New Shanghai Circus

Ruth Seaton James Auditorium

February 17, 18 and 19

The New Shanghai Circus drew a mixed crowd, from toddlers to seniors, to watch their dazzling acrobatic display at the Ruth Seaton James Centre.

There was plenty to captivate the audience from the moment the curtain rose to reveal the troupe performing a graceful flag display accompanied by two dancing grinning lions.

The astonishing level of co-ordination required from the four members of the troupe manipulating the lion costumes gave a taste of the amazing feats to come, which left those watching open-mouthed with astonishment.

Quite how the acrobats managed to keep their balance in a human pyramid which had three performers on unicycles at its base is anyone?s guess, let alone how one of the performers later managed to balance a twirling parasol on the tip of her toe.

The look of quiet concentration on the face of one troupe member as he balanced on an unsupported ladder while a female acrobat balanced on a table on top of his head belied the incredible pain he must have been experiencing.

The energetic tumbling, precarious balancing acts and gravity-defying leaps were excellently choreographed and performed with a level of flair and grace that kept the audience enthralled.

The troupe was more than imaginative in the use of props for its stunts ? as well as employing hoops and unicyles, they also performed balancing tricks using household items such as bowls and ladders as well as diabolos and streamers.

A few of the more complex stunts inevitably went awry on their first attempt. This did nothing to dampen the enjoyment of the audience as the acrobats simply went back to the start of each routine and performed it again, this time with an added sense of nervous anticipation from those watching that it could easily go wrong again. The applause was even more thunderous than usual when they managed to pull the stunts off perfectly on the second attempt.

The highlight of the night for the children in the audience was the sight of two enormous pandas, embracing each other in a ?bear hug? and waltzing around the floor ? later revealed to be the work of just one talented costume-clad acrobat.

The entire spectacle needed nothing more than vibrant costumes, changing brightly-coloured backdrops and some Chinese-themed dance music to accompany it as the seemingly impossible feats of balance and athleticism took centre stage.

My only gripe is that because someone had decided it was a good idea to turn the air-conditioning in the venue up to the ?Arctic? setting, I was almost shivering too much at times to concentrate on the show.

Despite this, I enjoyed a truly breathtaking display that made for an unforgettable night. If the New Shanghai Circus comes back to Bermuda again be sure to catch it, as it has to be seen to be believed.