Rating: ★★★★ ½
Venue: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London
The multi-award-winning Revel Puck Circus is back in east London with their first new major production in three years - The Nose Dive Assembly.
You'll be left thrilled and electrified by this immersive, brand-new show from an east London founded circus company! The Nose Dive Assembly is jampacked with large-scale contemporary acts including daring high wire walkers and teeterboarders! Plus look out for the only all-female Wheel of Death duo in the UK - a huge rotating apparatus on which performers carry out incredible balancing acrobatic skills.
The Revel Puck Circus offers traditional circus acts with a difference. Performed in a round circus tent at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, Hopkins Field, the spectacle runs until 2 June. An immersive experience that is fun for all the family.
This is a real team performance with acts multi-tasking throughout, but don't expect your usual glamorous circa outfits. The cast sport plain gender-neutral jumpsuits, or similar. However, this does little to deter from your enjoyment, as the talent is awe-inspiring.
There's the usual ringmaster, who keeps things running smoothly and entertains between acts. This includes bell ringing, along with audience participation. She maintains the "birds of a feather" theme during her performances interacting with a bird (which is in fact, a well flown drone).
The circus starts with an explanation and demonstration of the skills and strength required to perform such acrobatic feats, which makes for an interesting and unique introduction. We are treated to a plethora of performances: a tightrope walker, a hula hoop act, a see-saw act, hair acrobatics, an act with large hula hoops, an aerial acrobat, and my favourite, a double human hamster wheel.
A few highlights for me were the see-saw act. Two acrobats performed on a see-saw, the children around me loved it, it was great fun and something a little different. The large hula hoop act was very cleverly staged and partly performed on a raised platform. The platform is then used for a dance sequence, which is more directed towards an adult audience.
The "wheel of death" duo were mesmerising, both children and adults loved it. The duo are the only female pair to perform this act in the country, which is a ground-breaking achievement in itself. Two performers inside a hamster wheel, performing small acrobatic feats whilst turning in the wheel. It was wonderful to hear the children around me gasping and cheering in awe, and then excitedly discussing the act after.
Whilst not quite traditional, both children and adults enjoyed and were entertained. If you're looking for something to do with the family, I'd recommend The Revel Puck Circus who are striving to make circus appealing to a new audience, as well as making circus accessible for all. The company offer 10% of their tickets priced at just £2 for low-income families.
You can book tickets to Revel Puck Circus, here.
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