Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay
Tue 28 Mar
Cirque Berserk are one of those touring circus acts that usually appear once a year. More of a traditional gypsy/acrobatic/circus troupe, they combine tradition with new-fangled things. There are of course tumblers, courtesy of Timbuktu Tumblers, who throw themselves around the stage in and off various staging, including hoops and pyramids. The crazy-looking Bolas from Argentina proceed to whip the floor extremely hard with a weapon made of weights on the ends of cords; designed to trap animals and suchlike, the effect was terrifying, and as pointed out in the literature, please do not try this at home.
Odka, a tiny lady from Mongolia, shot an arrow from her feet into a target while upside-down, which begs the question: how and when does one start to practice this, and eventually get it right? Jose & Gaby were a pair of very flexible dancers/acrobats, both originating from Columbia – Gaby, a ballet dancer of miniscule proportions, was flung around the stage and into the air by Jose. The Tropicana Troupe (great name), with their incredible and much envied abs, catapulted themselves into the air from springboards and flick-flacked their way into orbit.
Jackie, the troupe’s aerial acrobat, hung herself precariously from a strap and glided through the air whilst performing various twists and turns. The newest recruit, Laci, again an aerial artist, managed to somehow hold himself vertically from a pole and perform various gravity-defying stunts, while the bonkers Germaine Delbose (the infamous foot juggler – yes, foot juggler!) proceeded to spin balls, rings, a bollard and cubes using her trotters.
There is of course the obligatory annoying clown, Tweedy, who arrived at various intervals, falling off a ladder, bike or his own feet. Clowns are not my favourite, in fact I dislike them intensely; however, the Globe Of Death was a particular highlight and the daring Lucius Team of daredevil bikers, sped around a huge steel ball, barely missing each other. That was fun. The berserk dancers were slightly surplus to the night, but sashayed around the stage when appropriate. A fun night, despite the irritating clown.
words ANTONIA LEVAY