Le Grand Cirque

Published Monday 11 June 2007 at 11:00 by Liz Arratoon

Le Grand Cirque’s producers are nothing if not bold. They claim this show is the next big thing in circus, following on from Cirque du Soleil. Though inspiration has clearly been drawn from the French-Canadian giant, Le Grand Cirque comes nowhere near its brilliance. Yes, it has some great acts, but the overall package - costumes, disco lighting and classical-pop music - is totally without finesse.

Following the increasing trend in circus to play in theatres, it opens with an annoying chap in top hat, white tie and tails, who sort of links the acts and later dabbles in audience participation. Then the action comes thick and fast with - to name a few - artists on Chinese poles, bungees, silk loops and straps, plus a contortionist, plate-spinners and hoop-divers. Add hula-hoops, a Risley duo with a superb feet-to-feet running move, an ensemble bicycle number and a truly great female hand-balancer, who spent extended periods on one-arm before switching arms back and forth with flicky little jumps.

Though each number is punctuated by dancing girls in a parade of different outfits, this full-on programme becomes rather relentless and, at times, reminiscent of a second-rate Las Vegas floor show.

Spirit Productions must have seen Cirque du Soleil’s success and thought, perhaps cynically, we want some of that. But hoovering up a lot of talented Chinese artists is not enough to clinch it. This show is glitzy, gaudy and brash, but the audience, from kids to crocks, loved it.