Review: Closer by Circa - London Udderbelly Festival ✭✭✭✭

Closer by Circa

London Udderbelly Festival

20th April 2016: Internationally acclaimed contemporary circus company Circa (The Return & OPUS, Barbican Centre) have returned this Spring for their longest season to date in London.

We join Circa’s astounding circus performers - Daniel O'Brien, Jarred Dewey, Kimberley O'Brien, Lauren Herley and Lisa Goldsworthy as they reveal breathtaking acrobatics and aerial spectacles up close and personal. Using the raw skill and humanity of the artists, Closer invites us to embark on an exhilarating journey to reveal the extremes and limitations of the human body in this intimate encounter.

From jaw-droppingly good rope skills (Lauren Herley) to stand-out multiple hula-hooping (Lisa Goldsworthy), this one hour show shows a lot of strength and versatility from the five performers, culminating in a tower of stacked chairs and various balancing acts - now I tried this in my kitchen when I got home, and it's no mean feat I can tell you, the ceiling got in the way.

All hats off to the skill, dexterity and ingenuity shown tonight, the incredible strength of the body and the shapes some of them can bend into is rather astounding. There's a funny moment when they pick out members of the audience to join them on stage for a piece, and it works really well. Just a shame there weren't many in the audience to start with tonight, as this is a must-see piece of theatricality.

Four Stars ✭✭✭✭

More info and tickets etc www.udderbelly.co.uk

Photos by Luke MacGregor