We felt a bit sorry for the pole dancer who performed at the same time. She looked good, she was good and we figured she was playing it safe rather than risk too much, but her moves were unimpressive in comparison. She made up for it by performing a lovely aerial silks routine, complete with drops that had the audience gasping.
Just as impressive were Anastasia VI’s aerial skills. She spun around the stage hanging only from her hair then suspended herself by just her neck from a ‘ceremonial castration sword’.
Dangerous, yes, but so far more circus than horrors...
Little is guaranteed to divide even an open-minded audience like a series of genitalia-related tricks. Dwarf Danny hung (and swung) a bowling ball from his genitals and then - ahem - ‘wore’ a vacuum cleaner attachment, provoking both laughter and squeals of horror. When the band started playing Johnny Cash’s ‘Ring of Fire’ we were right to expect what we got - a weirdly beautiful firework display from Danny’s backside...
Sword swallower Hannibal Hellmurtos made my friend cringe. Arguably the most extreme-looking of the cast, Hannibal has a huge pink Mohawk, a forked tongue, massive flesh tunnels in his ears, an abundance of tattoos and - this is what upset her - floating ribs. Without these broken bones he would be unable, we were told, to perform his impressive act. He swallowed several swords and some neon tubing before a reluctant audience member was dragged onto the stage to feel his ribs.
Ventriloquist was inspired by films ‘Devil Doll’ and ‘The Dead of the Night’ and, accordingly, the dummy was deliberately creepy. The story had him coming alive and then being inflated; the costume for the bloated dummy was grotesquely brilliant, featuring a 3-ft penis that the performer could bounce up and down on...
Circus of Horrors looked and sounded amazing; the cast seemed to be having fun with it, which made it feel inclusive and more fun for the audience. It’s highly recommended as a great evening’s entertainment - as long as you’re not squeamish or easily offended...
For more information and tour dates go to www.circusofhorrors.co.uk
Review: Jennie Gillions | Photos c/o Circus of Horrors
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