SLAVA'S SNOWSHOW: Slava, Theatre Royal Nottingham till 13 October

Nottingham/Tour.

SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW
created and staged by Slava Polunin.

Theatre Royal Nottingham To 13 October.
7.30pm Mat 2.30pm Sat.
Runs 1hr 30min No interval.

TICKETS: 0115 989 5555.
www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk
Review: Alan Geary: 9 October 2007.

An absurd, kaleidoscopic and spectacular dream.
Snowshow originated in Russia but Slava’ Polunins touring the world with it - next month it’s in China. Don’t ask what it’s about; there’s no obvious story-line. With moments of touching intimacy followed in quick succession by breathtaking and exciting spectacle, it’s like being in an absurd and kaleidoscopic dream.

It incorporates a huge element of clowning so, along with the humour, there’s a great deal of disturbing pathos As the publicity makes clear, it isn’t for the under-eights.

Events starts with Slava himself - big red nose and baggy yellow outfit - intending to hang himself, only to discover at the end of the over-long rope another, green-clad, clown trying to do the same. And at times the green clowns, engaged in futile shovelling of snow - this isn’t fanciful pseudery - look like down-trodden prisoners in the Gulag. Then there’s that giant cobweb.

There’s a magical mime routine when Slava, before boarding a train, bids a passionate goodbye to a women he’s just fashioned from a hat-stand, a hat and a coat.

The most spectacular bits? Slava and a fellow clown sail a floating bedstead through a storm at sea with the Chariots of Fire music playing in the background; then they walk on water.

That giant cobweb appears from nowhere and envelops the entire audience. There’s a raging blizzard to the sound of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. Near the end, coloured balloons big enough to live in are released into the auditorium. Simultaneously, surrounded by chaos, a pathetic troupe of street entertainers stand in line singing a weird song and playing tiny red squeeze boxes.

A tip. If you can resist the bar, stay in your seat during the interval; you’ll miss some additional fun otherwise.

Performers:
Slava Polunin.
Charles Jeff Johnson.
Derek Scott.
Oleg Lugovsky.
Bradford West.
Spencer Chandler.
Ivan Polunin.
Aelita Yukhaeva.
Boddan Khartchenko.
Dmitry Khamzin.

Stage Technicians: Mikhail Pogorelskiy, Dmitry Ushakov, Vitaly Galich.
Lighting Technician: Rebecca Lore.
Sound Technician: Keith Rubinstein.

2007-10-11 02:08:00