WHO CAN WIN? ONLY ONE!

By Molly Hayes | Molly Hayes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

How far would you go to win? Showdown, performed at The Albany, worked to answer that question. In a reality TV competition-style format, contestants dressed in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple (also called by their respective colours) battle it out to become the infamous Face of Circus. Who can win? Only one.  

I went into Showdown excited to see some impressive acrobatics, and I was astounded at what I saw. Aerialists Orange and Blue amazed me with their flexibility and strength on the trapeze and ropes. The moment in which the two performed on the rope together also blew me away. Another standout moment was when contestants Red, Yellow, and Green competed on the teeterboard. Their spins and flips were all staggering and left me on the edge of my seat. I also can’t forget about Purple, who mesmerised me with her impressive work on the aerial wheel in the interval section.  

Dressed in an offensively gold sequinned blazer, our ringmaster was a perfect parody of the charismatic yet slimy presenters we all know from these competitions. His humour and commanding presence made him own the stage. His audience interactions were funny to watch, although I was very anxious at the prospect of being chosen. My heart was pounding as he walked along my row, getting closer to me, eventually sitting on a woman’s lap two seats away from me. There was also one moment where his microphone stopped working, but his charm and great projection kept the show running very smoothly. He took a moment for a round of applause for the sound engineer who fixed it, which was amusing. 

At the core of Showdown was its satirisation of the dirty tactics, inequity, and superficiality in these competitions. The consistently unfair decisions made by our presenter were suitably frustrating. He even said “Yes, boo indeed” when the audience was actually booing him. The show’s ending, where the contestants reject the competition and work together, was very cliché. However, the group performance following this was such a jaw-dropping ending sequence that I can forgive it. 

I left Showdown feeling exhilarated, especially after the final stunt where Purple, Blue, and Orange flawlessly executed a Three-High Shoulder Stand! Altogether, each performer’s amazing talents seamlessly merged to create an exceptionally choreographed piece. The talent show-style format balanced the breathtaking stunts and critiques of competitions very well. The cheesy moments in this production may not be for everyone, but its fun and campiness elevates the performers’ undeniable talents. It was a spectacular experience. 

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Photo Credit: Andy Phillipson