Cirque Surreal, Branksome Recreation Ground

ACCORDING to my dictionary, surrealism is a movement in art characterised by the evocative juxtaposition of incongruous images and dream elements. It certainly describes Cirque Surreal, the State Circus of the Imagination.

The dynamic fusion of circus, dance, acrobatics and humour was created in 1995 by Phillip and Carol Gandey.

There are no animals, no sawdust, no run-in clowns or water and custard pie throwing augustes, all the ingredients of the traditional circus we used to know and love.

Instead we have a celebration of ten nationalities and cultures ranging from Russia and Arabia to China, Morocco and South Africa.

A remarkable, beautiful fusion of ballet, physical strength, balance and contortionism is performed by a petite young lady from China, calling herself the Oriental Swan.

From Ireland comes Jemile Martinez, and electrifying football juggler, manipulating five balls with hands, feet and head. He would be a valuable asset for the Cherries.

Gabriel Carmona is an Argentinian gaucho, swinging his rope weighted bolas at breakneck speed.

Other acts include a foot juggler, aerial flyers suspended by straps, a swinging trapeze artiste and comedy by Housch from the Ukraine.

The highlight of the show is the Wheel of Death, an act we saw in the Spanish National Circus here in 2006. Here, it is performed by Nikolay and Konstadin from Bulgaria.

It consists of two giant metal wheels on an axis and the two performers run inside and outside the rotating rims and leap 25ft into the air to land again on the outside of the wheel.