It was a melting pot of African culture and circus theatrics as the Canberra Theatre welcomed Mother Africa to its stage.

Combining explosive acrobats, energetic dances, traditional music and much more, Mother Africa certainly lived up to its description as a ‘Circus of the Senses’. The show combined the talents of entertainers from nine African countries, who leapt and performed to the audiences’ delight.

The early highlight for me was the elastic performance of contortionist Ersie Teame Gebregziabher. Performing to the beautiful African musical accompaniment, Ersie held the crowd in his hands as he stretched and bent his body at seemingly impossible angles.

Throughout the evening the show unravelled as a sensational talent show, as the various artists came onto stage to share their talents with the audience. Whilst performing they were accompanied by a wonderful visual backdrop which changed according to the tone of the piece.

The show consisted of many incredible displays of physical strength, most notably from the Ramadhani Brothers.

Having left the capital of Tanzania (Dar es Salaam) to join the touring Mother Africa circus, the Ramadhani brothers combined brute strength with supreme elegance to wow the crowd. From balancing each other on their heads, to one brother holding another in the air with one hand, it was a true show of strength and finesse.

However the circus was not just about physical strength, but also the strength of the African culture. My two favourite pieces of the show were in fact the duet between a Kora (a 21-stringed harp) and the keyboardist of the band, and the traditional African dancing at the end of the first half.

Whilst some of the costumes and music had been westernised to fit the audience, these two acts really showed the heart of the African culture.

The crowd were also involved in the show with a strangely placed rendition of ‘One Love’ by the Jamaican born Bob Marley. Whilst it was a strange inclusion, the message of the song was perfect for the evening and allowed young and old to join hands and then join in song.

The circus troupe and audience sang in unison, ‘One Love, one heart, let’s get together and feel alright.’

It was an unbelievable evening that celebrated African culture through the incredible circus acts on display.