Cirque Berserk, the West-End show, which arrived in Cardiff’s New Theatre last night, is performing all this week (10 – 15 July), and is a ‘best-of’ mix of the most thrilling – and dangerous – circus acts chosen from shows around the world.
Known as the “Berserkers”, the performers don’t use any safety equipment, which delivers maximum hold-your-breath moments, except for one trick which is so unbelievably dangerous that a safety wire must be worn.
The company of 35 brings together the biggest and most diverse range of performers on tour anywhere in the UK. Included are Tumblers from Timbuktu; weapon throwers from Argentina; contortionists from Mongolia; balancers from Columbia; acrobats from Cuba. Plus the big-set-pieces including the infamous Globe of Death, where four motorbikers ride at motorway speeds inside a Mad Max style metal sphere, and a Robo-cop style robot that shoots bursts of fire!
We were lucky enough to attend last night’s performance thanks to the New Theatre, and we can genuinely tell you that the breathtaking experience skill, precision and surprise does indeed leave audiences open-mouthed as the performances get increasingly berserk. We were certainly taken back by the incredible acts and what must be their shear body strength to pull off the moves.
Designed to thrill and not scare, there were a couple of occasions we almost had to cover our eyes – fear for the performers quickly turned to excitement. It’s a brilliantly hair-raising family fun performance.
Our four-year-old daughter was on the edge of her seat the entire time, joining in with quirky dance moves and leaving her in hysterics throughout. We were a little worried that the 1hr 45 duration may have been a little long for her, but there was constantly something going on to excite and capture her attention.
The venue, what can we say? We have always been a fan of Cardiff’s New Theatre, from the quirkiness of the spiral stairs to the retro seating, it makes experiences like these extra special. The venue really suited the Cirque Berserk show and that feel of old-school circus tricks. We found drinks at the venue and the merchandise on sale were appropriately priced – allowing us to purchase those little extras to round off a fabulous time.
I won’t spoil it all for you now, but I can honestly recommend that you go and see it whilst you can.
Cirque Berserk runs all this week (10 – 15 July) at family-friendly times, with three shows on Saturday and two shows on Sunday. Tickets are available from the Box Office on (029) 2087 8889 and newtheatrecardiff.co.uk.
