Brilliantly Bonkers. Slava’s Snow Show offers a refreshing take on festive theatre this holiday season.
Slava Polunin, hailed as the most famous clown in the world, has delighted audiences for decades with his unique brand of theatrical magic. Born from a simple street performance in 1992, Slava’s Snow show has blossomed into an international Olivier award winning sensation, captivating audiences of all ages with its poetic blend of poignant clowning, breathtaking visuals, and childlike wonderment.
The show lands in London’s West End this festive period. With so many theatrical experiences to contend with how does Slava’s snow show compare? And is it a family show? I took my nine year old to the press show to find out what all the fuss is about.
It’s certainly not your average festive show and yet this theatrical whirlwind contains all the elements you may expect – comedy, slapstick, dancing of sorts, music and of course spectacle. But there is nothing average or even expected about the chaos both choreographed or improvised that is Slava’s Snow Show.
Firstly, Slava doesn’t exactly scream ‘traditional clown.’ Think less Auguste, more post-apocalyptic mime. The vibrant red and white makeup is gone, replaced by smudged black around the eyes and a white beard. His bald head is partially obscured by tufts of white hair, and he’s sporting a distinctly lived-in yellow boiler suit. You wouldn’t exactly offer him a ride home, would you?”
Together with his odd but loveable ensemble of misfits, Slava draws us into his dreamlike vision, an otherworld, through a series of whimsical sketches. There is no linear through line, no speaking and no clear narrative. But there is emotion aplenty. Through subtle and artful mime audience confusion is surpassed by innate recognition. Pure joy, deep sadness, regret and loneliness need no subtitles.
And while there is simplicity and tenderness this is also a show of massive immersive spectacle. The Preshow advisory is lengthy. A giant spider’s web engulfs the patrons of the stalls, the theatre is transformed into a snow globe blizzard and the finale sees the auditorium erupted into a game of ‘keepie uppie’ with giant balloons the size of small cars bounced around the stalls.
Needless to say if you want the full treatment (which may see you dragged onstage never to reappear, stepped on, snowed on and soaked) be sure to book the front stalls.
Slava’s Snowshow is a curious beast. It juxtaposes the humble art of clowning with breathtaking, large-scale spectacle. This deliberate clash, by Slava’s own admission aims to stir the inner child in all of us. However, audience members might find themselves either swept away by the magic or left feeling a bit bewildered by the abstract. my advice would be to embrace the childlike wonder and allow yourself to be carried along by the whimsical current.
Children, on the other hand, need no such instruction. The theatre was filled with the infectious laughter of youngsters (mine included) captivated by the slapstick humour and wide-eyed with wonder at the immersive elements. Ultimately, Slava’s Snow Show is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of experience, but for most, the magic will undoubtedly prevail.
For myself and my uneasily impressed nine year old it was a night of pure enchantment.
There is palpable love for Slava and cult like status for his Snowshow. He sits at the side of the stage at the finale, having whipped the crowd into a frenzy of adoration , with tears in his eyes surveying the happy faces. An older man now, this is his life’s work and labour of love. It’s hard not to feel you are witnessing something special.
If you want to try something unforgettable and expose the family to performance art on a different level, I strongly urge you to give Slava’s Snow Show a go this festive season.
My top tips? Book the front of the stalls, take a shower cap and your inner child. And without spoiling the surprise…don’t wander too far from your seat in the interval!
Slava’s Snow Show is playing The Harold Pinter Theatre Until 12th Jan. Ages 6+
READ NEXT: Maddie Moate’s ‘A Very Curious Christmas’ Theatre Review
