(4 / 5)

No Ed Fringe trip would be without a trip to the circus. On The Meadows, the Circus Hub is set up and therefore, in the big tent, we run away with the circus. 

The Revel Puck Circus bring us on a journey of slightly traditional circus, but with a fun and friendly atmosphere. There’s trapeze, acrobatics, jumping from great heights and even a disgruntled lion ,,, Fear not! They haven’t gone mad and brought back real animals but have an underlying developing narrative between our clown and a growing lion who has taken it upon itself to terrorize our clown as a “comic relief” between acts. 

Clad in summer shorts and shirts, our circus troupe don huge smiles, encourage the audience to holla and clap and at the same time, take on daring circus acts that weirdly look very easy (but don’t try it at home kids!). The ability to do this and at a high level of energy clearly takes immense skill, strength and communication and therefore the acts go without a hitch, become more daring as the hour passes and elicit roars of applause when completed. There’s enough jeopardy but accompanied with a laid back and a friendly atmosphere that this is awe-inspiring and exciting for all ages. 

In the gaps of acts and to help with the set up and, likely, a short break for the performers, we have the lion – clown narrative take place. This provokes chuckles throughout as this develops; the lion gets bigger and the accompanying clowning gets more interesting in the clown’s effort to escape the lion’s claws. It references an olden time circus where live animals are used but, while funny, is also clever in turning the story on its head and letting the lion be in charge. These moments as a “break” are useful in changing the intensity level, reducing heart rates and warming us up for whatever there may be next. Overall, with this included, the group are comedic and fun, equally making every part of their performance look enormously easy. 

The Revel Puck Circus: The Wing Shuffle is a modernised take on traditional circus, with a sunshiney and friendly approach. With skilled and dramatic circus tricks and a healthy dose of comedy, it has the right level of everything needed for a circus show for all ages.