Thurs 26 – Sat 28 June | Gloucester Guildhall
Dazzling. Dangerous. Unapologetically bold. Showdown is not just a circus show—it’s a full-throttle theatrical experience that catapults contemporary circus into the heart of pop culture, satire, and social commentary. Created by the pioneering company Upswing, this genre-defying production fuses aerial spectacle, acrobatics, spoken word, and grime-infused beats into a high-stakes competition where the audience decides who wins.
Want a taste of the chaos? Watch the official trailer and step into the ring:
But behind the flips, the fire, and the fierce ambition are three visionary creatives whose voices shape every moment of this electrifying performance. Together, they’ve built a show that doesn’t just entertain—it interrogates the systems we live by, the identities we perform, and the games we’re all asked to play.
Vicki Dela Amedume, Artistic Director of Upswing and director of Showdown, has spent over 15 years redefining circus as a space for urgent, contemporary storytelling. Her past work includes Catch Me, a duet exploring trust and vulnerability between a base and flyer, and The Ramshackle House, a family show praised for its inventive storytelling and physicality. With Showdown, Vicki leans into the glitz of talent shows and the chaos of competition culture to explore deeper truths about power and performance.
“We still live in a world dominated by the narrative of ‘survival of the fittest,’” Vicki says. “So if we’re going to play this game, what does ‘healthy competition’ look like—and who will you root for to win?”
The script is written by Athena Kugblenu, a stand-up comedian and writer whose work is known for its sharp social commentary and fearless humour. Athena’s solo shows KMT and Follow the Leader earned critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe and were featured in The Guardian, The Independent, and The Telegraph’s best jokes lists. She’s written for Horrible Histories, appeared on Mock The Week, and co-hosted Yesterday, Today and The Day Before on Comedy Central. Her writing in Showdown turns circus into a mirror—reflecting the absurdities of modern life with clarity and compassion.
“I wanted to explore what it means to win in a world where the rules are rigged,” she says. “And how far we’ll go to play the game.”
Driving the show’s rhythm is Afrikan Boy (Shola Ajose), a genre-defying artist whose music fuses grime, hip-hop, and Afrobeat. He rose to fame with the viral hit “One Day I Went to Lidl” and went on to collaborate with M.I.A. on her album Kala, as well as with DJ Shadow on the track “I’m Excited,” which was named Zane Lowe’s “Hottest Record in the World.” Known for his electrifying live performances, Afrikan Boy has shared stages with Paul McCartney, Damon Albarn, and Baaba Maal. His theatre work includes co-directing One Day I Went to Idl at Berlin’s Ballhaus Naunynstraße—a performance by refugees and post-migrant youth inspired by his music. His soundtrack for Showdown gives the production its pulse, swagger, and soul.
Together, these three artists have created a show that’s as entertaining as it is provocative. With a diverse cast of performers from the UK and France, Showdown invites the audience to vote for their favourite contestant in real time. As the competition unfolds, the stakes rise, the masks slip, and the questions get sharper.
This is circus with something to say. A show that flips, spins, and flies—but never loses sight of the ground it’s breaking.
If you missed Upswing’s acclaimed mockumentary Common Ground, which hilariously explored the search for a Global Majority circus star, you can watch it here for a behind-the-scenes taste of the world that inspired Showdown.
Showdown runs at Gloucester Guildhall from Thurs 26– Sat 28 June. Evening shows at 7.30pm, Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Tickets £18 / £15 concessions.
Come for the spectacle. Stay for the story. Vote for the winner.
