There is something about circus that just elevates the mood. Bringing energy, comic relief and the most heart-pumping, mind-blowing, exhilarating stunts and tricks you’ve ever witnessed, Zirk! Circus The Big Top Spectacular is the height of pure entertainment.
Making its Australian debut and kicking off its national tour at the Showground in Sydney’s Entertainment Quarter, Zirk! is the culmination of a host of international talents coming together to thrill. Framed within the excellence of traditional Russian circus, the 2 hour and 20 minute spectacular opens with an electric burst of pure performance with a trampoline display which left me unable to do anything but smile.
Sublime aerial performance, crazy gravity-defying stunts, cleverly synchronised group acts involving skipping ropes, kilts, jumps, and the most incredible tricks. The greatest thing about circus, something in fact Stanislav Knyazhov ‘Stas’ the ringmaster himself asserts, is its real, raw and immediate nature. Acts are performed in front of a live audience and sometimes it takes a second attempt to get it right and that only adds to the beauty of the overall performance.
Stas is in fact an acclaimed clown and juggler and while he is responsible for introducing each act, his own brand of entertainment bridges the moments that link the show together.
Balancing acts, extreme gymnastics, juggling, and a contortionist who drew gasp upon gasp from the audience; these are just some of the experiences awaiting you underneath the dome of the big top. The production builds on itself, increasing in skill and impossibility as these unique and supremely skilled artists demonstrate the magic that circus is ultimately founded on.
In amongst it all there is of course the master clown Dmitry Shindrov and additional comedic characters who temper the adrenaline rushes with routines that elicit belly laughs which ripple through the audience like a Mexican wave. Attending the opening night we had a celebrity in our midst, chef Manu Feildel was a perfect sport when the clown dragged him from his seat to join three other audience members in performing a spot of improv.
This all star company, whose artists number 45 and include products of TV talent show America’s Got Talent in the shape of quick change duo Sixto and Lucia, is a true celebration of human capability and endurance. Peppering specialty acts in amongst the classical Russian circus we have come to anticipate given its century long tradition; Zirk! charms and then some.
To book your tickets to the show of the season click here.
What you need to know:
What: Zirk! Circus The Big Top Spectacular
When: 3-21 July 2019
Where: The Showring, EQ Moore Park, Sydney
Tickets: $45 + booking fees
Showtimes: Wed-Fri at 7.30pm, Saturdays have three performances at midday, 4pm and 7.30pm and Sundays at 11am, 3pm and 6.30pm.
Parking: Guests of the EQ are entitled to 2 free hours of parking during the day and after 6pm there is a flat rate of $7. Alternatively there is free and 3 hour parking in the neighbouring Centennial Park if you are attending Zirk! during the day, it is approximately a 5-10 minute walk from the venue.