Circus surreal

IN JUST 10 MINUTES under the eye of an electric blue spotlight in an old opera house in Frankfurt, Mongolian contortionists Biam-bajav and Biambasuren Janchivdorj fluidly manoeuvre themselves into more anatomically challenging positions than you'd find in the Kama Sutra.

The supple siblings wrap their limbs around their contorted torsos and intertwine with each other as if made of rubber. The spellbound silence that falls over the audience is periodically punctured by gasps and applause.

Welcome to the circus of dreams - Neil Goldberg's dreams. This is the world premiere of his show 'Magic Dreams - Theatre Of Acrobats', a two-hour journey through the fascinating, amazing and downright bizarre. Jugglers, trapeze artists and balancing acts in extravagant costumes perform on a surrealistic stage. After its initial run in Germany, the show will entertain Hong Kong audiences from February 5 to 17 over the Lunar New Year. Here the show is billed as Spectaculum, but the content is identical to 'Magic Dreams'.

But don't be fooled - though this may look remarkably similar to the popular Cirque du Soleil, which has twice visited Hong Kong with its lavish sets, strong men, contortionists and acrobats, it is not. Hong Kong promoter Dale Rennie says it is not simply a copy of the Canadian-based enterprise. 'There are similarities, but this is a more interactive show. Neil Goldberg has put his own distinctive mark on the show and it has an original score,' Rennie says. 'Cirque du Soleil is a brilliant show, but it is essentially a circus. Spectaculum is more like a circus crossed with a Broadway show.'

For the Janchivdorj sisters, Spectaculum is simply another stop in a nomadic life. They have travelled the world since they were eight-year-olds. Biambajav, now 25, began learning how to tie herself in knots when she was seven. Her parents sent her to a contortionist school in Ulan Bator, so she would follow the family tradition - her father was a circus acrobat and her mother made the costumes.

'I had never done contortion before, but we had three teachers who showed us what to do and we copied,' says Biambajav. 'Contortion is a traditional Mongolian art. Many children play contortion on the table or at school. There are not many opportunities in Mongolia so it was a great chance to find a career. I'm still learning new moves now; it's never-ending.'