Theatre / Reviews
Review: Waldo’s Circus of Magic & Terror, Bristol Old Vic – ‘Impresses and challenges in equal measure’
Terror is defined in the dictionary as ‘a feeling of extreme fear’. Each of us has our own fears, of course, but the loss of freedom, identity and the right to express ourselves must be universal.
Co-writers Hattie Naylor and Jamie Beddard have created a show about a world in which artists and lovers are prevented from being honest – which is indeed a terrifying prospect.
Waldo’s Circus of Magic and Terror invites us in to the peripheral hinterland inhabited by people who, for whatever reason, do not conform.
is needed now More than ever
Garry Robson as Waldo and company
Disability, neurodivergence, race and sexual proclivity has forced them to live on the edges of a society which views them as freakish entertainment, not as equals.
It is a matter of record that the Nazis in 1930s Germany used circus performers as crowd pleasers during their rallies – having first cleansed the troupes of any artist who did not reflect their twisted values. What this show does is explore what that must have felt like.
JoAnne Haines as Dora and Ryan Murphy as Darragh
Extraordinary Bodies theatre company, in a co-production with Bristol Old Vic and Theatre Royal Plymouth, presents a diverse cast in an evening which impresses and challenges in equal measure.
With stunning aerialism by Tilly Lee-Kronick and Johnny Leitch, impressive rope and silks techniques and some gorgeous acrobatic work from Mirabelle Gremaud we follow the story of Waldo and his circus performers as their European tour reaches the outskirts of Berlin, just as the current Reich begins its sustained attack on Jews, homosexuals and disabled people.
Lawrence Swaddle as Gerhard
Waldo’s company fights to stay together, but his pragmatism leads to a desperate flight from fascism.
By far the most moving section of the show – which is performed throughout with a BSL signer in its midst and captions on screens – is the BSL performance by Raphaella Julien of a song called The Disappeared. This is a contemporary version of the poem attributed to Pastor Niemoller, which is itself a devastatingly simple and terrifying piece of work.
Abbie Purvis as Krista
There’s a lot going on in this show, and it doesn’t always come together as a cohesive concept, but we are always aware of where our attention should be and we’re never unaware of what’s important.
The original music, by respected composer Charles Hazlewood, was lyrically weak and musically simplistic, in my view, and undermined a show which deserves to be seen by a wide audience.
Full company
Waldo’s Circus of Magic & Terror (age recommendation 12+) is at Bristol Old Vic from March 14-April 1. All performances are chilled, signed, captioned and audio described. For more information and tickets, visit www.bristololdvic.org.uk.
All photos: Paul Blakemore
Read more: Bristol Old Vic welcomes Waldo’s Circus of Magic & Terror
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