An iron constitution and a wicked sense of humour are a must if you are thinking of seeing the Circus of Horrors, as I quickly discovered last week.

This dark, musical of a freak-show is not for the fainthearted. It boasts sword swallowers and contortionists as well as a man blessed with astonishingly stretchy skin.

The show's theme is based on the old Victorian travelling side-show, where bearded ladies and other human oddities were wheeled out to be paraded before revellers.

But this production, far from holding the performers up to ridicule, is quite clearly a celebration of their unique talents.

The Circus of Horrors ringmaster, the undead' Dr Haze, introduces the audience to a host of extraordinary characters, from vixen vampires and voodoo limbo dancers to gravity-defying acrobats and trapeze artists.

Two memorable features include the exploits of Wasp Boy who, despite having an 18 inch waist, can swallow five swords at a time as well as a lit neon tube - visibly glowing through his chest when the house lights are turned down.

And who can forget the rubber-man Gary Stretch, who, with his expanding flaps of skin, holds the world record for attaching the largest number of clothes pegs to his face.

Despite the production's sinister name, the Circus of Horrors has its tongue lodged firmly in cheek.

The laughs come as frequently as the gasps of shock.

And it also has a distinct rock and roll feel to it with regular musical intervals, not dissimilar to the Rocky Horror Picture Show's format.

My favourite part of the show was a simple, but effective, dance sequence which consisted of skeletons jigging and climbing the walls under ultraviolet lighting,

The cast of 27 have all been trained and choreographed by Willie Ramsay, head aerial coach at the recent Tomb Raider film. The Circus of Horrors, finished its European tour at the Fairfield Halls on December 3 and 4, the only London dates this year.

December 13, 2001 16:30