Review: The Ugly Duckling: A Circus Story

A timeless tale turned into an energising circus show that is perfectly paced for children.

Revel Puck’s run of The Ugly Duckling: A Circus Story is part of their Winter Festival, running alongside their other show, THE RUCKUS. Neither of these has Christmas themes, which makes it a good break from the Christmas pantomimes, but readers should know these are not shows to see Santa in. Instead, it brings a circus twist to a timeless tale, full of energetic tricks and heartwarming messages about friendship and being true to yourself.

There’s certainly something magical about stepping into a Spiegeltent. A beautifully decorated wooden tent full of lights, mirrors, and a bar (with a popcorn machine), a Spiegeltent is a classic structure used by touring entertainment companies. The audience is seated around a circular stage and can see the tricks from all sides.

“Should we still use the word ‘ugly’?”

The show opens by breaking the fourth wall before it’s even built up. The main character, the Ugly Duckling, runs onto the stage and asks if the title is correct. Should we still use the word ‘ugly’? Shouldn’t we say, ‘different’, or ‘beautiful not conforming to societal standards’? That doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but the show must go on!

We see little duckling Lou being left out by the other ducklings. Lou is told off in duckling school for not being like the others, who can’t keep up with Lou’s big imagination. Lou is also reprimanded for missing cues to come on stage, or dropping the ball. The cast are brilliant at keeping this really fun and we fall into the world of storytelling alongside the plot of The Ugly Duckling.

Keeping children engaged in an hour-long show can be a skill in itself. Fortunately, circus shows are usually heavy on audience interaction, which, in this show, is cleverly intertwined with how children’s entertainment is structured. The story changes pace and mood evenly, and the crowd is involved with creating atmosphere or moving the story along: clicking, clapping, wooing, ahh-ing, and aw-ing. The crowd enjoys this and doesn’t need much encouragement.

There are circus tricks which will also keep your eyes fixed. The whole cast performs group numbers, including hand-to-hand acrobatics and juggling. Solo acts emerge in the way songs emerge during a musical; whenever characters have an introductory moment or the story’s direction changes. Lou performs a beautiful aerial silks act in white and blue illuminated silks as she decides to set off and find the swans.

We meet the character of a cat with a Cyr Wheel act, which is a very joyful, beaming performance. An aerial straps act introduces a sad tortoise with a stunning show of aerial skill. There’s a particularly impressive neck hang trick. These are typically done while spinning and can be done very quickly, but the performer keeps it slow and full of considered poses, as a tortoise would.

What comes in quite randomly and spectacularly is the human-sized balloon act. It’s the point where all the parents seized their phones to film videos and all the children cheered. The performer climbs inside a giant latex balloon – it’s quite an unbelievable sight. Once you’ve stopped worrying about whether they can breathe, all that’s left is pure visual comedy.

The other animal characters are just like Lou. They are also left out by the others and are a little different. While the cat hates catching mice and is a vegetarian, the tortoise dreams of being a champion sprinter. The story of finding your flock is told alongside messages that are key parts of children’s learning. This circus show tells the audience it’s okay to be different – it’s even a good thing – and empathy towards others is essential. These heartwarming messages are similar to those we hear at Christmas, but still relevant throughout the year.

The Ugly Duckling is a fantastic show to teach children important social lessons while keeping them entertained and inspired.

Featured Image: Lidia Crisafulli

Videos: Naomi J. O’Toole