Gifford's magic continues (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Gifford's magic continues

GIFFORD'S Circus just gets better and better.

Amazing acrobats, prancing horses, eye widening contortionists, clever jugglers, a seriously strong man, a hilarious loose rope walker and plenty of clowning all make for the magic that is Gifford's.

And if you have time to glance at the other members of the audience, you will see rapt faces of every age.

It must be one of the very few shows where you can take your granny and your children and be assured that they will all be swept along by the sheer delight of it all.

And a word about those in charge of the laundry - how do they manage to keep those costumes so clean, night after night, pitch after pitch?

After the show, a visit to the Circus Cafe continues the magic of the evening. Now with Robbie, helped by Lance, in the hot seat the cafe is in its second year and has become a very smooth operation, serving a three course meal with the emphasis on traditional English cooking.

Even the crockery continues the circus theme with its bright blue stars on a white background.

Sitting at long tables, where the artistes came and joined us - how well they had sung for their supper - we started off with a crispy and really varied salad, moved on to sizzling Wey Hey fish pie accompanied by a huge platter of piping hot and perfectly cooked vegetables, including some of the sweetest carrots I have ever tasted, and finished off with a bread and butter pudding and brandy sauce to die for.

Robbie pressed us to try his summer fruits jelly as well but we were defeated. If you want wine you take your own, otherwise there is a choice of juice on the table. You can't imagine what fun it is.

"It's the best evening's entertainment I've had for a long time," said my cousin who we had taken for a birthday treat.

To see where Gifford's is performing during the rest of the season, watch our What's On Guide.

Tickets from the Everyman Theatre box office on 01242 572573, to book for the Cafe Wagon ring Robbie or Lance on 07939 235381.