On A Lighter Note, There’s always Zippos

Zippo’s Circus

The Quarry Park

Shrewsbury

06/06/24-10/06/24

(See website for performance times)

Who doesn’t love a circus? The marquee was utterly thronged with Shrewsbury people after some entertainment and they got what they came for and some..

Before I start with the superlatives one feels the need to point out the weaker part of the show and maybe what can be done to fix it. There were no clowns?  Instead, a particularly unfunny couple opened the show. It was a diminutive ringmaster, Paulo Don Santos  and his larger sidekick, La Loka. Their comedy didn’t work and the sound was all over the place and one couldn’t identify with what was happening.

One felt it was slightly chaotic. Can the ringmaster be replaced? The argument is no, a show does needs that rock of solid anchorage; and this one suffered for the lack of a real moustachioed bonafide ringmaster with his crisp tones and his cracking whip. I know the law against Wild Animals in Circuses was only recently passed,  in 2019 believe it or not, the role of the animals was fulfilled by humans but the ringmaster traditionally needs his whip. He was missed. So, it was overall a poor start that needs reworking. However, the ringmaster and his assistant were so absolutely brilliant at every other circus skill form. They could do everything and redeemed the poor start.

There was a feeling of an international touring show, language was lost and not one word was heard but one feels the generic taped announcements are in Alphabetical order reflecting all the languages of Western Europe.  The expansion may have made the family feel that one always gets at Zippos, slightly compromised. The loss of the language with the sound being so bad didn’t matter mostly but: a script might have been nice, one that one could follow as it brought the narrative forward. There was none of that. That’s a shame.

Right all those little niggles pale into insignificance by talking of the most breath-taking dare devil acts that is on show this year in that ever enticing big top. One was amazed by the Wheel Of Death, a huge caged sphere and the performers rode their motorcycles inside; loop the loop was a popular move,  but one was deeply impressed when they put three motorcyclists in there at once. It was literally stunning. They are the Zippo’s Globe Riders.

In keeping with the international theme, we were entertained by the breath taking tumbles of the Kenya Boys,  and the superb stunts of the Mongolian Warriors were also definitely a fine addition. The show is overall stunning and the work these guys put in is astonishing. No one runs off to join the circus for an easy life, that’s for certain!

After we gasped at the height defying trapeze artist,  Alex Michael, we were amazed by the balancing skills of Anna Usakova and her tight rope skills. Tony Novotny had all his plates spinning and Jackie Louise flew high over our heads and her silk work was superb. Such upper body strength. It was more than impossible not to be impressed.

The crowd loved it, a great traditional evening out. Not a single screen in sight, and yet the children invested their attention and were rewarded by circus skills of old. Whilst our new generation can laugh at a circus skills and get excited, we can sleep safely knowing that the kids are growing up just like we did, we went to circuses and we laughed and loved it,  One admits that was back in the sixties, to see modern children doing the same is heartening for the future.

I love the circus and I loved this one. Communication is an issue but not a deal breaker. Well done to Zippo’s. They gave us all the fun of the circus and so much more.

This is a Four-Star Review

Sofia Lewis