A little person in Victorian crinolines flying high over the audience held up only by balloons. Three women in vintage underwear swinging unaided on giant chandeliers. Young men bouncing high on beds. More young men hurling each other into the air by jumping on the other end of a see-saw. Angels floating through the sky. Muscular men whirling around inside hoops. More muscular men flying past each other on high bars. Just some of the sights from Cirque du Soleil’s new show, Corteo, which premiered at the Royal Albert Hall last night.
There was a story – something about an old man dying, being taken up to heaven and images from his life flashing before him (well, that’s what we understood) – but it didn’t really matter if you followed it, which was tough anyway seeing as most of it was in Italian. You were here for the sheer spectacle of the Montreal-based global dominators of the circus scene, who dress extreme circus skills up in so much finery that you sometimes don’t know whether to marvel at a girl being thrown between men way up there or think how lovely that man’s trousers are.
Played in the round, so that you’re looking across the circular stage at the people on the other side of the Royal Albert Hall (‘Don’t go there! They’re from Manchester!’ warned the little lady on balloons’ handler), there is literally never a dull moment with what seem like hundreds of performers jumping, swinging, diving at all times. A woman doing a pole dance on a pole that’s actually swinging like a pendulum from one side of the stage to the other, while a man sings flamenco? Why not? A version of Romeo & Juliet performed by little people in what looks like a Punch & Judy theatre with random seagulls flying about. Oh, go on then. A woman dangling her muscular male partner seemingly from her fingernails so high up you really do want them to stop being so silly and come back down, bearing in mind there is no net and no safety ropes.
All in all, it’s a full-scale assault on the senses with things going on all over the room – even the band is dressed as Pierrots and dotted about – that takes circus not only to the next level but to levels previously unimagined, all done with such artistry that you find yourself clapping from start to finish.
Corteo is on at The Royal Albert Hall until 2 March. Tickets from royalalberthall.com
- https://www.londontheatredirect.com/dance/cirque-du-soleil-corteo-tickets – Corroborates the details of the show Corteo, including its performance at the Royal Albert Hall, the various acrobatic acts, and the storyline involving a clown named Mauro.
- https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/united-kingdom/london/corteo/buy-tickets – Provides information about the show Corteo, including its venue at the Royal Albert Hall, the celebration of Cirque du Soleil’s 40 years, and the various acts and performances.
- https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2025/corteo – Confirms the show’s run at the Royal Albert Hall until 2 March 2025 and describes the acrobatic feats and spectacle of the show.
- https://www.londontheatredirect.com/dance/cirque-du-soleil-corteo-tickets – Details the performance dates, run time, and accessibility information for Corteo at the Royal Albert Hall.
- https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/united-kingdom/london/corteo/buy-tickets – Mentions the group offers and private box options available for the show, aligning with the description of the spectacle and audience experience.
- https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2025/corteo – Describes the circular stage setup and the continuous action during the performance, matching the description of the show’s dynamic nature.
- https://www.londontheatredirect.com/dance/cirque-du-soleil-corteo-tickets – Explains the storyline of Corteo, involving Mauro’s dream and the celebration of his life, which aligns with the narrative mentioned in the article.
- https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/united-kingdom/london/corteo/buy-tickets – Highlights the artistic and poetic elements of the show, including the juxtaposition of large and small, ridiculous and tragic, and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection.
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