Giffords Circus: Laguna Bay ★★★★ Chiswick House & Gardens | June 5 - 22, 2025


One of our favourite signs of summer is the return of Giffords Circus to Chiswick House & Gardens. This year marks the troupe's 25th anniversary, and to celebrate they have created "Laguna Bay." This is a show inspired by America in the 1950s. It is a nostalgic flashback to what might now seem a simpler and more innocent time, full of sun, surf and rock 'n' roll. All the crowd favourites are back including the ubiquitous Tweedy, the clown who has been with the show for over twenty years. This year he is struggling with deck chairs and ladders as he also laughably inserts himself into almost all of the other acts. He pops up in Maximiliano's magic sequence in which he is made to neatly disappear. He bedevils Mikey Fletcher, the talented singing emcee of the show, and he creates ice cream havoc with The Rivelinos, Daniel Santos Silva and Jose Luis Santos Oliveira. At the circus, our personal favourites are always the acrobats and aerialists and the Ethio-Salem troupe, as ever, were superb. Randy Forgione Vega's daring strap act was awesome and it was only matched in skill by Daniela and Noémi's synchronised high-flying routine which was performed while they were hanging by their hair. Both acts were simply stunning. Along with all the children, we also loved Emma Tytherleigh's delightful animals, but the highpoint of the proceedings had to be the work of the Garcia family with father, Pablo, and mother, Vickki, doing a very funny and thoroughly terrifying act with an almost full-size plane prop. Their only rivals for our personal top spot were their two sons Antonio and Connor who nearly stole the show with their terrific gymnastics. However, what distinguishes Giffords from other entertainments of its kind is its first-rate choreography and music. The vocals by Nell O'Hara and the music of The Semitones are ultimately what make this a quality circus experience that is ideal family entertainment. If you haven't enjoyed Giffords before, it's time to add it to your list of summer delights.

Rated: ★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Spencer McPherson - Still Moving Media

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: Chiswick Gardens, 63 Ocean St, Woollahra NSW 2025, Australia

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