To celebrate the 60th edition of Brighton Festival, NoFit State Circus premieres its exhilarating new production Carnation — a mesmerising fusion of circus, live music and bold cinematic imagery performed beneath the big top. Created and directed by Firenza Guidi, this emotionally charged spectacle is wild, witty, rebellious and wonderfully alive.
Part circus, part theatre, part political fever dream, Carnation blends acrobatics, music and performance into an eccentric Orwellian world inspired by George Orwell’s dystopian fiction. Before the performance even begins, a lone figure dressed in 1960s-style clothing wanders through the audience reading from Animal Farm, immediately establishing an atmosphere of unease beneath the carnival glamour.
The result is a physical, human and sensual rollercoaster about rebellion, resistance and hope. Transitioning fluidly between visually striking vignettes, Carnation showcases high wire, trapeze, acrobatic gymnastics and anarchic clowning with astonishing precision and creativity. The performers are captivating throughout, balancing humour, artistry and real physical risk in ways that constantly surprise the audience.
There are unmistakable echoes of Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge in the production’s decadent theatricality, alongside the hedonistic artistic spirit of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s Paris — a world of cabaret, salons, theatre and absinthe-fuelled nights. Yet beneath the exuberance lies something darker and more dystopian. When performers appear wearing animal heads and a glowing circular neon structure descends from the ceiling like an alien spacecraft, enveloping the animal-human hybrids below, the atmosphere becomes increasingly sinister.
The original soundtrack, performed brilliantly by the live house band – talented musicians who switch effortlessly between instruments, some even performing acrobatics and then returning to the band stand to pay an instrument –, channels the spirit of Animals by Pink Floyd, reinforcing the show’s themes of inequality, power and social division. A recurring song about treating people differently gains emotional weight as the performance unfolds. The cast themselves — all different shapes, sizes and physicalities — move together with extraordinary fluidity and trust, creating a sense of camaraderie and quietly reflecting the idea that empathy and collective harmony remain possible even in our fractured, war-torn times.
The emotional arc of the show is beautifully judged, moving between intimate duets, breathtaking solo performances and explosive ensemble sequences. The acrobatics are genuinely jaw-dropping, provoking audible gasps as performers soar through the air on moving rigging and gravity-defying aerial apparatus. The production design is equally impressive, combining dynamic staging, striking costumes and inventive moving set pieces that transform the tent into a living, breathing world.
The finale offers a note of hope: streams of red fabric descend from the ceiling to form a giant carnation suspended above the audience — a powerful image of solidarity, beauty and resistance.
With over 40 years at the forefront of contemporary UK circus, NoFit State Circus continues to push the art form in thrilling new directions, creating bold and accessible work for audiences eager to step into the unknown rather than observe from the sidelines. Carnation is emotional, immersive and utterly unforgettable — a spectacular triumph that deserves to soar far beyond Brighton. Book tickets for the performances at Brighton Festival before Carnation goes stratospheric.
NoFit State Circus Carnation is at Brighton Festival until 25 May, 2026.
Find more information and book tickets here.
All images © NoFit State Circus
