People don’t usually celebrate their 29th birthday, but after a night celebrating Sophie’s, 29 is surely the new 30. Such is the energising power of Sophie’s Surprise 29th.
Taking the idea of a surprise birthday party, Sophie’s Surprise 29th presents circus arts in an accessible and riotous way. The audience are not just passive observers – they are very much part of the party – which makes this the perfect set up to introduce audiences to the acts. With aerial hoop, hair hanging, fire acts and the innovative Hand to Trapeze, the show effectively blends the electric nature of cabaret with the nostalgic silliness of a 90s house party.
This is the London debut after a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe. The cast are world-leading performers from the company names we all recognise; La Clique, The 7 Fingers, Cirque de Soleil; we’re seeing high calibre performers at the top of their game. Underbelly present this with Three Legged Productions, a circus company of three of the cast members – Katherine Arnold, Nathan Price and Isis Clegg-Vinell – who all run with high accolades.
“…looking themselves like an exciting new circus production company which, as most things, always have a certain strength when artist-led.”
Underbelly Boulevard Soho is Underbelly’s first permanent venue, taking over an iconic space with its own rich history from the days of a seedier Soho. It stated a commitment to bring “the hottest cabaret, variety and music” to London. Sophie’s Surprise 29th was a 5 star smash-hit at the Fringe, so it fits the venue’s ambition.
Sophie’s Surprise 29th opens with an audience member chosen as Sophie. It’s her birthday and the artists are there to perform as part of her present. The whole show feels like a party with 90s throwbacks and games like pass the parcel. This storyline really works, because it makes the act of performing self-aware. At one point, after a thrilling rollerblading act, Nathan jokes about if this is high art or ‘proper circus’. Quips like that bring the show into feeling comfortable and keeps a warm tone.
© Craig Sugden
Also keeping a thoroughfare for the series of cabaret acts are the character tropes. We’ve got the goth, the nerd, the chavs, the girly girl, and so on. This is gentle enough not to take over the circus acts but clear enough to give an easy narrative to follow. The acts themselves are genuinely thrilling and showcase the exceptional calibre of the performers.
Katherine Arnold performs first with an aerial rope act in the guise of a typical nerd, rejected by her love interest Dru Cripps. The rope works for the twitchy awkwardness of her character, and she quickly shows her acrobatic skills – particularly with a difficult toe climb and quick drops down the rope. Later, Katherine unveils as a drop-dead gorgeous acrobat and performs an elegant hoop act. It’s a Grease / Princess Diaries-esque transformation, introduced with a tongue-in-cheek reference to the male gaze.
After a comedic bit about hooking up, Dru Cripps is thrown onto the stage completely naked. His astute abilities in clowning lets him play the audience perfectly, riffing with them and needling into the comedic moments they respond to. His improvised loop box set is becoming a firm fixture on the London live arts scene and lends itself perfectly to contemporary improv-based clowning. This adds variety to an otherwise circus-focused show and utilises what clowning excels at; controlling the energy of the audience.
Sophie’s Surprise 29th also offers a rather typical love triangle storyline. Cornelius Atkinson is a high-level acrobat at the top of his game, and performs a breath-taking straps act in a goth guise. He’s heartbroken from unrequited love, but parodies it hilariously as he grasps a teddy bear (won from the audience’s pass the parcel). Mesmerising acrobatics are followed with a Twilight fan faction reading, and it keeps the tone light-hearted.
Acrobatic duo Isis Clegg-Vinell and Nathan Price perform a doubles rollerblading set as stereotyping chavs, showing the ‘cheeky bit of British charm’ they’re known for, suited in rip-off Burberry tracksuits. With a self-aware remark to representing the working class, Isis and Nathan present a rollerblading performance with Hand-to-Hand poses that truly makes the audiences hold their breath. In Underbelly’s round space, the spinning and flying looks spectacular. This duo has a long list of acclaimed companies on their CV, and their precision is demonstrative of that.
As a trio, Cornelius, Isis and Nathan bring a showstopping spectacle of Hand-to-Trapeze. This is the act Three Legged Productions are renowned for, combining two contrasting acrobatic spectacles – Doubles Trapeze and Hand-to-Hand – in an act that is beautifully linear. This is used to bring the love triangle to a narrative arc, and the Sophie of the evening chooses who Isis picks as her love interest.
“…looking themselves like an exciting new circus production company which, as most things, always have a certain strength when artist-led.”
Josie Jones performs hair hanging and an aerial fire act, as a girly girl abound with fluffy pink accessories. You can see her dancer background in her movements and it adds grace to the dare of hair hanging and fire aerial acts. While both of Josie’s acts are nail-biting and keep the audiences on the edge of their seat, she’s also utterly charming.
It’s wonderful to think that the concept for Sophie’s Surprise 29th was conjured up in a Joe & the Juice just around the corner. Three Legged Productions are a circus production company to watch; one which, as most things, enjoys a certain strength when artist-led.
Audiences should know there’s a high degree of audience interaction and nudity in this show. It’s messy and chaotic. I found crisps in my bag when leaving. It’s heavy on the aerial acrobatics, and could be rounded off with another cabaret discipline.
Why Sophie? We aren’t told why, but it works as a name that could fit many people. Sophie’s Surprise 29th is certainly a surprise to whoever ends up chosen. It’s a neat idea and fits a show that showcases the circus arts in a party for everyone.
Sophie’s Surprise 29th is a Three Legged Race Production, presented with Underbelly.
Featured Image: Tom Snell
Show Details
Venue: Underbelly Boulevard
Dates: 26th April-28th June
Admission: From £25
Showtimes:
- Various Times
Age Recommendation: 16+
Running Time: 90 mins including interval
Accessibility
- Wheelchair Accessible Venue
- Wheelchair Accessible Toilet
- Audio Enhancement System
