Cirque Beserk, New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham - review and pictures

The magical circus show is currently the biggest and most diverse of its kind touring UK theatres.

Its aim is to combine the ‘centuries-old skills and traditions of the touring circus troupe with a contemporary approach to staging’.

And yes, we were far from inside a Big Top - instead tucked away inside Birmingham's New Alexandra Theatre - but to be honest it felt exactly like we were.

Cirque Berserk has all the charms of a traditional circus - with jugglers, contortionists, gymnasts, flame throwers, flexible archers, and even daredevil motorcyclists. The performers risk life and limb every night for each guest’s entertainment… And it sure does pay off.

Pounding music filled the room - each tune unique to its own act - while the stage filled with smoke and the incredible Timbuktu Tumblers effortlessly flipped and tumbled across the floor.

Trapeze artist Jackie, with her motto ‘the higher the better’, fluttered and floated above, even causing the audience to gasp in horror as she let go of her lifeline ribbon at the most daring of times.

The clowns, a moustached, slapstick duo, brought out the belly laughs from the crowd with their classic gags.

And Odka, aka Lady from the Bottle or ‘the most flexible archer you will ever see’, left crowds in awe after she shot an arrow at a target using her feet – while also performing a handstand.

Cirque Berserk creative director Julius Green says: “Great circus performances rely on a combination of skill, hard work and team effort, and here at Circus Berkerkus where the West End and the traditional circus join forces in a truly unique collaboration, we’ll do our very best to give you a show to remember.”

Performers at the circus come from all over the world, with acts from the UK, Kenya, Cuba, Mongolia, France, Bulgaria, Brazil, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic.

The Globe of Death was without a doubt the highlight of the night. The astonishing Lucias team presented a petrol-fuelled hair raiser, with at one point four bikers speeding up to 60mph inside the cramped sphere – leaving us all at the edge of our seats.

Go crazy at Cirque Berserk; clap, scream, sing-a-long – they encourage it… It was certainly a night we’ll remember for a long time.

Runs till Sunday.