EDINBURGH 2023: Review: CHEVALIER: HOBBYHORSE CIRCUS

Chevalier – Hobbyhorse Circus is a mostly silent circus piece aimed at ages 3+. The show is presented by From Start to Finnish in association with Race Horse Company.

Midday might feel a little early for adults at the Fringe but it is the sweet spot for this young audience. The performer onstage has the children in the audience rapt from just a few minutes in with a comedy routine where the light on the circus sign keeps breaking. It can be a little repetitive but the kids absolutely love it.

The horses are the real selling point of this show. A little train travels across the stage seemingly by itself with the driver then revealed as a little stuffed horse. The performer uses the space to perform some seriously impressive acrobatics. 

It is a true testament to the craft of this show that for the portions that are projected as silent cinema onscreen, the young audience are still completely captivated. The real high point is as more horses appear- some for acrobatic purposes and others for juggling. There's a real low-fi element to this show that feels lovingly handcrafted (though its clear a lot of work goes into the props and making the whole show run seamlessly.

I accept that I am not the target audience for this production but I thought it was beautiful. The 40-minute run time is perfect and prevents little ones from becoming restless. There are squeals and gasps of wonder throughout.

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