Afrikan acrobatics at its best

5:44pm Monday 11th February 2008

I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a show as much as AFRIKA! AFRIKA! - a production which overloads your senses and leaves you gasping with amazement at the talents of more than 100 dancers and circus performers.

Every single minute of this spectacular two-hour show is packed with inventive, daring and mind-boggling performances by contortionists, jugglers, dancers and acrobats.

Essentially this is a circus show which uses the theme of the continent as a backdrop - but with its uplifting music and raw energy it manages to effectively celebrate many aspects of African culture.

The show's creator, Vienna-born Andre Heller, spent two years travelling the length and breadth of Africa hand-picking the most talented performers for the production.

Somewhere between Mali, Morocco, Egypt and South Africa, he gathered enough inspiration - and more than 100 artists - to create a vibrant homage to the African continent's vast and varied cultures.

The show's performers come from 17 African nations - including Cameroon, Senegal, Nigeria, Algeria and Ghana - and speak 23 different dialects.

These include high-wire artists from Tanzania, South African gumboot dancers and acrobats from Gabon - who form gravity-defying human towers which spectacularly crash to the ground.

Special mention must go to the two contortionists who drew gasps from the audience with their seemingly bone-less bodies.

The male contortionist made his entrance by crawling out on stage like a spider and proceeded to dislocate his joints to pass his entire body through the frame of a tennis racket.

His female counterpart moved like a serpent, twisting and curling her body through a series of impossible moves.

This show is hugely enjoyable for all ages and is worth the price of the ticket. The show's finale had such a party atmosphere it had adults cheering in the aisles and children dancing on the stage.

Located in the Tented Palace just next to the O2 arena, the whole area has been transformed into a miniature tribute to the African continent, complete with a Masai Mara restaurant in an adjoining marquee.

And the candle-lit Kasbar-themed tea tent, with its low tables and cushioned floor seating, is the perfect place to enjoy a hot drink during the 30-minute interval.

This show is only on at the O2 for a limited time so you'll have to get in quick to before it leaves these shores for a tour of the United States.

Tickets are priced between £19 and £59 and are available from the O2 box office on 0871 984 0002 or by visiting: www.theo2.co.uk.

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