Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams

The show begins with two boys juggling and speaking to the moon about wanting to be circus performers. These two boys represent young Bibi and Bichu Tesfamariam, Ethiopian brothers whose dream has become a reality with this incredible show, which features young students from a circus school in Ethiopia the brothers helped fund, and demonstrates the talent and strength their country has to offer in the world of circus.

A series of brilliant acrobatic stunts has the audience on the edge of their seats from the very first moment, as people are thrown through the air, flipping and twisting faster than the eye can follow. This is followed by a slower, elegant display of flexibility and grace from two of the female performers, whose balancing acts on top of each other keep the delicious tension in the audience high throughout their beautiful set. The pace is picked up again with tumbling and trampolines, then slowed down once more with a stunning take on the classic spinning plates using colourful cloths. No matter the pace, the energy and vibrancy of the show is never lost, and the audience is on tenterhooks for the entire hour.

The Terfamariam brothers’ juggling sequence is one of the absolute highlights of the show. The performance is completely mesmerising; the clubs soar through the air and land perfectly in their awaiting hands, which never once falter. More and more are added and still they are flawless, catching them behind their backs and balancing them on their noses and moving seamlessly with and around each other, in a sequence that is truly sensational to see.

Everything they do makes you more and more convinced they are insane, as the stunts get harder and the stakes higher; like all great circus, it is clear that someone could get seriously hurt if things went wrong. Occasionally, a trick doesn’t land right, but they only get up and do it again without batting an eyelid, and the audience love it even more when it does land right the second time - and it always does.

This is an all-round brilliant show; the music is electrifying, the stunts are astonishing and visually, it is stunning. Circus Abyssinia is a wonder to behold, and I can't wait to see what they’ll do next.