Cirkopolis – Alhambra Theatre

CONTEMPORARY circus Cirque Eloize last week give us five performances in Bradford.

It was a superb show, now touring the UK, from one of the world leaders in contemporary circus arts.

The performers from Canada and assorted European countries, Cirque Elorize expresses its innovative nature through theatricality and humanity, combining circus arts with music, dance and theatre.

With a cast of 12, nine male and three female, the two-hour-long show tested our nerve as well as theirs in highly- disciplined athletic, gymnastic acts, with juggling, spinning and hand-to-hand acrobatics up the Chinese pole

The first half introduced us to the individual skills ever further and faster, and team play: dozens of propelled baseball bats for example and not one was dropped.

During the interval, the Chinese pole was erected and a Canadian couple rose and fell in each other’s’ grasps with dazzling expertise from a great height on stage.

The groups grew in size until all 12 athletic artists careered over the entire cubic area on springboards without the slightest hint of a mishap.

Only an avalanche of office paper finally brought them to a halt amidst rousing applause.

*Coming up at the Alhambra: musicals Oklahoma! (April 14-18), Jersey Boys (April 28 to May 9) and The Bodyguard (June 2-13)

John Pettitt