The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Moscow State Circus displays dare-devil action
Review
The world-famous Moscow State Circus rolled into Aberdeen last week with its new show 7 Zhelaniy – meaning seven wishes.
The performance was based on a story written by Soviet author Valentin Kataev, and showcased the incredible skills of the numerous artists, intertwined with the story of a girl who is granted seven wishes.
The audience was eased into the performance with some scene setting and comedy before all eyes went skyward for Katia, the Lady in Red, who entertained on the aerial straps. The smile on her face belied the fact that every sinew in her body must have been stretched to breaking point during her impressive routine.
The Russian Bar segment was something I hadn't seen before, and was a display of strength, pinpoint acrobatics and perfect timing. This was followed by Quick Change, which saw a talented duo perform costume changes so quickly it was impossible to work out quite how they were doing it.
A real highlight was the Aerial Globe section which had my young daughter jumping around the aisles trying to catch the bubbles that poured from the stage.
While she was doing this, two talented performers were displaying their gymnastic abilities in transparent “bubbles” high above the ground. Their movement combined beautifully with the lighting and music to create a wonderful dreamlike sequence.
That dream was swiftly shattered by the terrifying spectacle of Ruslan on the spinning wheel. My heart was in my mouth as he climbed on top of what looked like a giant double hamster wheel as it spun ever faster at a great height above the ground.
As if this wasn't enough, he then brought out a skipping rope, and finally a blindfold. My son even uttered the words, “Please don't tell me he's going to do it again,” and buried his head in his hands. The term daredevil was surely coined for the incredible Ruslan.
There were far too many acts in the show to mention them all, but my personal favourite was Professor Wacko, the Trampolining Wizard. His combination of skill and comedy was a winning one and put me in mind of Les Dawson playing the piano badly.
Where Dawson would pepper his repertoire with dud notes, Wacko played the clown by missing his target from the trampoline, falling down stairs, landing on his head and losing his trousers. Adding deliberate mistakes to a performance is a hard art, but Wacko has perfected it.
7 Zhelaniy struck a good balance between breathless action, appealing visuals and lighthearted comedy. My six-yearold son sat opened-mouthed for large parts of the show, while I was impressed by the artistic and acrobatic talents on display.
The colourful final act was an impressive synchronised routine on the bars with the performers dressed in vibrant orange, creating a real spectacle. And the large dollop of Scottishness during the finale went down very well with the audience, and sent everyone home singing and discussing which part had been their favourite.
There is plenty of time to grant yourself one wish and see the Moscow State Circus as it will perform in Aberdeen, at the Beach Boulevard, until August 7.