Bang Bang Circus @ Assembly George Square

Bang Bang Circus describe themselves as circus cabaret – a collective combining all the skill of the circus, with all the class and tongue-in-cheek humour of the cabaret. This ‘tipsy turvy’ troupe require no ring-master, instead the clown is king and an ever-so charming Charlie Chaplin expertly pulls, pushes, cajoles, and applauds not only the various acts, but various people’s children, onto the stage.

The acts themselves are gloriously old-fashioned and clearly aimed at a family audience: sword swallowing, hat juggling, acrobatics and medicine men abound. Lest we all slip into overly cosy nostalgia, however, the ‘dangerous balancing’ act from Glasgow in which everything from Buckfast to a shopping trolley is balanced on the face of the madcap performer provided a slightly bizarre reminder of the rougher edges of the circus tradition.

The old-school glamour and glitz of the Spiegel Tent setting certainly heightens the atmosphere of an encounter with entertainment from a lost era. The venue is, however, apparently inadequate for the aerials which the circus seems to have originally intended to include – a fact which must have proved as disappointing for the performers as it was for the audience.

Silent, physical comedy was the real strength of this show, and it was a joy to see it done so well by some of the performers: a nose twitch or two from Bang Bang’s Mr Chaplin or a cheeky between-the-legs-over-the-shoulder grin from contortionist Lula Loop far outstripped the generally off-the-beat patter of the more talkative, less experienced acts.

Still, four marvellous things before dinner are not to be sneezed at, and while a few gags fell flat, the comedy of failure and repetition employed by 'Chaplin' and co seems particularly apt for a recession. Special mention also has to go to the tragic clown with the dusty suitcase full of memories – his battle with a wayward umbrella is sure to touch something deep inside the soaked heart of any fringe goer this year.