Roll up, roll up for one of the greatest shows on earth. The Moscow State Circus is in town and its low-key line-up of traditional acts is a breath of Siberian fresh air.
Seeing the big top pitched up on Blackheath Common, Shooters Hill Road, brings back memories of childhood innocence. The show works on this and mixes the nostalgia with a sense of timeless circus traditionalism relying on raw skill and showmanship rather than pyrotechnics and clever lighting.
The show opens with a dancing troupe of acrobats leaping and somersaulting from a swing and it is certainly the more gymnastic acts which draw a sharp in-take of breath from the audience.
A dizzying flying trapeze act is particularly impressive but a modern twist on the knife throwing act using crossbows will make you reach for the vodka just to calm the nerves.
Sophisticated clown double act Valik and Valerik combine slapstick with magic tricks and confidently balance on a tightrope of comedy and physical theatre while neither boring adults or patronising children.
It may not have the razzmatazz or weighty budget of Cirque Du Soleil but its warmth and charm more than makes up for what it lacks in glitter.
The Moscow State Circus at Blackheath Common, Shooters Hill Road, until Nov 2. Call 0844 856 5555 for tickets.
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