "take them off".
I have never seen a theatre get into such a fine mess. Occasionally the
playful pair adventures slow in pace when they tried to get too much out
of a bit of business. But the whole piece bulging with slapstick powers
towards a explosive finale making a fine mess into a stupendoulously great
one. All theatre managements should get this pair into their theatres
- the mess is more than worth it. The clean up team did manage to turn
the auditorium around to be pristine for the next performance after the
audience departed. They departed full of the buzz a really, unexpected
show brings. Hurray for anarchy and Canada and clowns.
© Thelma Good 28 May 2003. - Published on EdinburghGuide.com
More
info and reviews on the annual Bank of Scotland Children's International
Theatre Festival.
Tour dates -
26 May at Ipm at Perth Theatre.
28 & 29 May at 10.00am & 1.00pm Royal Lyceum Theatre 0131 228
1404
30 & 31 May at 2.30pm & 7.00pm Royal Lyceum Theatre 0131 228 1404
June 3-17 Various locations in Wales
inculding
June 4 at Cardigan Theatr Mwldan 01239 621200
Saturday June 7 at Brecon Wales
and
Sunday June 8 Aberyswath Wales
Theatre Editor, Thelma
Good's e-mail is thelma@edinburghguide.com
Although every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the
information presented in these pages, no responsibility can be accepted
for any errors or omissions.
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