Puffball at Royal Exchange

Circus can be seen as somehwat of a blunt instrument, providing only surface-level spectacle: it’s the dazzle of the fireworks, not the warmth of the bonfire. But here comes a circus show that, in spite of its cheekily nudge-wink header, boasts a heart as well as upper body strength. Puffball fuses storytelling and big-top acrobatic feats weaving a narrative informed by the life experiences of its young LGBTQ performers, tackling tricky subject such as coming out and coping with love, sex and heartbreak in a world often cold to your struggle. The whole project, over a year in the making, is scored by Oscar-nominated composer Jules Maxwell, cutting director Mark Storor’s imaginative vision with his own brand of minimalism. This production has already attracted rave reviews following its tenure of London’s Roundhouse as part of this year’s Circusfest (see trailer below). Following Puffball is a ‘late-night cabaret’ curated by Mother’s Ruin, a night renowned for its broad programme of queer events spanning all art forms – comedy, poetry, spoken word – and notorious for mixing outsider art with broad entertainment.

Sun 8 – Mon 9 June, Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square, M2 7DH, 7.30pm, £20 (£15 without cabaret), www.royalexchange.co.uk