Extraordinary Bodies: Waldo’s Circus of Magic and Terror at the Lowry

Extraordinary Bodies are an entirely unique collective of D/deaf, disabled and non-disabled artists. Having previously visited The Lowry with their genre bending and thought provoking show Humans, we’re eagerly anticipating their return with Waldo’s Circus of Magic and Terror.

Set in Germany at the beginning of the 20th Century in the thick of the Third Reich, Waldo’s circus of outcasts, acrobats and aerialists must find a way to keep the lights on and the show going, despite the climate outside becoming increasingly darker. Their lives are balanced on a tightwire, (in more than one sense), with no guarantee of a safety net below.

they battle with love, loyalty and the weight of risk taking

As the evil forces in 1933 Brandenberg strengthen and the oppression spreads towards the Big Top, this troupe of performers have some difficult decisions to make. Through courage and daring humanity, they battle with love, loyalty and the weight of risk-taking in such a tempestuous political climate.

Expect incredible performances and pure adrenaline fuelled spectacle from the circus performers of Extraordinary Bodies. The piece sits comfortably between the world of circus, theatre and musical, deftly shifting between the three genres as it flows through a story that will leave audiences with some serious food for thought.

Extraordinary Bodies are coming to The Lowry as part of a UK-wide tour premiering this brand-new performance. Written by Hattie Naylor and Jamie Beddard, whose credits include The Elephant Man, Ivan and the Dogs and The Night Watch, you can expect highly sensitive drama as well as charismatic characters. The show has been scored by Charles Hazlewood, who has worked with the cast to record the audio.

All performances of Waldo’s Circus of Magic and Terror are relaxed and will be BSL interpreted as well as audio-described making the action as accessible as possible.