Stage: Andrew Kay
Pirates of the Carabina take to the air at Brighton Dome this Christmas
N ot a lot of people know this but I once ran away to the circus. It’s not as dramatic as you might think, I didn’t have a row with my parents and sling a spotted handkerchief over my shoulder, far from it. I did though win a scholarship that allowed me to spend a whole summer working with circus people in both London and in Paris.
Exciting stuff you might think and in many ways it was, but my physical skills were slight. I was not bad at fire eating and flame throwing and my escapology was passible, given that it was all trickery. In the end I found that my real forté was clowning, so not much has changed there. 
When it came to the tough stuff of circus though – the acrobatics, trapeze and high wire work – I was hopeles, truly useless. Which is why I have been thrilled in the last few years to see that these skills are back – and how!
Which all brings me to an exciting Christmas show at Brighton Dome. A flying aerialist trying to iron her party-dress, a stagehand tangled in the decorations and stuntmen arguing (in the air) with the pesky festive lights? If that sounds just like any ‘normal’ family Christmas, then think again.
This is Flown, the award-winning, magical and mesmerising show from contemporary circus company Pirates of the Carabina. The show heads to Brighton Dome this December for a crazy and chaotic Christmas, following a stunning performance as part of Brighton Festival 2014. Mixing comedy and chaos with bold physicality and live music, Flown invites audiences to come inside, to look backstage and delight in the absurdity of contemporary circus life.
Fresh from a sell-out tour in Australia, Pirates of the Carabina are a motley crew of incredible acrobats, aerialists, musicians and stuntmen. Flown tells the tale of their attempts to get the show up and running in time for Christmas. Things go right… but plenty more goes wrong, as disagreements, fear and exhaustion threaten to ruin the festivities, with catastrophe just one move away.
Accompanied by a roaring live band, it’s big, beautiful and bonkers and of course in the end, everything is Flown. Even the band! Turning whatever you think you know about the circus on its head, this show will captivate the whole family and leave audiences on the edge of their seats – it’s a perfect festive treat.
Pirates of the Carabina (POC) are an internationally acclaimed contemporary circus company who specialise in theatrical, highly technical circus shows that combine aerial and physical performance with live music. Comprised of a crew of 13 highly experienced and committed circus artists, riggers, musicians and technicians from across the world, POC are known for their skilful embrace of both ground-based circus acts and innovative aerial forms; for example, the counter-weighted hoop act they originated has been adopted by many leading circus companies today.
Pirates of the Carabina present:
Flown
Saturday 19 – Wednesday 23 & Saturday 26 – Sunday 27 December
Brighton Dome Concert Hall
3pm & 7.30pm (Sat 19 & Sun 20), 7.30pm (Mon 21 & Tues 22), 7pm (Wed 23), 5pm (Sat 26), 3pm & 7pm (Sun 27)
£10 / £15 / £17.50 / £22.50 Under 16s half price. Concessions / Under 26s £15 Family ticket £60 (£45 concs)
