COME ALIVE

25 September 2026.

The Guardian reviewer hated the London production. Said it squandered The Greatest Showman hits, that it lacked a knockout performance, that the narrative was ‘gossamer thin’, that the performances were ‘fairly standard circus stuff’ and gave it 2 stars. But Susan and I loved Come Alive, a circus performance based around the songs from the film starring Hugh Jackman, The Greatest Showman. I’ve seen many circus performances from Ashtons to Circus Oz, from Circa to Cirque dU Soleil, over many decades and this was one of the best.

I’m writing about this in advance of some posts from my recent trip to Melbourne because if you are reading this in Perth, you still have a chance to see Come Alive. It finishes on 10 October and for readers elsewhere, there are seasons to come in Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne.

The show is under a big top at Crown Perth but there’s also a smaller tent with entertainment before the show starts including singers and a magician who did that wonderful ‘pick a card’ trick with grace and charm. One then walks through to a 1,400 seat tent to start the adventure. There are dancers dressed colourfully as clowns. There are singers and a band. And there’s an impressive array of performers from different parts of the world. Yes, the circus acts are ones you’ve seen before, but the skill of the performers was exceptional. For example:

  •      A tiny Mexican aerialist who is also a mother of two children
  •       A slack rope walker, a fourth-generation circus performer from Ukraine
  •        A dizzing performer who specialises in hair suspension spinning high above us
  •      Groups of blokes, mainly Aussies, bouncing high into the air from the teeterboards
  •      An award-winning gymnast creating perfect silhouettes in sky as he works on aerial straps.


All in all, there are 32 performers who keep you entertained every minute of the performance. And in an environment where the music and lights and costumes all serve to increase one’s sensory experience, it’s a thrilling night out.

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