Cavalia is short on gimmicks and big on heart. The big-top import touring Sydney and Melbourne has horses as it stars, but after a long canter never breaks into a gallop.

It’s a show with horses far removed from the circus tent or race track. Under a white big top, Cavalia is full of fire and vitality and a sense of the oneness of all things.

Australia just can’t get enough of the death-defying hijinks of this bawdy circus-inspired act. An extended season at the Sydney Opera House has plenty of return business — even our critic.

Cirque Du Soleil is more business than entertainment, but its latest touring production Ovo has plenty of heart for the young and young-at-heart.

Many circus acts are centuries old, and audiences today may well be watching the same feats of extraordinary skill as their forebears enjoyed. Tumbling, trapeze, acrobalance et al. are all familiar acts to audiences; the key in performance is framing these into a show — be it the grand spectacle and quasi-mysticism of Cirque du [...]

It mightn’t be the greatest show on earth exactly (although it probably comes surprisingly close), but it’s what our grandparents might’ve called ‘a good night out’. A very good night out. La Soirée plants its tongue in its cheek for a couple of hours of non-stop, full-on, breathtaking, arousing, downright dangerous (God only knows what [...]

I’m a Cirque du Soleil virgin. It’s never, for whatever reason, captured my imagination. But, since the opportunity was presented to me, why not take a look? Of course, Acer Arena is no place, really, to see or hear anything. It’s cavernous, impersonal and disconnecting. It might be at the pointy end of modern stadia [...]

“You won’t see that at Cirque du Soleil,” jokes one rubbery Circus Oz performer after a particularly silly piece of slapstick from industrious new show Steampowered. Well, indeed. Cirque du Soleil, the Canadian magicians of franchised gymnastic entertainment, packed up its tent in May. They jump higher. Swing further. Balance longer. Take breath away from [...]