A CIRCUS CAROL – December 11-21, 2019

One of the best-loved stories of the festive season, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol will be turned on its head as an innovative circus production brings Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future tumbling onto the stage in a riot of colour at Norwich Playhouse from December 11 to 21.

A Circus Carol will be The Playhouse’s very first in-house Christmas production, and is co-produced by Norwich Theatre Royal, Norwich Playhouse and Norwich-based Lost in Translation Circus, one of the UK’s leading contemporary circus companies.

The ground-breaking show will feature a festive feast of high level dynamic circus skills combined with dance and character acting, as well as Lost in Translation Circus’s trademark warm humour which is guaranteed to tug at the heart-strings one minute and have audiences laughing out loud the next.

Expect dramatic acrobatics, aerial arts, balance work, clowning, juggling, character acting inspired by the Commedia dell’arte and much more, all woven into the re-imagined story of Scrooge presented by a tight-knit group of performers from Italy, France, Ireland and Australia.

This unique 70-minute-long show will immerse audiences in musical merriment with dramatic lighting, specially-composed music and sumptuous richly-coloured costumes for an uplifting Christmas experience which will truly be out of the ordinary. The show is ideal for everyone aged 10-plus.

Lost in Translation Circus was set up by co-directors Massimiliano Rossetti and Annabel Carberry not only to create and perform in their own special brand of innovative, contemporary circus, but also to teach it to people of all abilities.

Having made Norwich their home, they set up their Oak Circus Centre in Oak Street in the city, and from there are creating ground-breaking touring circus productions for both indoor and outdoor venues and arenas. Their ensemble shows include The Hogwallops, Hotel Paradiso, D’Emblée and La Balladee de Bergerac, with several new shows currently in development.

Lost in Translation Circus also recently performed in Queen Victoria’s Circus, a family festival at Windsor Castle on September 14 which transported visitors back to the time of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as part of celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of their births. The company helped bring the castle alive with attractions and performances inspired by George Wombwell’s travelling menagerie which visited Windsor Castle in 1847.

Speaking about the excitement of producing a brand new show for Christmas, co-director Massimiliano Rossetti said: “Lost in Translation Circus is very excited to collaborate and create this production with Norwich Theatre Royal and Norwich Playhouse. It is a great privilege to work with two of the city’s most renowned arts venues. It is wonderful to create something different for Christmas which will combine all the traditions with circus to create a dazzling festive experience.”

Tickets for A Circus Carol cost from £12-£15 with discounts for concessions, schools and groups of ten-plus. For more information or to book online see www.norwichplayhouse.co.uk

There will be a special relaxed performance of the show on Saturday December 14, at 2.30pm. This is suitable for anyone who would benefit from a supportive and more relaxed environment, including those with an autism spectrum condition or a wide range of disabilities. Patrons are free to move around and make noise during the performance.  For more information call 01603 598598.

Listing:

A Circus Carol Wednesday 11 to Saturday 21 December. Eves 7.30pm. Matinees 2.30pm on Wed 18 & Sats 14 and 21. Morning shows 11am on Thur & Fri 12 & 13. Tickets £12-£15. Discounts for Concessions and Groups of 10+, £9.50 preview night, £8.50 schools at 11am shows. Sat Dec 14 2.30pm show will be a Relaxed Performance. For more info or to BOOK ONLINE log on to www.norwichplayhouse.co.uk or call the box office on 01603 598598.