Flexibility really only comparable to a cheese string, muscles I didn’t know existed, and legs with a remarkably similar function to that of a pogo stick - this is of course Circolombia, comprised of performers from Colombia’s national circus school. This performance will certainly have you sat on the edge of your seat as they fling each other around the stage with about as much regard as a rugby ball, in an impressive array of breakdancing and acrobatics. Circolombia is inspired, thematically, by the poverty-stricken reality of parts of Colombia. Throughout the show images of Colombian slums are projected on small screens upstage. The force driving the performance sometimes appears to be verging on aggressive but this soon flicks back to passion for the country they are so clearly proud of. Colombian music fills the theatre in Assembly Hall with colourful melodies and percussive rhythms that seem to fuel the carnival that is Circolombia.The male performers wow the audience as their agility and coordination acts as a springboard for tumbling, flipping, rolling and somersaulting. Not only do they keep up with the physical strength of the predominantly male cast, but the two female dancers ooze sensuality as they both melt like honey into the arms of their statuesque partners. Weightlessly, one of the girls balances on the forehead of her partner and proceeds to perform a one-handed handstand, unsurprisingly blowing the audience away. Meanwhile, with fierce power, the breakdancing gurus spring in and out of each other’s hands as if jumping between trampolines. The slightly unclear narrative puts a downer on the show as the performers leap from one acrobatic obscurity to another. However, an open minded appreciation of circus skills and breaking at their best will lead to a highly enjoyable experience. Circolombia - Intimo Urban is fantastic entertainment and, realistically, how often will you get to see a human tower made from fully grown men? If you, like me, are a mere mortal, then the answer to this question will be not very often, so I urge you to go and see this clownless circus that will undoubtedly catapult you into a state of applause.
