Circuses are like busses at the moment – we hadn’t been to one in years, then we saw two in a week!
But we’re not complaining. The first whet our appetites for the second and the kids – now harbouring ambitions to be acrobats – shrieked with delight as they ran across the Savile Park grass towards the Moscow State Circus Big Top.
Moscow State Circus has spent the last few years honing “Gostinitsa”. It’s a circus experience – such as you would see at Cirque du Soleil – with a theme and story, alongside the daredevil stunts you’d expect.
We attended a 5pm show and it started promptly. After a funny routine from the Chervotkins Duo clowns (they had the adults in fits of laughter too) a troupe of energetic bellboys burst into the ring with skipping ropes. These were no ordinary playground skipping tricks, standing on each others’ shoulders and skipping with several ropes at a time.
There’s unicycling, foot juggling, and a marvellous hula hooping acrobat who swings from her ankle while spinning hoops around hands, feet and everywhere else. There are acrobats performing up ten-metre poles balanced on other men’s heads, and the climax of their act; three of them balanced on one – very strong – man’s shoulder.
My favourite was the trapeze artists who, while high in the air, had a girl step on each of their heads and do the splits. Then one walked the tightrope, a ten metre pole balanced on his head, and the girl balanced at the top!
Even my baby – snuggled into a baby carrier wearing noise-cancelling headphones – had a huge grin on her face by the end of that.
As entertaining as the clowns are, it’s interesting to watch the set-up between acts, and you’ll see some more balancing on shoulders action and be impressed by how quickly they turn it all around.
To finish, the bellboys were back, this time hurtling through the air between two Russian swings, somersaulting and leaping from one to the other.
We had a great time, and can’t wait for our next circus experience!
For tickets, visit moscowstatecircus.com
There is plenty of parking on the streets around Savile Park, and lots of grass for a picnic
