CIRCUS meets theatre in a poignant tale of immigration.

In The Arrival, we meet a host of migrants, travellers and refugees as they make their way to a new life.

We see Dele leave his family in Nigeria to embark on a rather eventful voyage where he meets strangers carrying their own stories of upheaval and hope.

This departure and subsequent journey gives us two of the highlights of a fascinating show.

I adored the invisible football sequence where Nigerian lads and Dad wove in and out of a Chinese pole with a sulking soon-to-be-abandoned teen atop it.

And slack rope was used to great effect to show a boat on rocky seas. It was so believable, I felt a little seasick as the cast lurched around on deck.

In the present day, Dele is an old man being looked after by his carer, an immigrant with her own story to tell.

The narrative is simple, but contains many deeper threads and is hugely relevant to a more and more diverse population in 21st century Britain.

The multi-lingual cast of eight perform interweaving stories of fear, hope and persecution, yet also new beginnings.

Based on the illustrated novel by Oscar-winner Shaun Tan, the cast have enhanced the work with beautiful use of circus, music and movement.

The Arrival is a clever collaboration between Tamasha and Circus Space. I’d love to see them work together again.