FLYING through the air, balancing on unicycles or bending and folding their bodies into unrecognisable shapes, the artists of the Chinese State Circus all have one thing in common – the massive smiles which beam across their faces.
Which is surprising, considering the tremendous number of hours put into perfecting a show like Mulan, the latest production of the company, which is performing in Aberdeen until August 3.
As the company’s press officer Lorina Zloteanu explained, many of the performers have been training for this performance for most of their lives.
“I’d say most of our performers have been training since they were about four or five,” she said.
“Our British director visits China and, with our Chinese director, visits many of the performing arts schools to find the best talent for our shows.
“Most of our performers are now in their mid-20s, so they have years of experience. Our star performer in this tour is Cho Jing, a martial-arts expert, who has been training since she was six. This is her first visit to the UK, and she has won the world championships three times in her career, which spans 15 years. So you can be sure she knows what she’s doing.”
Cho Jing plays the lead role of Mulan, the female warrior who took the place of her emperor father to fight for their empire 1,500 years ago.
This show promises to entertain all ages, with a variety of acts performing.
“We started preparing the show in China in June last year, said Lorina.
“In the UK, we usually have two days off each week, but in Aberdeen the show is so popular that the performers get only one day off each week. Otherwise they train for two to four hours every day, which is very impressive.”
This level of training is necessary when you see the daring acts performed.
“The show has 37 performers, including precision acrobats and an amazing contortionist who does incredible things with her body,” said Lorina.
“For me, one of the highlights is the performers we have on unicycles. There are very tall unicycles and the girls on them balance piles of plates on their hands, head and one of their feet, it’s quite a sight. The whole show is fantastic, and is a real edge-of-your-seat experience.”
It would appear that the big top is still popular with Aberdeen audiences, with the last week’s performances selling out quickly.
“We’ve had very few seats left. Aberdonians certainly seem to love the circus,” said Lorina.
“We’re very pleased with the reception we’ve had, people have been lovely. I think they’re excited to see things they’ve never seen before, and of course the beautiful Chinese tale of Mulan. Even our Chinese dancing lions, which may be familiar to some people, are done in a completely different way.”
When the last row of seats are packed up in Aberdeen, the performers of the Chinese State Circus still have a busy year ahead.
“We head to Edinburgh next for the festival, and we continue touring until October,” said Lorina.
“The performers then have a month off to fly home and visit their families, or take a holiday, and then we’re back on the road for the Christmas season. It’s non-stop. At least we don’t have time to get bored, and you have to remember that, for these performers, this is what they’ve always wanted to do.”
The Chinese State Circus performs at Queen’s Links, Beach Boulevard, Aberdeen, until next Tuesday, August 3. For tickets or more information, call 0844 856 5555, or visit www.chinesestate circus.com