(10 Apr 2014) LEAD IN:
The Great Moscow State Circus is moving away from traditional animal performances with its latest show.
Although it's still run by the Zapashny brothers who are famous animal trainers, the only creatures to be seen in this new spectacle are completely alien.
STORYLINE:
The latest offering from the Moscow State Circus blasts spectators into space.
It's a move away from the norm for the famous Russian circus that usually puts on a more traditional show with animals and clowns.
The show called "UFO: Circus from another Planet" tells the story of a man who is captured by aliens.
A visual feast, it relies heavily on lasers, neon and acrobatics - all to a thumping soundtrack.
Adam Talin has been with the circus for more ten years. He has followed in the footsteps of his mother and grandfather, who also performed here.
The performer usually works as a clown, but has the lead role in this latest show.
"We have twenty laser machines, a lot of new lights, a lot of things for the show. In this programme, there are no animals, and there is a lot of hard stuff to act with, I am not working as a clown here, I am working as an actor, as a professional actor. It's much harder but much more powerful and interesting," he says.
Dancer Viktor Kochkin lost his legs in early childhood, but shows great arm and core strength in his performance.
Liudmila and Tamara Titchenkova are performing with the Great Moscow State Circus for the first time.
The Ukrainian sisters, who are 2.08 meters tall (6 feet 9), were spotted on an Ukrainian TV show and offered parts in the show.
"Back in Ukraine we didn't even go to the circus, so we don't have anything to compare it with, personally," says Liudmila.
"But there are a lot of laser effects here, and many interesting details when it comes to special effects. And it's also great there is so much acrobatics here, just great," finishes Tamara.
General director, Edgard Zapashny says there are many guest performers in the show that have never worked for a circus before and that's what makes it stand out.
"It's exactly people like these that help the show to be different, to be more interesting for the audience that go to the circus regularly and see from year to year stuff they are already used to. But here, we capture their attention, they watch, they wonder and they understand that they have indeed come to a different kind of show - circus from another planet."
"UFO: Circus from another Planet" runs at the Great Moscow State Circus from 5th to 13th April 2014.
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