Hotel Paradiso

This is good family circus which entertains.

Hotel Paradiso

In a splendid venue of The Meadows, this circus show is story based and is a solid choice to take the family to.

The story is a classic triumph over adversity to save a hotel, following a sorry backstory. There is a brilliant cast of performers who exhibit good skill in both their circus and their characterisation. There’s use of slapstick comedy and nerve wrecking stunts.

There’s a particular sketch relatable for many parents; involving wine and hula hoops (of the large plastic variety) which demonstrate both ingenious creativity and technical skill, serving to provide some depth to the performance as well as light relief at the same time.

This is just one of many acts which are woven into the story, with acrobalance, trapeze, juggling battles and aerial work on the menu for an entertaining show.

Unfortunately the ability and entertainment provided by the cast isn’t always translated in to rapturous applause as you’d often see, with an interesting choice in accompanying music which dampens the vibe on more than one occasion, and with some questionable lighting design choices. Some of these remind me of a ‘dream state’ style attempt which doesn’t quite work with the high energy and naturally endorphin-inducing circus performances.

That said, there is a good use of backlit people providing shadows to illustrate the story of people no longer with us, which was a good device to portray the story to the audience.

A commendable effort, worth a visit for family fun who want something with a story and some more substance without getting too dark.

Header Image Credit: Provided

Author

Emrys Green

Emrys Green Voice Team

Emrys is the Business & Projects manager at Upstart who runs Voice.

Alongside managing Voice and its related programmes of work Emrys manages web builds and live events through his own pursuits - with a wide encapsulation of the arts sector. Theatre, Dance, Circus, Spoken Word and a combination of contemporary and shakespearean work would all be in his wheelhouse.

Recent posts by this author

View more posts by Emrys Green

0 Comments

Post A Comment

You must be signed in to post a comment. Click here to sign in now

You might also like

West End Actor Interrogates Stereotyping Faced by Latinx People in Soho Theatre Solo Show

West End Actor Interrogates Stereotyping Faced by Latinx People in Soho Theatre Solo Show

by Daniel Miller

Read now