⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half
Mention Head First Acrobats and you’ll immediately think of their spicy late night shows GODZ and Elixir Revived. The shows have been hugely popular at previous Fringes and after recently experiencing Elixir Revived myself, I can understand the hype.
This year, they’re debuting a family-friendly offering – All Star Circus. It showcases the acrobatic feats they’re famous for, with the raunch replaced with kid-appropriate cheekiness.
The two MCs, Tom and Cal, do a great job of drawing the audience in.
I loved that they weren’t typical ringmasters. They didn’t just introduce the acts. They performed their own tricks and engaged the crowd while doing so. What great showmen!
Tom in particular, had the kids in stitches with his quips. He was the perfect hypeman for a room full of kids eager to witness something “stupid and dangerous”. I feel that Tom’s mum might have gone grey before her time, judging by his antics.
The show featured the usual circus favourites: hoops, trapeze, juggling and aerials. There were also bursts of breakdancing and balancing acts which brought a delectable variety to an eager audience.
Watching the show, you can tell that the cast are clearly seasoned performers, with one cast member even bringing experience from Cirque du Soleil.
Consequently, it was hard to find fault with any of the acts. You would have to be a professional circus performer to be able to catch the tiniest glitch.
Beyond the technical polish, the acts were entertaining. There was a great variation and crescendo to the routines and the perfomers’ personas shone through as they pulled out every trick up their sleeve to wow and delight.
The only note that I do have is that the aerial straps act felt a bit out of place.
To be clear, this is in NO way, a reflection on the performer. The aerial straps routine was skilfully executed and still drew collective gasps from the audience.
It was more the tone of the act that drew my attention as it did not seem to fit the buoyant vibe of All Star Circus. The aerial act felt introspective, with moodier and more dramatic music to match.
Given that the previous act was Tom was performing a lighthearted routine, which included riding a skateboard on his head and fart sound effects… it was a noticeable mood shift.
I feel that this act would have been better as a grand finale for maximum impact.
It would also match the mood of an audience who are feeling a little sombre, knowing they’ll have to leave the spiegeltent.
I know I wasn’t the only one who was disappointed that the show was coming to a close. It was fifty minutes of joy that made us all forget the diabolical heat outside the venue.
All Star Circus is now showing at Fringe World until 14th February 2026.