On this cold December night, the auditorium of the Theatre Royal Brighton is filled with an audience of all ages. Some, like myself, are fortunate enough to have seen tonight’s show before. Others may well have been brought here tonight by, or on the recommendation of, friends and family. And still others may have bought their ticket out of a simple curiosity, wanting to see what has kept this fabled clown show – billed as “a cavalcade of chaos and charm” – touring the world since its inception in 1993.
Well, curiosity is more than welcome here. In fact, it is encouraged and as the lights dim and we are met by Assissai, our protagonist for the evening (festooned in bright yellow coveralls with red hair that matches a trailing scarf) a sense of wonder is immediately ignited. He cuts a striking but amiable figure. Underscored by a lilting, lullaby-like melody he is soon joined by another figure (this individual in a green trench coat and wide-winged hat) and then another and another and another. Through flurries of confetti the ensemble emerges to parade, prank and perform for this is Slava’s Snowshow and there is no show quite like it.
What follows is a feast of spectacle. Seamless choreography meets a sense of play in the truest form of the word as we follow Assissai on a trip through a Winter wonderland of his own making. Sketches and scenes spill and intermingle as we are welcomed into the dreamstate where anything can happen and reason is only ever half-formed. Stories appear, drift and get lost in blizzards of mayhem and, while the action might be episodic, it is never disjointed. The clowning at its heart is precise and virtuosic but silliness runs rampant throughout as bedframes become boats at sea (complete with circling sharks), a hatstand is one half of a love story soon to part under such sweet sorrow and a cobweb manages to… Well, that would be spoiling things now, wouldn’t it?
And while the content may be whimsical it never lacks heart. We laugh, cheer, weep and wonder with Assissai throughout his trials and triumphs, all delivered by an immaculate ensemble headed by Artem Zhimo. For Snowshow is truly a performance like no other. It is at all times, as the show’s original creator Slava Polunin describes it, “magically ritual and spectacularly festive” and it manages that rare feat of taking a discipline that, at its core is virtuosic and at times exclusive, and renders it accessible, enjoyable and wholly immersive. Whether you are an old friend or new, Slava and his ragtag band of mischief-makers welcome you. Long may this production live and long may it reign for the world needs more fools with heart.
Looking for some festive theatre this Winter but remain at a loss for which offering to choose? Well, if you’ve no place to go… Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
Theatre Royal Brighton, Thursday 12th December 2024
For tickets and further information click here
Photo by Veronique Vial
