Slava’s Snow Show is a magically theatrical extravaganza, despite running for over 20 years now, it is a production like no other that combines artistically crafted storytelling through mime and sensory audience interaction to create a truly wonderful evening at the theatre.
It’s a difficult one to write about because Slava’s Snow Show is all about the element of surprise, especially since a clown was sat on my lap last night – just a typical Tuesday evening at the theatre. Just when you think it couldn’t get any crazier, a giant cobweb covers the entirety of the audience. The barriers between the production and the audience are completely broken down as the cast delight audience as playful and animated clowns.
Warm, expressive and bursting with character, the clowns take on different personas to provide a slapstick-style production where we enjoy playful sketches through mime. Each small scene is simple but exceptionally funny, and Slava Polunin showcases himself as a clown master as he has managed to absolutely nail every single moment.
Slava’s character is well-loved but also rather pitied, and despite being family-fun show on the surface, we do see the darker and more emotive sides to his character. Through each joke and laugh, we get a glimpse of moments where we connect with Slava’s emotions, whether he is feeling lonely, unloved or forgotten. It is the abundance of green clowns, that come in all shapes and sizes who torment and tease him.
The clowns interact excellently with the audience, a highlight being just before the curtain goes up for the second act when the clowns are out in the audience messing around and climbing over the seats. Without spoiling all the exciting things that happen during the show, it’s fully interactive and between the captivating scenes and silly clowning around, the audience really get involved and at the end you feel as if you have been transported into a different world as the auditorium becomes rather astonishing.
Slava’s Snow Show is more than just a show, it is a multi-sensory experience. Ideal for children, adults and everything in-between, it is a multi-sensory production that is quite simply indescribable, but I wholeheartedly recommend!
★★★★
Slava’s Snow Show is on at the Lowry in Salford this half term until the 29th of October, tickets and information can be found here.
