Cirque du Soleil’s Dralion visits London’s O2 as part of new UK arena tour

International circus troupe Cirque du Soleil will make a two-pronged attack on the UK next year. Following, as previously announced, the return of Quidam to London’s Royal Albert Hall for Cirque’s annual January season there, one of its other spectacles, Dralion, will embark on a UK arena tour in the spring, including dates at London’s O2 Arena.

Dralion visits Glasgow (8-11 May), Sheffield (14-18 May), Birmingham (22-25 May), London’s O2 (4-8 June) and Manchester (11-15 June).

Dralion fuses 3000-year-old tradition of Chinese acrobatic arts with the multidisciplinary approach of Cirque du Soleil. The show's name is derived from its two creatures: the dragon, symbolising the East, and the lion, symbolising the West.

Cirque du Soleil, which was founded in 1996, has been seen in more than 300 cities in over 40 countries on six continents. The company hit headlines in June when a performer was killed during a performance of Ka in Las Vegas.

Quidam, which is directed by Franco Dragone, runs at the Royal Albert Hall from 4 January to 9 February 2014.