★★★
The Barbaren Barbies, an international collective of actors and circus folk, have already roared through Europe with their playful and acrobatic take on gender stereotypes. They are a group brimming with one strange and wonderful idea after another, each one being fired from the hip as they loosely target a mix of celebrating womanhood and dismantling the veneer of patriarchy through play. Barbaren Barbies: A Wild Women Circus is so full of ideas that it struggles to maintain the pace needed for them all, but this five-strong troupe are infectiously charismatic and unashamedly absurd.
Reading from a revered book as if they are walking you through various fairytales, the Barbaren Barbies occupy numerous roles that are often inspired by historical and fictional figures. Their awesome stuntwork, especially with a trapeze, never ceases to amaze – particularly as it all takes place within a relatively confined space, adding to the drama. Pulsating music and light draw your focus to what each of the women are capable of during their most daring of stunts, deepening the crowd’s appreciation and leaving you all the more unprepared for the farce that often intersects these feats of strength. And while it does not take as many physical risks as other circus shows, it is nonetheless deeply impressive.
The troupe’s comedy is also golden, making use of some outlandish costumes that prove as useful for onstage antics as they do circus trickery. Some of the most rip-roaring laughter is saved for these moments of bizarre behaviour, which makes it all the more frustrating that there are times when things seem to run out of steam. Now and then, the performers find themselves filling some time with assorted, low-key nonsense before the next set piece kicks in. It is a performance that varies in pace when it doesn’t need to, a stop-start experience that once too often detracts from the otherwise pleasantly wild ride.
A Wild Women Circus is bold in its celebration of women and playful mockery of male bravado. There are moments where the unbridled strangeness sometimes slows everything down, but Barbaren Barbies promise a rollicking circus show and that is exactly what they deliver.
Barbaren Barbies: A Wild Women Circus is being performed at Underbelly George Square – Udderbelly until 16th August 2024 as part of Edinburgh Fringe 2024.
Words by James Hanton
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