In what can only be summed up as ‘Heavy Metal and Electronic Circus’, The Barbaroi is a thrilling collection of tricks and techniques. The 60-minute show puts all its emphasis on the feats of its performers; exhibiting acrobatics, equilibristics, and the usual crowd favourites like juggling.

The Barbaroi merges circus with other forms of physical theatre, with the introductory act featuring blends of contemporary dance. The coloured lighting throughout the show is superb and placed very creatively, sometimes casting the dark shadows of the entertainers onto the roof, creating a very neat effect. The Barbaroi also features a wide variety of contrasting music during the acts; everything from upbeat songs during the intense balance acts to calmer electronic James Blake during the aerial straps. The performers sometimes interact with the music, such as during the hoops scene, where the trouper moves in time to sound effects. Costume selection is intriguing and varied, with some wearing gritty, underground leather and others in hoodies or jackets.

The group interact with each other on stage very humorously, with a range of facial expressions and body movements. Sarcasm, dominance, and seduction is used cleverly as they try and impress each other through the established hierarchy of the performers. The show is constant and scene changes are unnoticeable. Routines are carried out elegantly and feel practiced, which washes over with no real sense of jeopardy or ‘edge of your seat’ feeling as the show progressed. Acts lightly progress with difficulty but a ‘grand finale’ act was missing. Some tricks such as juggling felt flat with one too many failures, but on the rare occasion that a trick did fail, improvisation and character acting redeemed it.

The performers want to be storytellers and narrate their tale through physical theatre, which is a hard thing to do. The base of a story arc exists as the show begins and ends with rope acts and a single lighter, so they don’t have far to go. Playing with the character hierarchy would be a great place to start. That said, this show is highly entertaining and comes recommended for all who enjoy the circus.