NoFit State Circus in Bristol

We’ve just spent a lovely weekend visiting family in Bristol which is my favourite of the British cities I’ve seen. If I had to change my small town life for ‘city smoke’, I’d definitely plump for Bristol. Highlights of this weekend were a delicious Moroccan meal at the Assilah Bistro – I had the Alubia and Cannellini Bean Casserole, make sure you leave room for a little Baklava – and a wonderful treat on the Saturday afternoon, a visit to the Circus!

I’ve only been to a circus once before and that was a fairly dowdy affair while on a childhood holiday in the Netherlands. It would have been the mid-1980s, I would have been about ten and still remember being disappointed watching a bored goat biting a Shetland pony as both were dragged around a ring. There were also clowns. I don’t like clowns.

However, the NoFit State Circus we saw this weekend was magical. It’s all people, no animals, and they are very talented acrobats – trapeze artists, rope climbers, wire walkers, jugglers, hoop dancers. They wore striking monochrome steampunk costumes and were accompanied by an excellent live band. As audience, we stood right in among the artistes and were guided around by stewards as the stage set changed to accommodate each performer. This rebuilding alone was an act in its own right and seeing the human counterbalances so close at hand scampering up and down scaffold towers to raise and lower their performers was fascinating. I especially loved the five rope climbers and the juggler, the beautifully controlled artistry of the two people on the square frame, the woman on the high wire IN HEELS!, and the final trapeze act which was simply breath taking. The evening show had already sold out or I think we could have easily turned around and gone back in to watch them again!
Dave checked the NoFit State website when we got home to see if they would be coming to the South East soon. We discovered that they’ve already been and were recently at the Brighton Fringe Festival. Damn! I’ll have to keep an eye on their Facebook page to know in good time for next year …