Are you enjoying yourself? You will be if you take a trip to Hippodrome Circus Great Yarmouth this summer or in fact at any time of the year. We are regular visitors to the Pirates Live Show, it’s the Boy’s favourite. The Boy absolutely idolises Jonny Mac. Unfortunately, he was unable to perform earlier in the year due to Covid. Thankfully Jonny and Jack Jay (producer) were back with their usual energetic personalities and hilarious gags at this year’s Summer Spectacular. It also marked a milestone birthday in these award-winning circus’s history the only purpose built one left in the UK.
Raise a glass to the history
The Hippodrome Circus Great Yarmouth is incredibly unique and no trip to Great Yarmouth should be without a visit to the wonderful building. It’s luxurious old vaudeville personality booms from every Knick knack velvet curtain and twinkling light that adorns its walls. Cafe 1903 is a relatively new addition to the theatre. The Cafe with beautiful ‘instagrammable’ surroundings, flows out from the main theatre and serves yummy snacks and drinks. This is a must visit destination in itself.
On to the show
Now let’s discuss the water show. How do get the likes of the Aruba acrobatic troupe, fire breathers, aerialists and synchronised swimmers in the same show? Well, it’s all because of the giant sinking ring which transforms mid show into a swimming pool. It happens as you watch, accompanied with a light and music spectacle which will leave mouths open. I believe it’s only one of five of its kind in the whole world so it’s very special indeed.
The show itself is a mix of family friendly comedy and high-class acts. They don’t scrimp on the special effects and the mix of live and recorded music really add to the atmosphere. The show follows a similar format each year but there’s new gags and artists showcasing a wealth of talent. My favourite this year was the silks acrobat and Wilba really enjoyed the dancing girls they have some great costumes including the UV wetsuits. During lockdown we watched their live streaming of the show and I admire their resilience to keep the circus alive and WOW new and returning audiences each season. Long may it continue the Hippodrome Circus in Great Yarmouth is an institution and a great day out.
Top Tips
All the seats at the Hippodrome seem to have good visibility. We were on row J in the circle west and had lots of leg room and a great view. You don’t need to be on the ring to enjoy the show. There’s a Bar at the top of the theatre which is not as busy as the one downstairs and toilets are up there too, which again are not as busy as the ground floor. Disabled guests are well catered for with a specialised viewing platform. Just make sure you select the right seats on booking. Book your tickets online or look out on groupon for special deals!
We had an absolutely wonderful time at the circus. After, we headed down the promenade to have a quick look at the Empire Great Yarmouth. Our Hippodrome tickets entitled us to 10% off Food and drink. The Empire is home to guest street food traders and boasts live music. The perfect partner for a bit of after circus entertainment. It’s family friendly until about 7pm and has large screens showing the various sporting events throughout the year. Although we didn’t have time to stop and eat this time it looked a real fun, instagrammable venue and the cocktails were flowing. I bet it gets very lively come the evening.
Yarmouth is really having a moment right now and is becoming a regularly requested day out destination for our kids. Click here to check out some of the other attractions also winning my two over.
Disclaimer* We kindly received Press tickets to review the Hippodrome but as always, my words are my own.