Review: The circus came to town over the Easter break: Cirque du Soleil returned to the SECC and Le Grand Cirque presented Fantazie over in the east. Although both shows were based around the simple premise of animal-free circus performance, they could not have been more different.

Cirque Du Soleil's Quidam, SECC, Glasgow
Star rating: ****

Le Grand Cirque, Edinburgh Festival Theatre
Star rating: ***

The circus came to town over the Easter break: Cirque du Soleil returned to the SECC and Le Grand Cirque presented Fantazie over in the east. Although both shows were based around the simple premise of animal-free circus performance, they could not have been more different (although on their respective opening nights each seemed to suffer from lacklustre ticket sales).

Fantazie was the more traditional show, highlighted by the quite safe staging. A clowning ringmaster, who proved endearing, was the framing device and his audience participation acts worked well once up on stage, but unfortunately sight-lines for the audience, from the grand circle up, meant feeling left out during a lot of the jocular selections.Set to a recorded soundtrack from pumped-up Ravel to raving Vivaldi, there was a sort of "Alton Towers advert" feel to the show at times. This was not helped by the somewhat superfluous dance troupe who added little to the acrobatic spectacle. The quality of tumbling, balancing and aerial stunts was, however, superb and made you wish for a wee slip to prove there was an element of risk. But when the most memorable moment is the French-slurring compere donning a kilt and popping out of a man-size yellow balloon, you know you are really in the realms of the bizarre.

Continuing with the surreal, Quidam took the circus concept to another aesthetic level. It is clear that no expense is spared with Cirque du Soleil productions, as is reflected in the ticket price. The stage itself is breathtaking - a revolving circular dreamscape with overhead rigging for aerial assaults on your senses.

Not only showcasing the performers' skills, there is a loose story to Quidam, helped in its shiveringly haunting and slightly odd narrative by original live instrumentation and singing. Highlights included the skipping sequence, when an endearing mistake proved the intricate skill-level required, and the diabolo-juggling quartet who set the bar almost at the outset. Moments such as the somersaulting banquine created a level of emotional intensity perhaps not best associated with circus performance, and this feigned grandeur and epic momentousness is where Cirque du Soleil has the edge over its competitors, and has its multi-million worldwide audience coming back for more.