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An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
2012
Theatre
The show has suddenly become quite wonderful, and the galvanising factor is the terrific stage debut of Melanie C
Blood Brothers
Music
The British pop music industry may be eating itself but if Muse are the pick of what it can offer the world in 2010 then British music is in rude health indeed
Muse
I was smitten by both Gilberts enormous luxuriant moustache and the intelligence and nuance of this highly entertaining play
I totally recommend Babbo to anyone who is looking for really good and traditional Italian food
Always been a fan but never seen them live. I was ecstatic to be part of this epic event. WOW!
London,
Bruce Dessau's rating
Reader rating
Dir: Dominic Champagne.
Cast: Cirque Du Soleil
Description: A new physical circus-theatre show presenting a tribute to nomadic soul, from the phenomenal ensemble, in which aerial skills, acrobatics, and other modern circus traditions are performed to original live music.
Trains: Tube: High Street Kensington 
, Tube / Bus: 9, 10, 52, 360 
Phone: 0207589 8212
Website: www.royalalberthall.com
Extra info: Food, Pub
Full flight: Zoey Tedstill with Helen Ball, Susanna Defraia Scala and Natalia Presser performing with ease 80 feet above the audience
Striking: the show contains fantastic gymnastic skills
Uplifting: Cirque du Soleil's new show, Varekai, has a kick
The annual Cirque du Soleil visit has become a fun-filled January tradition amid the post-Christmas gloom. There is something particularly uplifting about this year's show by the pioneering Canadian circus company that gives it a kick recent visits have lacked.
No wonder celebrities such as Annie Lennox, Mika, Katie Melua and Miranda Richardson were smiling as they left the Royal Albert Hall.
Gallery: See the stars at the first night
Of course, the music is still that rare breed of tooth-rotting chill-out Europop and there is still the jarring thank-you voiceover to the corporate sponsors, yet for once the plot makes some sense.
Varekai - "wherever" in Romany language - very loosely takes its cue from the Icarus story, opening with the spectacularly graceful fall of a whitewinged-figure from the heavens. This is an eerie echo of 9/11, which gives the performance a strong emotional resonance.
As Icarus (Mark Halasi) is saved by multi-coloured wood nymphs and brilliant-contortionist Irina Naumenko, who has probably never lost a game of Twister in her life, this can be interpreted as man recovering from the greatest of tragedies, a triumph of the life force. The narrative was, however, frequently upstaged by some terrific gymnastic skills, from the athletic Stiv Bello who spun like a whizzing propeller on his brother Roni's feet to juggler Octavio Alegria, who surpassed himself by tossing and catching countlessflying hats. The set is striking too - simple floor-to-ceiling metallic poles symbolising the forest dominate the rear of the set. A human sea anemone was the oddest costume, despite stiff competition.
There are some weaker moments. The Georgian dancers closed the first half on a low point and the clowns felt like filler, though these are small quibbles in an inventive production that packs numerous sucker punches and triggers all sorts of references, from The Oresteia's masks to Antony Sher's Richard III on crutches.
By the time the second half reached its climax with a troupe of stunning aerial Russians swooping over the stage propelled from swing boats my joints were starting to ache just watching it. I might be too old to run away to the circus but you are never too old to enjoy Cirque du Soleil.
Until 17 February (0870 380 0020).
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
