GIFFORDS Circus returns with their eagerly awaited tour Any Port In A Storm at Fennells Farm in Stroud on Friday, May 12.

The unique baroque inspired show will tour the South West and London with a show that oozes drama, exuberance and style.

Following its opening in Stroud Giffords Circus will then tour villages and towns throughout the South West and London until Sunday, September 24.

Locations include Sudeley Castle, Daylesford Organic Farm, Blenheim Palace, Chiswick House & Gardens in London and a brand new location for 2017, Stonor Park in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.

Inspired by the paintings of Diego Velasquez, Any Port in a Storm is set in the Spanish court of King Philip IV in the 17th Century.

Household favourite, Tweedy the clown, is at odds with the court sovereign Philip IV, played by Little Man David Pilikut.

The high formality and strict etiquette of the court is established through a series of equestrian and gymnastic vignettes.

In the second half, the lord of misrule Tweedy corrupts the court order and plays out a “Tempest “inspiredMasque, a riot of grotesque puppets, shifting liquid scenery and dwarf ponies.

The sovereign’s gymnasts retaliate with a dynamic acrobat swing routine and the precarious equilibrium of the court is restored.

In a moment of allowed transgression the paupers dance with the princes in a celebratory finale.

Award winning screen and stage director, Cal McCrystal, returns for his sixth consecutive year to direct Any Port In A Storm.

It features spine-tingling performances from an international team including a Cuban acrobatic troupe who play the king’s troupe of courtier acrobats, Russian gymnast Sergei Poliakov, an Italian juggler, a Spanish comedy duo, a Hungarian Csikos rider and a Ukranian flyer.

A live band, selected by master musical director James Keay, will accompany this performance and the musical theme is Baroque and Rock Baroque.

Nell Gifford, co-founder and co-producer of Giffords Circus with husband Toti, said: “This is one of our favourite times of the year, we love the feeling of anticipation and enjoy the flood of creativity that emerges as we prepare for a new tour.

"Each year we push ourselves to go bigger and better than ever before and this year is no different. We’re welcoming back old friends to the Giffords Circus family and making new ones and they’re all exceptionally talented artistes and performers.

"Any Port In A Storm is already shaping up to be pretty spectacular, we’re really excited.”

Joining Giffords Circus this year is costume designer, takis.

His innovative creations have appeared in the West End and leading UK theatres, as well as in opera and ballet productions.

Spectators of Any Port in a Storm are in for a real treat as takis continues to break new ground and raise the standard against which other productions are measured.

  •  Tickets from giffordscircus.com or Box Office on 0845 459 7469.