Bianco

I saw a circus show last year at the Fringe and was not very impressed (can't remember the name of it something like "Oriental Circus") therefore I was not going to bother going to one this year but when my friend Nelly posted on Twitter that she had just seen "Bianco" and enthused how good it was, I took her advice and bought a ticket for the afternoon show.

I am so glad I did, it was fabulous! It's such a shame they do not allow photography during a show, I can understand to a degree why they don't allow flash photography, "for the safety of the performers" and it would distract other audience members. They do have some pictures on their website which will give you some idea.

It's mostly an aerial acrobatic show although there was also some other acts, including a very talented juggler and a young lady doing gymnastic type balancing. Apart from the amazing talent and skill as well as strength, what makes the show stand out was the beauty and lovely visuals combined with live music. It really is stunning.

The one drawback is it is a "promenade circus" which means there is no seating, you can sit on the ground but you will have to get up and move around as the performers move their equipment for different "sets". This probably isn't an issue for most people but with my "dodgy" leg I find it quite painful to sit on the ground and standing for about 2 hours is pretty uncomfortable too, although I managed. On the bright side they had a bar serving bottles of "Joker IPA" :-) They did have a few chairs for those who really needed them.

There was a 20 minute interval half way through, which is when I took this image of the set, try and imagine it with about a dozen acrobats all swinging and bouncy over it (there's a trampoline in the middle) and it might give you some impression.

If you are in Edinburgh for the Fringe you should add this show to your list of "must see" shows!