Think Brighton’s packed away the acrobats for another year? Think again.
The Fringe and Festival may be over, but a giant big top is about to (re)appear in Victoria Gardens as Revel Puck Circus rolls into town for two weeks of gravity-defying acrobatics, physical comedy and circus skills that call the laws of physics into question.
The East London company is bringing A Glimmer Daze Gambit to Brighton from in August and September as part of its first large-scale UK tour, transforming the gardens into a 500-seat circus tent.
This isn’t about sequins and sawdust nostalgia, though, and you won’t find any animals in this show about hope, arrival and community. This is contemporary circus at full tilt, with performers flying through the air, balancing in places they really shouldn’t be balancing and making everything look far easier than it has any right to.
The show tells the tale of Stella and Kit who have finally arrived at their dream home – a circus. A voyage of discovery follows as they’ve never seen a circus before, so they’ve had to imagine what might be useful for joining the troupe.
Presented in Revel Puck’s signature high-spectacle style, with largely non-verbal storytelling through mime, clowning and acrobatics, the show is designed to be welcoming for a wide range of audiences, including families and first-time circus-goers.
Among the show’s biggest talking points is Revel Puck’s signature Rola Globe act, which sees nine performers somehow balancing together on top of a giant rolling globe.
The international cast also performs a huge range of skills (only some of which we’ve heard of) in the 100-minute show, such as aerial cradle, teeterboard, straps, cloud swing, bounce juggling and Icarian acrobatics, all woven into a joyful production that’s designed to be enjoyable for all ages. Another bonus is that all performances are semi-relaxed, meaning you’re welcome to move around, step out and return if needed.
If you’re tempted but don’t want to commit to full-price tickets, there’s a good excuse to go early, too. Opening day preview performances on Thursday 27th August are just £10, making them one of the best-value ways to catch the show.
And if you buy tickets before 1st September, you can get 15 percent off with the code SUMMER15 at checkout.
So while Brighton’s big May festival season may be over for another year, there’s still another chance to look up and hold your breath as you ponder what happened to the usual laws of gravity.
Thursday 27th August – Sunday 6th September; from £10
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Photo credits: Craig Sugden
