Cirque du Soleil OVO Royal Albert Hall Review: Tricks & Clowns January 21, 2026 Victoria Sterling -Business Editor Business “`html Wednesday 21 January 2026 4:06 pm | Updated: Wednesday 21 January 2026 4:09 pm Share Facebookhere. Cirque du Soleil is in town for a two-month residency from French-Canadian troupe Cirque du Soleil. This time they return with OVO, a show first created in 2009 celebrating the world of insects. Bear with: it may not sound like the most promising of themes, but it works remarkably well. the show is essentially a series of tricks: foot juggling, slackwire, glow in the dark diablo, a trampoline wall and, of course, aerial acrobatics. Performed by different groups from the insect kingdom – clad in carnivalesque costumes with shell-backs, wings and antennae - it makes for an otherworldly spectacle. Just like their insect counterparts, the performers, playing spiders, ants, grasshoppers and many other insects I don’t have the entomological knowledge to identify, are both delicate and astonishingly robust, contorting their bodies in ways that can only be described as non-human. Indeed, watching the show, still and straight-backed in the stalls, it’s easy to forget you even belong to the same species as the acrobats before you. The theme is a gift for the set design too, in which stage ropes become webs and climbing apparatus is reimagined as grate, towering flowers. Paired with an upbeat, ‘Brazilian-inspired’ soundtrack, the show has an infectious vibrancy. Cirque du Soleil’s ‘OVO’ Brings the Insect World to Life Cirque du Soleil’s “OVO,” currently playing in London,immerses audiences in the vibrant and often overlooked world of insects. the production, a dazzling display of acrobatics and artistry, doesn’t shy away from the creepy-crawly aspects of its subject matter, rather celebrating the energy and intricacy of insect life. The show’s performers, clad in stunning costumes, convincingly portray a bustling ecosystem filled with beetles, spiders, and butterflies. The performance unfolds with a series of breathtaking acts.Performers balance precariously on towering structures resembling mushrooms, while others demonstrate incredible agility in a mesmerizing spider web routine. A particularly captivating act features a swarm of acrobats simulating the flight of fireflies, creating a dazzling spectacle of light and movement. As one audience member noted, revisiting the show as an adult brought a new appreciation for the stakes and skill involved, a feeling lost in childhood wonder. Interspersed between the acrobatic feats is a lighthearted narrative centering on a shy fly and an assertive ladybird. Master Flipo, the colony’s grumpy leader, adds comic relief with slapstick routines and a giant fly swatter. The trio’s antics, delivered in a playful, Cirque-style language, serve as a distraction during set changes and revolve around a mysterious egg – ”ovo” in Portuguese – symbolizing themes of life and growth. Share this: Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on X (Opens in new window) X Related business, circus, cirque du soleil, clowns, Culture, life and style, Lifestyle, news, Royal Albert Hall
