Chinese State Circus
WORDS: Danny Champken (Sprout Editorial Group)
In an explosion of culture, colour and danger the Chinese State Circus dominated Cardiff’s New Theatre last week, regularly sending the audience into fits of awe and excitement.
Catering for all tastes, the programme was diverse in its delivery, but delighted all with every turn.
From the unrivalled skill and discipline of the Shaolin Wu-Shu Warriors, to the stomach-clenching ability of the contortionists, interspersed with the wondrous charm of the lion dances, the performance could not fail to amaze.
Unapologetically loyal to all routines of Chinese cultural display, the theatrical circus show was given under the watchful guide of the Monkey King, whose somewhat comically dubbed narration provided the education of the piece.
His introduction set the scene for the origins of Chinese performance to be understood and appreciated by all, and helped the show, and our understanding of it, to develop right through to the present-day display given in the second act.
Perhaps the most impressive performance given was that of the spinning plates. Seven performers took to the stage, each mastering no less than ten of the rotating discs on sticks with apparent ease.
As if this was not astounding enough, they proceeded to perform the most dumbfounding acrobatic acts, all the while maintaining the height and rotation of the plates. I was not alone in being audibly astonished.
Suitable gasps of fright and appreciation were also gleaned from the section entitled Hats Off!, during which the performer chucked plant pots dangerously high into the air, only to then catch them on the back of his head.
Those few seconds of terror, when we expected the pots to shatter at the very least, if not the man’s head, were enough to delight many, and scare the pants off many others.
In clearly well rehearsed but still apparently effortless style, the Chinese State Circus is a treat for everyone, and a welcome break from the old routine.
