Leotard Cohen.

The day after the Italians arrival we planned to take a trip to 'Europe's newest and best' circus – Cirque Surreal.  I don't actually remember ever going to a circus, instead having memories of circuses downloaded into my brain via off-line books.  I certainly recall Mr Ben's visit to the circus, my nebulous memory suggests he may have been a strong man or a clown...I can't quite recall?  They also had various jungle animals parading around and elephants performing degrading acts on the tightrope...

But this Cirque Surreal was an all together different affair.  

As you enter the big top (put up in one of the many car parks in the huge city of 'Trafford Centre) you're led to your seats by a set of  bowler hatted wearing mime artists, after you've left the bar area (I felt like it was 12pm in a 'chill out' tent at Glastonbury – the library ambient music fanning the illusion).

Gone were the 'jungle animals' of course and the clown isn't one of those slightly, untrustworthy characters but a cross between Marcel Marceau and Mr Bean.  I actually found him funny (as did the kids) and felt he kept the show together.  It's seemingly based on a rather vague concept of the nations of the world uniting, but I found this a little misplaced.  In fact it was more akin to the members of the village people leading the dragon on Chinese New Year.  We really wanted  to see the acrobats (the adults hoping for tight spandex keks and suggestive leotards, the kids for humans being lobbed into the roof of the big top with not a safety harness in sight...which is what we all got).

A Ronaldo-a-like 'football juggler' was interesting, at one stage juggling five footballs and balancing, spinning the rest on his nostrils.  He had perfected the cheesy post trick smile almost to the point of post parody.  Still, he was impressive.  

We also saw the 'Chinese' couple (the performers are sourced from all around the world) show off some frankly unbelievable bodily contortions.  The act where the guy turned his partner into a giant human polo mint just had to be seen.  I think she performed a spot of ballet on his forehead at one stage, although perhaps a mixture of bafflement and befuddlement (courtesy of Stella from the circus bar) created an illusion for me.

The 'African Prince' at one stage almost caused a spot of fisticuffs, quite amusing really...I think he 'pretend nutted' a fella in the audience who didn't take too kindly to this.  A barrage of 'swearing words' and a face harsh enough to crack a nut must've been his very own version of circus behaviour.  I personally think he was rudely woken up, as by this stage the 'concept' and silly dancing taunted the eyelids.

However, the ending was pretty spectacular.  In what's best described as a pair of giant, metal hamster wheels, two of the performers (the 'modern city worker' in the village people troupe) spun round inside then outside the cage spinning heart stoppingly around the big top.  They then started using skipping ropes almost slipping up (20 odd metres high) which would've cascaded their bodies directly into the ground below (again unharnessed).

The kids all loved it and I guess most of the adults too.

One of my highlights mind was seeing Sooty's 'dad' Matthew Corbert in the audience.  I can confirm Sue was elsewhere, perhaps over in Selfridge's purchasing handbags or a new brush.