The Gentleman Juggler, leading speciality act of the British cabaret revival and the UK’s most successful juggler, presents big laughs, serious skills, slapstick, and breathtaking spectacle in arguably the best show of his career; ‘Showman’. See genuine danger, dexterous elegance, and thrills, performed by a man at the top of his game. Mat is now in the middle of a Nationwide and European tour, with new Spring dates just announced.
In 2014 Mat returned to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe by popular demand, following a sell-out season in the West End, made many high profile television appearances, and was invited back for a 3 date run at the Southbank’s Mime Festival 2015, a rare honour.
"Brilliant!" - The Herald
"This is a gloriously old-fashioned, neatly put together show, one that looks back to the golden age of variety and vaudeville. It does what it does with real aplomb, terrific humour and genuine skill. This showman deserves your applause. ." – The Guardian
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Two and a half decades of work, practice, honing, polishing, brainstorming and attempting if not the impossible then certainly the bloody difficult, means that in a world where variety is seen as an unfashionable relic only suited for talent shows, Mat Ricardo is at the forefront of the reinvention and re-evaluation of his art form.
"Incredible skills. Engaging and funny" - The Scotsman
Showman is packed with tricks, with genuine displays of danger, teeming with understated dexterous elegance, thrills, skills, spectacle, slapstick and wit. He beguiles his audience with both old favourites and signature routines, including some tricks that haven't been performed for decades, and some that have never been performed before at all. Oh, and one that killed a fellow juggler in 1936. No biggie.
Don't have time to see all of Mat Ricardo's critically-acclaimed one man show "Showman"? Fine! Here's the whole thing in less than a minute and a half. Without the jokes. So, actually, you're probably better off just going to see him on tour….. ;)
"A legend... we left feeling rather richer to have spent an hour basking in his warm and commanding presence" - Total Theatre
The leading speciality act of the British cabaret revival, winner of Best Speciality Act in the London Cabaret Awards, and the UK's most successful juggler, Mat Ricardo delivers a show packed full of big laughs, serious skills and breath-taking spectacle.
"Immensely skilled and very funny" - Time Out
Winner: Best Speciality Act – London Cabaret Awards
Winner: Herald Angel Theatre Award
"Slick, sublime and eloquent" - The Skinny
"A fantastic show" - Heckler (Adelaide)
"As a dapperly dressed gentleman juggler, his props include cigar boxes, snooker cues, silverware and – in a signature trick – tablecloths. His dexterity is captivating, whether he’s sending coloured bottles spinning like fireworks or manipulating a hat, cane and wine glass in an elegant routine that borders on dance – one of several bits perfectly timed to a musical track." – ★★★★ The Scotsman
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