After falling in love with the Circus of Facts Kids Show earlier this Fringe season I was expecting big things from the adults-only After Hours edition. And, on the night I saw it, they pretty much delivered on all fronts. Best described as a raunchy circus show, it combines a little bit of the old and new (performance-wise) and puts a naughty little spin on proceedings. If you were to look up the word ‘eye-opening’ on Google you’d probably find a picture of Circus of Facts:  After Hours right next to it!

After Hours takes you back to the 1920s, and although some of the acts were the same as the kid's version of this show, they had a few extra drops of spice to them that really added to the laughs and performances. There are a little less clothes, a lot more swearing but, most importantly, a whole lot of WOW to Circus of Facts that you won’t find in other circus shows. Fanny Floop, Fred Fancy, Forky F.I.G., Fluffy and Popfry make up this motley cast of characters and I particularly loved that the performers stayed in character even when they weren’t onstage. Running about the audience and interacting with the crowd is one of the highlights of Circus of Facts and just goes to show that, although what happens onstage is important, making the audience feel part of the show also plays a big part in their enjoyment of it.

From cube twirling to unicycle stripping, cyr wheeling and hoop spinning, Circus of Facts ticks a lot of circus boxes, and when you add amazing aerial performances and a jocular juggling display, it manages to shove a lot of acts into a tight 60-minute set. And while Dani and Sasha brought the class, Simon brought the comedy and Paige brought the creativity, it was Sarah who brought the chaos and won me over with her crazy character and aerial display. For those of you who like your Circus shows with a hint of spice, this is the one for you. Enjoy!

FOUR AND A HALF STARS **** 1/2

Reviewed by Shane Berketa