To be honest, I am not really a fan of the show, somehow it has never quite gelled for me but it worked well enough in the big top in Chichester so I was interested to see how it transferred to a touring prosc-arch version.
What a revelation!
This is a rejigged show from the original but retains much of the core. What has changed, for me, is the pure energy of this production which positively screams over the the footlights, grabs the audience by its shoulders and dares them not to enjoy themselves ... this is not the show I remember from the tent down in Chichester, it is a brilliantly presented night of pure pleasure in which the hugely talented cast smooth out any weakness in the show itself and give us a smile at every moment.
A lot of the new found engagement and energy comes down to Brian Conley himself; pure showmanship. This role could have written for him - able to carry both the dramatic and the spectacular with equal skill and showing a range of tricks and talents of which he can be justly proud. He had the audience from the get go and never once lost us - I cannot praise his portrayal of this role enough, I enjoyed every moment. Linzi Hateley holds her own as his wife and the other main parts all worked well. A special mention though for the chorus, big enough to make the stage seem full and talented enough to seamlessly represent a circus in full flow but above all drilled to perfection. It is a genuine delight to see a chorus with such a belief in the choreography, in the production and in themselves that they put their all into it, no holds barred .... well done them, and the director and team behind this production who have created such a motivated cast.
This is what I call THEATRE ... I felt tears of joy at the sheer theatricality and spectacle of, if not the greatest show on earth, then the greatest show I've seen in a long time!
Do yourselves a favour and buy a ticket, or two, or more!
