Review from: Lakeside Shopping Centre (big top), Thurrock; 25th April 2025, 17.00
The promotional blurb for Circus Extreme promises ‘adrenaline-pumping action, breath-taking acrobatics, and a powerful rock concert atmosphere’, and it delivers on all counts, from the moment the full-height curtain around the ring drops to reveal a rock band playing in mid-air, to the very end when four motocross marvels roar high in the air across the big top in quick succession.
The show contains the current staples of non-animal tented circus in the UK – the wheel of death, the globe of death, spinning roller-skaters and aerial acts – but overall they are of a higher level than many of their competitors, whilst the live band – keyboard, lead and bass guitars and drums, fronted by singer Ichaa Subandi and supported by half a dozen dancers – drives the show along. The rock concert atmosphere is amplified by fast changing, dramatic lighting from the large array in the top of the tent and around the ring, supplemented by extensive use of smoke and haze, plus projection screens at either side of the rear of the ring. Parents may want to bring ear defenders for their children.
I caught up with the show shortly after the Easter holidays had ended and towards the end of a long stand at Lakeside, so it is not surprising that the 1500-seat big top was by no means full. Nonetheless, the cast performed at full energy and included all the tricks one could hope for. With several of the acts having half a dozen performers, it is certainly the strongest of the three tented circuses I have seen so far this season.
The first act sets the scene for the quality to come. Lucky Hell is a heavily tattooed Australian who moved to live in Finland where she learnt to swallow swords, which she does impressively whilst hanging in full splits from webbing straps in mid-air.
A roller-skating duo spin around next on a small circular raised stage, both at one point attached to each other by a strap around their necks, the woman hanging on to the strap with both hands as she is spun around off the ground whilst her male partner spins around on his skates.
Now, South American motorcycle stunt rider Paulinho roars in the ring for precision wheelies, last second stops on the edge of the ring, and intense burnouts. In an echo of bareback riders standing on their horses as they canter around the ring, he stands on the saddle of his powerful bike, hands in the air, circling it around.
Next up is a Russian Swing act – or, in this case Ukrainian – by the long-established six-strong Didyk Troupe. The five men and one woman take it in turns to launch from two giant swings that are opposite each other, reaching a great height and throwing twisting somersaults and the like before landing on crash mats. The finalé sees two swing toward each other at the same time to pass in mid-air, one straddling the other.
Closing the 50-minute first half is British artiste Laura Miller, on the aerial hoop above a tank of water into which she is dunked then raised back up to twist and gyrate whilst flicking water in all directions before making a final dramatic drop into the tank, the surface of which is now ablaze.
After a fifteen minute interval, the hour-long second half opens with a truly impressive double wheel of death act by the Danguir Troupe from Morocco and Spain. The two wheels are set side by side and are used in parallel with the acrobats walking and running on the outside of the wheel as it turns. They move to skipping, with great leaps that allow a triple skip before landing back on the rotating wheel. Moving to one wheel, one stands on the other’s shoulders as the wheel makes a full rotation. Back to the two parallel wheels, an acrobat on each turns a forward somersault whilst high in the roof of the top as the wheel rotates backwards. It’s followed by a last flurry of spectacular leaps. It’s a world removed from the tentative walks on the wheel seen in some other circuses.
As the wheels of death are removed, Mexican clown Edy chooses several audience members to dance up onto the stage with him and play in a Mariachi-themed musical routine. Whilst Edy’s material is not especially original, his gentle way with volunteers through the show means that chosen ‘victims’ willingly join in the ridiculousness and he’s careful not to overextend his skits or his welcome.
The action returns to the air for another act without net, mats or safety lunge. Brazilian Skywalker Marlon Ferreira walks upside down with his feet in loops but his most impressive trick is to leap from a swinging trapeze at full extension through a static trapeze and, as one move, drop backwards to catch himself just by his ankles.
The act that seems to have the most fun follows. The four men and one woman who are the Catwall Acrobats launch themselves off and through a stack of building blocks that have a trampoline on either side. Their flips and somersaults off the trampolines before landing tidily atop the building blocks are glorious and will surely inspire a new generation to emulate them.
Last up are the Extreme Freestyle motocross team. They are first in the globe of death with up to four motorcyclists at the same time looping around – turning upside down – with the bare minimum of space between them. Then there’s the roar of a motorbike from the front of a tent and the first motorcyclist races up a ramp and launches into the void above the globe before landing on a ramp at the back of the tent. Superman grabs, cliffhangers, and daring backflips follow with a finale of the four high-octane motorcyclists soaring through the air in quick succession.
The band plays for the finalé and the acts are deservedly clapped and cheered by the audience. It’s a show that Anthony Anderson, the director of Circus Extreme (and Continental Circus Berlin), can be proud of.
Adult tickets are priced between £11 (restricted view) and £32.
