Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams | Adelaide Fringe 2019 Review

Circus Abyssinia will have you smiling from beginning to end with their thoroughly enjoyable, visually joyful and uplifting performance. This is definitely a show to put in your top five picks for 2019 if you’re not sure what to go and see yet.

This high energy, vibrant and colourful show will have you clapping and cheering after each and every act, as each performer demonstrates astounding skills in their chosen craft. Their huge smiles are absolutely infectious and the audience needs little encouragement to show their appreciation the whole way through.

The performance begins quietly with the two young boys representing Bibi and Bichu, who share their dream of joining the circus, before the entire cast enter the stage in brilliant costumes, dancing to the beat of the music.

Each and every performance is as impressive as the next, with the men executing a series of hand vaulting routines giving us a taste of what’s to come, as they catapult through the air and backflip off each other’s shoulders.

Making an entrance that will be hard to forget, two women enter on all fours, upside down, in snake print bodysuits for a contortionist display that you really need to see to believe. Their performance is jaw dropping as they almost turn themselves inside out, their flexible movements as smooth as they are astonishing.

Circus Abyssinia’s repertoire of circus tricks are simply brilliant, both the men and the women bring to the stage their own unique touch to everything they do.  The music and lighting affects add to the atmosphere and keep the momentum moving.

Highlights include a very clever hula hoop dancing girl with a constant smile, four girls showing incredible coordination and balancing skills spinning woven discs on their fingertips and toes (reminiscent of a Cirque Du Soleil performance) and four girls again maneuvering their bodies and showing strength beyond their size to perform a variety of movements and human pyramids.

More highlights include a very entertaining juggling duet with fluro green spinning skittles, impressive hoop diving, some crazy skipping skills and outstanding group acrobatic tricks on twin poles combining coordination, speed, and strength, plus as always, good humour at every turn!

The trust and strength shared by the cast can only be appreciated sitting in the audience, the degree of difficulty throughout the show is just astonishing.  A truly uplifting and joyous performance  that easily deserves their five star rating!

Performances are held nightly (excluding Mondays) at 6.30pm in The Peacock at Gluttony, with 3pm afternoon performances on Saturdays.

Category: Circus and Physical Theatre / Performance

Age Recommendation:  Rated G.  A family friendly show for all ages, however the music is very loud in some acts so keep this in mind with young children or those who are sound sensitive.

Tickets: $29 – $39 / Family $99 – $115