Review: Giffords Circus - Avalon (UK Tour)

Review by Rosie Holmes

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The circus has arrived in West London, with Giffords Circus erecting their big top within the grounds of Chiswick House and Gardens, sprinkling plenty of magic in the process. Giffords Circus, founded by Nell Gifford, is an annual village green travelling circus, each year presenting a different theme, and this year the show transports us back to times of yore, all the way to Avalon, in the times of Arthurian legend.

This year’s outing by Giffords uses a loose narrative of Cuthbert the Clown wishing to become a knight of the round table as its framing device. It is a loose narrative, but that is certainly not why the crowds visit every year, instead Giffords showcase some of the most talented international performers in a visually stunning show. Nell O’Hara takes the helm as Guinevere, who pieces each individual act together by introducing them through rhyming couplets, and delights with her vocals. She accompanies the acts with a real myriad of pop hits from ‘Tiger Feet’ to ‘Knock on Wood’, and I am sure many of the audience members admired from afar.

For Giffords regulars (and I believe there are many) they will have noticed the absence of clown, Tweedy. In his place is Cuthbert, played by Tyler West. At just over four feet tall, Cuthbert’s size is at the centre of many of the jokes. His chemistry with the other acts is palpable, and while often not a fan of clowns myself, I was surprised to find myself laughing at many of his appearances on stage, notably, a pastiche of the roller-skating act and a very funny sketch involving buckets, red balls, and a disappearing head. Magician Maximiliano appears as Merlin, wowing audiences with his magic tricks and, alongside Cuthbert, navigating the tricky task of audience participation which all thankfully went to plan on the night I attended!

Nick Hodge appears as King Arthur and performs a mesmerising Cyr wheel routine, as well as a nerve inducing rope routine, while a brother and sister duo joined forces to perform a roller-skating routine that was as dangerous as it was beautiful. Standout performances for me though came from Morgan Barbour and Victoria Steir, who performed a beautiful aerial hoop routine, in which they hung from ceiling by just their mouths, and The Godfathers, who performed an incredibly fast paced acrobatic routine in which they created taller and taller human towers. These acts, for me, encapsulate what I love about the circus, just the demonstration of what a human body can do, and a few heart in mouth moments.

Latoya Donnert performed with her small Shetland Pony, an act which left me feeling uneasy. It feels a little outdated to still have horses performing for us amongst the bright lights and chaos of a travelling circus show, but with that being said, perhaps I am hypocritical because I did enjoy the performing dogs, all of whom were clearly enjoying themselves and have been rescued from around Europe by their trainers and performers, Pat Clarrison and Pip Ashley. I was particularly fond of the cheeky Jack Russell who was the real star of the show.

Giffords Circus features stars who really are at the top of their game and display some wonderous tricks and routines, however, I think the magic of Giffords Circus lies in its origins as family founded, and the whole experience from arriving on the gate to leaving in the moonlight. Upon entering you are met with a village of tents and wagons, live music, and vintage signs adorning stalls selling an assortment of treats. It’s a sensory experience that transports you to another world. Cast members mingle with the audience, delighting children with photo opportunities, and the chance to join a big dance party with the cast makes for a joyous and memorable end to every show.

Fast paced direction from Cal McCrystal means there is never any let up in the excitement of the show, and short snappy acts keep even the youngest audience members engaged throughout. Production and costume design by Takis is visually stunning, and does much more to transport us to the world of Avalon than the loose narrative. The tent really does feel like a fairytale setting, featuring turrets, stained glass windows and huge castle doors.

This was my second time visiting Giffords Circus, and I have to say I am already looking forward to next year’s show. The love of circus radiates from the cast entire cast, and from audience members of all ages left with huge smiles on their faces, and that, in my book, is a success of a show.

Giffords Circus are touring with Avalon until September 29th

For tickets, tour dates and information visit  https://giffordscircus.com