Superstars of slapstick, father and son team Clive Webb and Danny Adams, are bringing lots of laughs and goo to Middlesbrough, as Steve Pratt reports

Never mind international circus arts and street entertainment company Cirque du Soleil.

Middlesbrough welcomes Cirque du Hilarious to the town hall this month.

When you learn that the brains (and brawn) behind the show are “the superstars of slapstick” Clive Webb and Danny Adams, you know pretty much what to expect.

The father-and-son team has been starring in record-breaking pantomimes at Newcastle Theatre Royal for more years than Jack has been climbing beanstalks or Mother has been goosed. They’re going straight from Aladdin, the fastest selling pantomime in the country, to taking their Circus Hilarious show on the road.

Webb admits the title Cirque du Hilarious is a mickey-taking nod to that other illustrious company. “We try to renew the show every year and take a different title. We’ve always been a circus. We have dancers and spectacular stuff as well,” says the Sunderland-born entertainer.

He began his showbusiness career as a drummer in a pop group before answering an advertisement for the Famous Robert Bros Circus, where he stayed for seven years ending up as head clown.

Son Danny Adams followed in his father’s footsteps. “He left school on the Friday and joined me at Butlin’s on the Monday,” recalls Webb, whose TV career includes three years on Tiswas.

This year’s Circus Hilarious show features Houdini’s milk churn escape which has Adams chained up in a tank of water (and hopefully escaping).

He’s still trying to perfect his human cannonball stunt. “We have the cannon but unfortunately the net isn’t big enough,” says Webb.

Another of his sons performs as chainsaw juggler Dangerous Alan.

He’s also been in the Newcastle pantomime for the past few years.

Their record-breaking run at the Theatre Royal is set to continue in 2013 with Jack And The Beanstalk next Christmas. The dilemma is topping the last show. “The biggest problem is you are in competition with yourself but we’ve managed to make it better each year so far,” says Webb.

“We started working on Jack And The Beanstalk last year while the other panto was on. It’s practically all done and I can tell you there are more special effects that we have ever done. It’s bigger and better than before.”

And there’ll be more slapstick – “water, slosh, goo, everything” – which is something of the duo’s trademark. Circus Hilarious contains a fair amount of slapstick comedy too.

Circus Hilarious will keep them on the road touring until pantomime time, performing in a variety of towns and venues. They even manage to fit the show into Leeds City Varieties which is not the biggest of theatres.

Circuses have changed a lot since Webb began performing in the big top. “I started in tents and things like that with lions and tigers and elephants.

The whole thing has changed around without animals.

Now it’s more of a theatrical experience.”

He believes the show is for the whole family. “Where else can you take the kids apart from pantomime and the Chuckle Brothers?” he asks.

“It’s a family event. That’s the emphasis on the show. A lot of circuses are aimed at kids, but ours is a family experience. We want to make mums and dads laugh as much as their kids.”

CIRQUE DU HILARIOUS

Middlesbrough Town Hall, Feb 19. Box office 01642-729729 and online middlesbroughtownhallonline.co.uk
Billingham Forum, May 28. Box office 01642-552663
and online forumtheatrebillingham.co.uk