Era: Intersection of Time

"The most lavish and high tech show in the history of Chinese theatre"? I'm sure it is.

Performed by a bunch of teenage kids who hung around in the foyer (see pic) smoking fags and mucking around? You bet.

We thought that they must be stage-hands or the like when we saw them doing just that -- but it appears that these were the boys of Era: Intersection of Time who were about to go on and risk their lives for the sake of entertainment that night, as on a thousand other nights.

The circus was not the slickest or most modern we've seen (although we haven't seen that many circuses to be honest) and we didn't know what to expect. We ended up almost having a heart-attack at the stunts pulled by these kids, and a standing ovation was the least we could do. It's all very impressive, and you have to go and see this if only for the 90 mile an hour motorcycle-in-a-cage stunt at the end. Or should we say seven motorcycles in a cage stunt at the end.

This article has further details/thoughts.

Era: Intersection of Time, 27 January 2006 until 3 February 2006, tickets 580-80 RMB, daily at 7:30 pm. For bookings and enquiries call: 6630-0000 or 6652-7750

Shanghai Circus World, 2266 Gonghexin Lu (take the North-South elevated road north and take the Yan Chang Lu exit, keep going straight and you'll see the signposts), or subway line No. 1 to Shanghai Circus World station, Exit 3. GO AND SEE THIS. (even though there are no tigers or bears driving miniature cars).

Related:
Entertainment Industry Underperforms (City Weekend)