Circus of Horrors Review

The super spine-tingling Circus of Horrors rode into the Small City on Saturday night and promised us a story full of twists and turns, with grisly murders and sensational shocks.  This we were assured, would all be interwoven with some of the greatest and most bizarre circus acts on earth, performed by an almighty cast with a forked tongue firmly in each cheek and the devil driven rock n’ roll of Dr Haze & The Interceptors from Hell.

This amazing show rose to fame after storming into the finals of Britain's Got Talent before becoming a world wide smash.  This year they created history by becoming the first UK circus to appear in Japan and Russia.

The latest incarnation ‘Welcome to the Carnevil’ is set in Victorian London in 1899, Jack the Ripper was still at large.  We sent our Small City Reviewer, Lisa Hathaway off into the night to be suitably terrified....

"As we entered Horsecross on Saturday night there were scantily clad ladies selling programmes and a pointed eared, death like creature, which at first glance I thought was a statue... until that is his eyes followed me to the ticket desk!  I was screaming with excitement and clinging onto my friend's arm before we even entered!

Entering the hall the smoky atmosphere was heightened even further with haunting music and lighting and after being seated we met with one Camp Dracula who had us in fits of laughter with his adult humour.  Almost immediatly the stage filled with sexy burlesque girls, a double faced live doll, voodoo warriors and many other freak show anomalies.

Dr. Haze introduced us to his show of wonders in full theatrical glory.  Starting with Helmurto, who 18 years previously had been working in a tax office in Munich! That is, until he witnessed Circus of Horrors for the first time and he became hooked (pardon the pun!) Deciding this was more like the life he had imagined for himself he left his 9-5 desk job, learned how to sword swallow and had his tongue split in two like a snake... Well, there's no turning back after that!  Those 18 years of experience he now has under his belt really do show; he performed an array of amazing stunts and having had his top two ribs broken he can not only swallow swords and saws but also a cutlass that has a 45 degree angle!

The night unfolded quite literally around us with nightmarish clowns scrambling over the audience squirting and dripping goo over the unsuspecting crowd who let out screams of fear and delight that filled the hall.

The shocks continued and we were soon watching members of the audience up on stage having a tug of war with Dynamo Dan The Midget's neck.  That's three people on each end pulling with their full weight...  I was sitting with hands in front of my face, just waiting fo Dan’s head to explode high into the air, spurting blood into the crowd.  Thankfully his neck withheld the pressure...

The gasps and grimaces from the audience continued to fill the hall as these outstanding acts followed one amazing performance with another.

The spine chilling cracks of The Twisted Vitalli as he slowly popped out his shoulders to contort into the most gruesome of body shapes, morphing again and again to my wonder. Hairculese Anastasia the IV, was raised high into the air by her pony tail, swinging and spinning like a vortex,  Voodoo warriors limbo danced under flaming poles and stocking clad temptresses ate fire sticks while they fire-hula’d into a flaming crescendo. 

This show is seriously not for the faint hearted or squeamish! It definitely takes us into the darker realms of human nature leaving you both intrigued and DYING to see more.  The dark humour surrounding these gruesome acts ended our night with laughter and broughht an excellent end to an amazing fast paced performance.

Circus of Horrors returns to Perth Concert Hall again next year and I'll be at the front of the queue to book.  Please make sure that if you like to be shocked and delighted that you're right behind me!"