Vladimir Kozlov

‘Miracles of the Yellow River', July 28 to 31, 7 pm, July 1 and 2, 3 pm and 7 pm, Estrada Theatre, 20/2 Bersenevskaya Nab., m. Kropotkinskaya

This show by the Acrobatic Troupe of Shandong Province offers much to attract not only circus fans but also people interested in Oriental civilisation. Coming to Moscow from the birthplace of Confucius, the troupe has quite a strong connection to the influential Chinese thinker and philosopher.

The "Miracles of the Yellow River" performance is based on the great transformations about which Confucius once said, "a person can make the Way great, but the Way cannot make a person great".

During the show, dozens of acrobats perform what looks like a mystical ceremony or ritual, prompting all kinds of responses in the audience - from silent admiration to a state of trance. "Once a performance begins, people cannot take their eyes off stage until the very end," promise the show's promoters.

The Acrobatic Troupe of Shandong Province was founded centuries ago and gained the status of a state circus company in 1959. It has been touring the world quite successfully ever since, collecting many international awards - including honours at the 1996 Moscow International Circus and Acrobatic Festival, where the troupe's "Hoop Juggling with Bowl Kicking" won the Bronze Bear Award and "Handstand Show" won the Special Award. While some audiences might be attracted largely by the troupe's exoticism, the international awards prove the show is more than just a promoter's attempt to cash in on the performers' "Oriental flavour".

The Prince of Monaco once reportedly praised the troupe by saying: "This troupe has only one drawback: they cannot create anything that wouldn't cause a sensation. Everything they do belongs in the Guinness Book of Records."

Ticket prices range from 550 roubles for the cheapest balcony spots to 2,750 roubles for the best seats.