I have always thought insects deserve more appreciation, so I was excited to catch a circus show dedicated to the tiny critters at London’s Royal Albert Hall, as it passed through en route to European venues.
, from Cirque du Soleil, is named after the . It is a simple tale about a quirky fly that brings an egg to a bustling ecosystem and tries to win a ladybug’s love, with the help of an insect clown. But what it lacks in plot it makes up for in amazing acrobatics.
In one spectacle, a contortionist spider (pictured) balances her whole body on a pole held in her mouth. In another, ants juggle fruit with only their feet. Then, in a nail-biting finale to the first half, acrobats fling each other with extraordinary precision at great height. Another stand-out moment sees crickets trampolining up and off a wall.
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This is a show to entertain the whole family – and, hopefully, improve our appreciation of the insects that share our world.
Carissa Wong
Reporter, London
