It\u2019s 255 years since the UK\u2019s first circus was set up on a Thames-side site now housing St. Thomas\u2019 Hospital. Just half a mile away, tented entertainment has returned to Lambeth courtesy of young entrepreneurs Sam Morley and Sam Goodburn. Their Circus Piddly \u2018small top\u2019 is the only travelling tent in the country small enough to squeeze through the gates of Waterloo\u2019s Millennium Ground (alongside the Old Vic), and that with less than a handspan clearance.<\/p>\n
The name might sound childish (arguably a good idea, given that this is a kids\u2019 show as much as for grown-ups) and the \u2018UK\u2019s smallest travelling circus\u2019 billing gimmicky, but Circus Piddly has way more heart, soul and hilarious creative content than these labels imply. No surprise, given the two Sams\u2019 expertise and determination. Cheery engineering grad Sam Morley (Sam M here on in), now the Piddly ringmaster and producer, is a veteran touring lighting rigger for huge shows like Eric Clapton, Katie Perry and Glastonbury.<\/p>\n
Sam Goodburn (Sam G), who has won awards for his knockabout comedy, takes on circus performance. Having turned clown to replace an absentee player back in 2014, he\u2019s refined his skills and performed with acclaimed outfits like No Fit State Circus, appearing also on Britain\u2019s Got Talent.<\/p>\n
Bringing Piddly to the masses began on a Bristol backlot in 2022 when the Sams bonded over the pitching of a big top in freezing conditions. Finding a shared passion for cosy comedy circus, they bought a Czech tent and French seating and devised their intimate yet risky show where every audience member is no more than eight metres from the action. Having trialled Piddly in Sam M\u2019s Wiltshire hometown of Calne in September 2024 and received rapturous audience feedback (\u201cLife-affirming silliness.\u201d), Sam & Sam decided to take it on tour.<\/p>\n
The show begins in the expectant and happening queue. Sam G, looking like a techie in his red overalls and bobble hat, fools around with duct tape on top of the tent, then whips out a long pole and practices his tightrope walking. There\u2019s also much throwing and catching of biscuits with the queuers: \u201cThey\u2019re good for you!\u201d There are LOTS of biscuits in the show, part of a commitment to \u201cpure high-end stupidity\u201d. Crew members hawk popcorn and candy floss, mucking with about giant sacks of the stuff.<\/p>\n
The red and white tent, about the size of a two-bed bungalow, fills up quickly on banks of tiered wooden bench seating. Bringing a cushion or folded jacket for comfort would be wise, although there\u2019s not too much numbing to contend with in an hour-long show, and almost overwhelming distraction.<\/p>\n
Sam G, lanky and speccy, like a careening, pratfalling mix of Buddy Holly and Spud from Trainspotting, is most of the first half. His repeated failing\/crashing, lending him an appealing vulnerability, brings everyone onside. Feigning fear \u2013 \u201cIs this safe?\u201d \u2013 Sam G is egged on by the top-hatted, Taskmasterish Sam M \u2013 \u201cIt\u2019s super safe.\u201d \u2013 and attempts wilder and riskier tricks, while urging the audience to provide tension-ratcheting crescendo vocals.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s raucous laughter, heartfelt applause, and genuine knuckle-biting fear as Sam G makes merry with juggling (axes, flaming torches, knives), unicycling, \u2018high wire\u2019 walking and custard cream eating, sometimes all at once, and while being attacked by a vacuum cleaner.<\/p>\n
Audience participation takes place regularly and often. Sam G manages to quell the qualms of people he\u2019s grabbed from the crowd and has them doing genuinely tricky feats involving unicycling and biscuits. The stunts frequently go (safely) wrong, but all this adds to the fun. Some of the biggest roars of applause go to audience members who keep failing, then succeed. One of the most endearing things about Sam G is the way he builds rapport with the kids, empowers them \u2013 they\u2019re handed buttons to press that activate him \u2013 and reassures them: \u201cAnything you say is cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having Sam G carrying much of the show does become a bit repetitive. But this imbalance is being addressed with other players, including excellent contortionistic foot juggler Rosa Antio and Tom Goddard on sax. Further support acts will no doubt follow. The show\u2019s continuity and flow will also benefit as Sam M\u2019s emceeing confidence and patter increases: it\u2019s clear that he has much more to offer as a performer.<\/p>\n
Inventive, engaging, bedazzling and relentlessly funny, Circus Piddly offers rapid-fire, family-wide entertainment. Its intimate hundred-odd-seater tent guarantees that every seat is ringside, with panoramic views for toddlers upwards. And commendably piddly pricing makes it extra accessible.<\/p>\n
Judging by the queues outside their mini venue on London Premiere night, Piddly\u2019s promotional efforts (plus enthusiastic word-of-mouth) have been effective. This is a \u2018I saw them when they were starting out\u2019 moment. Finding seats in future may be tricky: book now, in London and further afield.<\/p>\n
Runs<\/strong> The Reviews Hub Score <\/p>\n Inventive, engaging high-end silliness<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s 255 years since the UK\u2019s first circus was set up on a Thames-side site now housing St.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":164422,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7757],"tags":[748,26017,68926,393,4884,257,6080,68927,68928,68929,68930,68931,16,15,68932],"class_list":{"0":"post-164421","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-london","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-circus","10":"tag-circus-piddly","11":"tag-england","12":"tag-great-britain","13":"tag-london","14":"tag-review","15":"tag-rosa-antio","16":"tag-sam-goodburn","17":"tag-sam-morley","18":"tag-tom-goddard","19":"tag-travelling-circus","20":"tag-uk","21":"tag-united-kingdom","22":"tag-waterloo-millennium-green"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114639514414027095","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=164421"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164421\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/164422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=164421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=164421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=164421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}