The dramatic finale of the opening night

YOU shouldn’t need to be searching for an excuse to visit Brighton at this time of year. As sun comes out, the seaside city comes alive with good vibes on every street corner and the fringe festival leaves you with no shortage of things to see and do..

On the seafront, you may run into people practising circus tricks into the warm evenings, but to see the real professionals head to the tent at The Level. It’s only ten minutes walk from the main station and there is much to enjoy over the coming weeks judging by the opening gala we watched on Thursday.

The Revel Puck Circus, born out of east London and a world away from the cliched view of lion tamers and knife throwers, are a class act, compiling a slate of talent who, even if they fail to shock you with their extraordinary athleticism and agility, should at least make you laugh. Around 30 acts will be playing in the Circus Yard up until May 31.

This evening started and ended with its best performances. In This Together opened proceedings by switching the lights off and allowing themselves to be illuminated only by torches held by members of the public coaxed out of their seats. In the flickers of light we saw their trusting, playful gymastics – a joy.

The night’s finale was even better as the Revel Puck gang themselves took a swinging platform elevated in the centre of the tent, and spun in every direction at impossible speeds like human hula hoops, The result is breathtaking and left us wanting to see more, which of course is the point of a gala tasting menu.

In between these wonderful bookends, the acts were varied. A roller skater with a hundred hoops is in the ‘I couldn’t do that’ bracket but maybe not the most unique thing you’ll see in Brighton this month. Another act bursting out of cloth tents to a pop song didn’t really go anywhere.

But there were plenty of goodies too. Scratch That Cabinet got aerial with some wincing tricks, while Ivy Moon Café took juggling in a new direction with a mesmerising dance through the shadows and skills which wouldn’t be out of place in a football tricks video, if footballers looked like wispy ghosts and used smaller balls. Her act is enchanting, so much so that when the balls do spin off the stage you wouldn’t know by then whether it was deliberate or unintentional.

Meanwhile, 12-year-old daughter looked away and then opened her eyes to laugh at Lucinda B, Hind – you can’t have the Brighton Fringe month without some drag. She left the stage to raucous applause and a few blushing faces in the audience.

So what a mix it was. A night at the circus that Barnum would have sneered at but everybody here seemed to love.  Get down on the Thameslink from King’s Cross or risk a Southern train from Victoria – Brighton in May is gorgeous.

Events run until May 31,
You can find out more about the Revel Puck Circus and buy tickets at their website here.

The Level
Union Road
Brighton BN1 4ZN