Moscow State Circus (Tour – Knutsford)

Tatton Park, Knutsford

The Moscow State Circus returns to Tatton Park in Knutsford with its amazing new show Park Gorkogo (Gorky Park).

The greatest circus artistes on earth use the title as a slim excuse to display their gob-smacking acts, leaving you with your heart in your mouth.

Traditional circus acts, such as the award-winning Flying Trapeze White Birds, take your breath away. And every circus must have its clowns – this time it is Pavlik and Klava who keep us amused.

Then there are the jugglers. The four Yakovievs are masters of vertical pole juggling, while later we see a guy who performs wonders with a football. He should join CSKA Moscow!

The Alievs, a troupe of Cossaks, are catapulted into the air from a swing before somersaulting into a ribbon-like sheet and sliding gracefully to the ground.

The whip crackers called the Kozaks make you worry they might hurt one another! You are also concerned that the roller skaters might injure themselves as three of them spin rapidly on a small table.

Of course, the beauty of the circus is that you sit, teeth on edge, thinking someone might fall! One of the White Birds does just that but, thankfully, for their act only there is a safety net.

There is real beauty, too, in the form of glamorously costumed dancing girls, a mix which, with the clowns, gives you the perfect big top.

So roll up to the circus. You can't beat it.

– Julia Taylor