Pasodoble Circus is wonderful – funny, witty, skilful. The audience at the Hannah Playhouse on Saturday night were charmed and thoroughly entertained by this delightful duo. Tamara Serrano and LuiLui Lopez are partners in life and work, and they travel the world entertaining audiences with their charming mix of circus, dance and comedy.

The stage has a set of spinning poles in the centre and a box of juggling equipment at stage left. The show begins when a small child, their daughter Manuela, is shown to the reserved seat at the front. 

Lopez is a clown in the best tradition of clowns. He is also a whizz at object manipulation. Plates spin on wobbly poles; he balances his hat on his nose and juggles an umbrella with practised ease. The silver clubs are a blur as he and Serrano throw them in a sequence of slick moves. The audience roars with laughter at his rolla bolla routine, and his diabolo skills are superb, as he combines prat-falls and “misses” with accomplished technique until, on the third “attempt” he achieves the trick.

Tamara Serrano trained as a dancer and she introduces elements of Flamenco, jazz, classical and Latin dance into the show. A shawl revolves as she dances with it until, in a moment of high-speed drama, it is resolutely wrapped around her. 

Foot juggling is tricky, (believe me, I have tried) and Serrano is a an expert, spinning circles of cloth on her toes until they resemble whizzing circular sawblades. An LED drum lights up and rotates as the colours change. A red ball balances on an arched foot while her legs scissor and more balls are tossed into the mix.

Knife throwing and audience participation are not phrases that comfortably belong together, and everyone is enthralled as Lopez, with a bag over his head, fumbles with his knives. The resolution is hilarious. 

Manuela, who is two years old, joins her parents on stage at the end and shows that she is well on her way to being a seasoned professional.

The six months of practice that went into developing this performance is apparent. It is full of wit, charm, delight and humour. The costumes are made by their mothers – and they work brilliantly. Never has a dress change been managed with a better shimmy!

Pasodoble Circus has one more show at the Hannah Playhouse at 9pm tonight, Sunday, February 25. They are also appearing at the Nelson Fringe on March 15, 16 and 17 at Red Door Theatre.

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