“It’s funn-eee!” squeals four-year-old Johan beside me, while best friend Sofia wails, “I want to go ho-ome!”  With the Ringmaster roaring and the lights turning red, Sofia knows something bad is going to happen, but doesn’t know what, her mother explains. No accounting for tastes, but sensitive Sofia is definitely in the minority: the packed theatre is rocking with the lusciously uninhibited laughter of the littlies. 

It may sound sentimental, but truly there are few experiences more enchanting than being surrounded by ecstatic children sharing the magic of theatre. The presence of real live actors is thrilling, the other children’s excitement is contagious and they are actually being encouraged to express themselves!  

The Disaster Brothers provides perfect holiday nonsense: a high-energy clown show packed with the traditional lazzi from classic pratfalls to comic chases, skilfully executed by two very engaging young actors. 

Chris Parker and Tom Eason as Coriander and Paprika are a brilliantly matched duo, quite credible as brothers, with a lovely rapport on stage. They are both tall and thin and marvellously bendy – so flexible and pliable they remind me of the rubber Disney Goofy I shared with my own brother – and well-practised  in all the physical comedy of clowns. Their pretended clumsiness and ineptitude make the children feel protective and comfortably superior, and from the start they adore the pair.  

The Brothers are frolicking in the theatre as we enter, sliding down (and up!) the banisters, scrambling along the rows of seats, delightedly recognising ‘friends’.  Their interaction with the children is relaxed but controlled, and wins exactly the right response.  Johan, with shrill delight, informs us all that they’re in their pyjamas, but it looks more like long underwear to me, cutely unintimidating on those gangling bodies. 

We learn that the Disaster Brothers are the sons, grandsons and great grandsons of impressively reliable circus stagehands but they, unfortunately, are awkward and accident prone. They cannot recall simple instructions like getting the props ready, keeping quiet backstage and not touching the dynamite.  As we are all in role as the friends they have smuggled backstage, we must be quiet too. 

The set is simple: a huge patchwork curtain with ‘Backstage’ written on it, another sign indicating the ‘Lion Rope’ with its end tantalisingly out of sight, a ladder, a bucket, a stack of dynamite – just the usual backstage paraphernalia.  Bouncy circus music plays throughout, punctuated with the odd amusing sound effect, and great clouds from the smoke machine thrill the kids.  

The curtain is employed to great effect to create shadow play, so that we can see what is happening in the circus ring on the other side.  The third member of the company, versatile Brynley Stent, lends her silhouette to a range of characters from the circus: the autocratic ringmaster with whip and megaphone, the ballerina in a tutu, the muscle-bound strongman, the daring sword-swallower and ferocious lion. All are portrayed convincingly. (Sofia finds the ruthless Ringmaster altogether too convincing and is escorted to the foyer, where there are free chocolates.)

Paprika and Coriander especially admire the ballerina, blowing her kisses that inevitably turn into farty noises, to the extreme joy of all the small boys. But when they clumsily bump into her through the curtain, knocking her off balance, a series of unfortunate mishaps follows and cunningly orchestrated chaos ensues, leading to the escape of the lion, and of course involving the dreaded dynamite.

Will the Disaster Brothers be fired by the angry Ringmaster, or by working together instead of quarrelling, will they succeed in saving the circus, and pleasing the parents with a positive lesson on the value of co-operation? I cannot possibly reveal the answer but urge you to find out for yourselves. 

And do take the kids – I can promise they will find it hilarious even if you don’t get it.  When I tentatively asked Johan, as Parker and Eason whirled through a sequence of amazing physical contortions, “What are they doing?” he looked at me as if I was mad and replied, “They’re being funny!!” 

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