AN INDUSTRIAL estate in Woolwich is probably the least likely place you would expect to see a ‘big top’ in London but this is just the first astounding thing about the Greenwich Circus Festival, writes Robert Fisk.

It is here on December 17 and 18 the performers and trainers of AirCraft Circus will be opening the doors of their ‘big top’ – which is actually a massive warehouse – to showcase their talents.

During the evening they will be performing a brand new, Shakespeare inspired circus extravaganza A Midsummer Night’s Circus where flirtatious fairies fly and luscious lovers fight (and unite).

Also on the night-time bill is Alumni-Ati Cabaret — a star line-up of ex-Aircraft Circus students, who have gone on to glittering careers around the world, returning to astound and entertain.

And free workshops taking place during the day give everyone the chance to have a go at flying trapeze, static trapeze, acrobalance and juggling (places need to booked in advance).

AirCraft Circus co-director Alex Frith says it is great to be able to open the doors and make it part of people’s Christmas.

He said: “It’s so amazing to have this huge space with all this wonderful stuff going on and so much life and activity tucked behind the walls of these warehouses.

“That’s a really nice thing and really quite heart-warming.

“It’s a lovely thing to share.

“It’s just a really nice atmosphere and everyone who comes is massively surprised that we’re even there. They say ‘Oh my God, I never knew you were here.’”

During the daytime, as well as the workshops, there are shows for all the family to enjoy including a fun circus cabaret and the Aircraft Youth Circus Superhero Show where circus artists aged between three and 16 will blow you away with what they can do.

As the night draws in outside performers who started at AirCraft will take to the stage in the Alumni-Ati Cabaret.

Mr Frith said: “They have all developed their own solo work and it’s like a showcase.

“There’s going to be a whole range of things – there’s aerial, there’s handstands, there’s a girl who is doing cyr wheel, there’s silks and aerial hoop. It’s quite diverse – there’s double trapeze as well."

The grande finale is A Midsummer Night’s Circus, which is definitely Shakespeare like he has never been seen before.

It was born as a ground-based show in a castle during the summer and now the director Lucy Francis has brought it home elements for the festival audience.

Mr Frith said: “She really enjoyed the characters and created quite a fun piece and she just thought let’s develop this some more and so added an aerial element to make it bigger and better.

“The aerial elements have really enhanced it and it’s a lot more spectacular – Oberon for example has a very strong and powerful routine and the fairies are doing acrobatics and all these types of things and there’s a really great doubles trapeze routine as well with two of the female leads – the lovers - end up in this amazing routine so that’s great and there’s some comedy and some juggling going on at the bottom.

“I know it’s a bit weird to have the Midsummer Night’s Circus in midwinter but you know maybe it will bring some light and some summer and some warmth to all of our hearts in that cold time.”

Go to aircraftcircus.com/products/greenwich-circus-festival, email info@aircraftcircus.com or call 020 8317 8401. Tickets range from £12 and £16 for children and adults to £64.80 for evening family passes.