Cabaret at the Circus Space: Zirk Cirque, Higher than the Sun, The Gandini Juggling Project, Skinning the Cat

Review in Issue 7-1 | Spring 1995

The Circus Space is a former power station just off Old Street. A low entrance hall, adorned with paper lanterns, Toulouse-Lautrec style posters, and girls with flowers in their hair writhing in leather thongs suspended from the ceiling led into the main, cavernous space. The atmosphere here was electric with anticipation. Cabaret means tables and food, of both of which there were plenty.

Our host for the evening was Steve Best, magical compere. His stage persona was appealingly gauche, but not quite polished enough to animate the audience in the way it should have done. Skinning The Cat, who bespangled the cover of the LIMF programme, were up first, threshing about on a trapeze. Then the Gandini Juggling Project treated us to choreographed throwing of batons. Kevin Brooking, one half of Zirk Cirque appeared in Chaplinesque persona Deep Freeze, next Higher Than The Sun, a trapeze trio of indie peacocks wowed us to the strains of Bjork. Then both halves of Zirk Cirque appeared clowning and miming with timeless silliness. For the finale, Skinning The Cat again, wreathing, writhing and contorting on a rope.

Maximum spectacle with minimum content, a premium on skill. Fabulous! The circus is in town.

Artforms
Presenting Venue
Date Seen
  1. Jan 1995

This article in the magazine

Issue 7-1
p. 23