London’s newest show is best thing I’ve seen all year – review of Come Alive! The Greatest Showman circus spectacular

LONDON is one of the best cities in the world for theatre - but every now and again a show comes along that blows you out of the water. 

For me this year, that’s Come Alive! The new musical circus spectacular inspired by The Greatest Showman. 

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The performance takes part in a big top, following a young girl called Max who discovers her potential as a showman. 

But while the plot is pretty weak, the big budget song and dance spectacles and the circus exhibitions that go alongside them are truly brilliant.

You’ve never seen a circus show like this before - the big songs, recognisable from the blockbuster movie that inspired it - feel like Hollywood-style performances. 

And the acts are top tier. We watched strongmen bounce each other into the sky, an acrobat spin 40ft high by her hair and an incredible fire display that saw a woman set fire to her body… on purpose. 

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This is Cirque Du Soleil in a sparkly jumpsuit with a megawatt smile. 

But what made it extra special was the walk-through at the start. 

While this is far from London's West End - in a large venue close to West Brompton tube station in the west of the capital, the space this buys mean the creators dreamt up an extra pre-show experience.

The venue opens an hour before the show, for guests to walk through “The Empress Museum”.

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This is an attraction that truly deserves the “immersive” tag that seems to accompany everything these days. 

Gypsy caravans and mini-showtents line the path, as well as jugglers and other performers. 

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We were encouraged to duck into the various tents, where we witnessed everything from spoon bending and incredible bubble-blowing, to fortune telling and trampolining acrobats. 

There was also fast food available, along with a decent range of drinks that included posh cocktails like margaritas and bloody marys. 

Yes, the show isn't cheap - tickets start from £45 but the pre-show is an event in itself and given the snug size of the main circus tent, all of the seats are decent. 

Rare for any kind of show to achieve,  my 5 year old and I both enjoyed the performance in equal measure, and the 70 year old I sat next to seemed to be loving it just as much.  

Tickets for Come Alive start at £45. To find out more, head to 

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