Review: Fete Du Puck: A Celebration of Circus, Revel Pucks Circus Tent

The latest show from Revel Puck Circus is Fete Du Puck, part of their Winter Festival for which they advertise circus, theatre, community. The big top is erected in the ‘town square’ of Walthamstow, making it easily accessible by train or bus (with the station across the road) and giving it an extremely central location for the locals of Waltham Forest.

The square is already lit up by an impressive Christmas tree, but beyond it the circus tent is visible and enticing from the surrounding area. Paper lanterns lead you into the festival area and towards the tent itself. There are plenty of benches to sit out (although it’s getting pretty chilly out there for the 5pm show) and enjoy the concessions which, to be honest seemed a little paltry, but perhaps they are not in full swing yet.

The magic really begins inside the tent flaps, as the paper lantern theme continues in (a much warmer) cosy-sized tent setting. There’s an elevated central circular performance space, making it quite easy for even little children to watch the action just above them. A neon sign and a mysterious curtain back one side of the arena.

Once the show begins in earnest the performance spends quite a while engaging the audience, especially the children, by batting inflatable balls into the crowd, throwing popcorn in their mouths, letting off helium balloons and generally making everyone in the intimate space feel part of the action and have their own individual special moment. Pulling a girl out of the audience, Revel really push the concept by doing a bit of gentle knife-throwing around her – a decapitated cucumber proved they weren’t messing around, although they had a funny gag where they brought out safety gear “very important at the circus”… only for the knife-throwers to wear the goggles and hard hat themselves.

From then on, the action alternates between more grounded circus skills and big set piece acts. The hula-hooper is incredible, and returns later on skates. There’s highwire, strength feats and contortion acrobatics. All is set to brassy versions of modern hits, which often helps the audience to get involved, via clapping along and encouraging the death-defying displays.

This circus has all the skills you’d wish to see, and the performers do a good job of creating atmosphere, although perhaps a few more cues for applause, or encouragement to cheer would guide the audience, and particularly the children, in appreciating the more subtle acts like the strength-work. Awe is a quiet form of appreciation, but cheers and applause contribute more to atmosphere.

A truly wholesome night out, bringing together a range of ages all under one top!

Fete Du Puck: A Celebration of Circus plays at Walthamstow Town Square until Sunday 4 January.