West End Show review: Machine de Cirque at Peacock Theatre

The Machine de Cirque show at the Peacock Theatre last night was beyond my expectations. I wandered into the theatre expecting a few circus acts, and before I knew it, I was introduced to this ominous yet intriguing scenery from which arose six talented individuals. The acts included a teeterboard, trapeze, a bicycle, juggling clubs, a drum kit and even a bath towel!  The show really surprised me with the way they traversed around the stage and used the cleverly built contraption to display their talents in a fresh and creative way. Throughout the performance, the cast had to rely  on simple machines to push their skills to the limit. The lack of computers in the play make the acts feel raw, just like being at the circus.

Machine de Cirque

I truly believed that the skills were demonstrated  to the highest extent at the beginning of each act, but the stakes became higher and higher. Not only did each individual offer their unique skill set, but acting was also thrown into the mix.

This acting ability accompanied by live music, makes both the performance and the audience come alive as if transported to a world devoid of computers. Talking to the cast afterwards has transformed my interpretation of the play, so that I want to see it again. Before watching this act you must certainly expect the unexpected.

 

I give this show a 10/10 score. 

Listing information: 
Dates: Wednesday 1 June – Saturday 11 June  
Standard no under 5s. Contains partial nudity.
Running time: 90 minutes no interval  
UK Premiere 
Genre: circus 
Live music 
Audio described on Saturday 11 June at 2.30pm. Touch tour at 1pm 

Peacock Theatre, WC2A 2HT 
Wednesday 1 June – Saturday 11 June
Tickets: £18 – £55
Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com 

 
Machine de Cirque will perform at the Peacock Theatre from Wednesday 1 June to Saturday 11 June.

Machine de Cirque is a Québec City-based circus company staging a poetic and humorous production in which six guys find themselves alone in the world. They embark on a quest to contact other survivors with the help of a strange machine. 

In a universe devoid of women and computers, they easily let themselves get distracted by their flights of fantasy and share a special talent for getting themselves into tricky situations. 
 
Demonstrating impressive acrobatic skills and masterful handling of a teeterboard, juggling clubs, a drum kit and even a bath towel, the acclaimed Machine de Cirque combines circus, spectacle, storytelling and live music in this witty production.  
 

Machine de Cirque: The Company 
Founded in 2013 under the initiative of Vincent Dubé, Raphaël Dubé, Yohann Trépa-nier, Ugo Dario, Maxim Laurin and Frédéric Lebrasseur, Machine de Cirque launched its very first production – the Company?s namesake show – in May 2015 to rave reviews by both audiences and critics alike.  

This maiden production, including its cabaret version, has been performed more than 700 times in Europe, Asia and North America. More than 300,000 spectators have attended this show and this number continues to grow. Since then, four more shows have been added to Machine de Cirque?s roster of productions. In 2018, a travelling show titled Truck Stop: The Great Journey told the story of a group of zany campers as they embarked on a wild adventure across the North American continent. Then, in 2019, Machine deCirque created a third pro-duction titled La Galerie, in which spectators were taken on a trip to the outer boundaries of art by means of a totally out-of-this-world exhibit where movements from white to colour and shifting sets created the most unexpected scenes.  

In summer 2020, despite the pandemic, the Company presented a walk-through circus show titled Fleuve at the Baie de Beauport (Québec). Most recently, in 2020, Ghost Light: Between Fall and Flight made its world debut at the prestigious Festival du cirqueactuel CIRCA in Auch (France). New productions are also currently on the drawing board. They are all based on the Company?s artistic signature, which skilfully blends the highest levels of contemporary circus with musical and theatrical performances, propelled by the collaborative spirit that drives Machine de Cirque. 

Machine de Cirque is a Québec City-based circus company that packs high doses of dizzying feats, powerful emotions, poetry, intelligence and humour into its in-innovative and original circus shows. The Company?s ingenious and deeply human creations skilfully blend the highest levels of contemporary circus with musical and theatrical performances. Driven by this unifying vision, Machine de Cirque?s unique approach to the circus arts produces shows that dazzle the mind, touch the heart and move the spirit. 

 

Sadler’s Wells  
Sadler’s Wells is a world-leading dance organisation. We strive to make and share dance that inspires us all. Our acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap.? We commission, produce and present more dance than any other organisation in the world. Since 2005, we have helped to bring close to 200 new dance works to the stage, embracing both the popular and the unknown.?  

Each year, over half a million people visit our three London theatres – Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Lilian Baylis Studio and Peacock Theatre. Millions more attend our touring productions nationally and internationally or explore our digital platforms, including Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage. In 2023 we’re opening a fourth London venue in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Sadler’s Wells East will house a 550-seat mid-scale theatre, as well as facilities for the Choreographic School and Hip Hop Theatre Academy.   

Supporting artists is at the heart of our work. We have associate artists and companies, which nurture some of the most exciting talent working in dance today. We host the National Youth Dance Company, which draws together some of the brightest young dancers from across the country. Sadler’s Wells Breakin’ Convention runs professional development programmes to champion and develop the world’s best hip hop artists, as well as producing, programming and touring groundbreaking hip hop performances.   

Around 30,000 people take part in our learning and engagement programmes every year. We support schools local to our theatres in Islington and Stratford, designing experiences for children and young people to watch, explore and critically engage with the arts. We also run Company of Elders, a resident performance company of dancers aged over 60 who rehearse with renowned artists to make new work for public performances locally, nationally and internationally.   

Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.?? 

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