Take That are currently embarking on their huge The Circus tour, and it’s turned out to be the most insane fever dream of a show ever to grace a stadium stage.
Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, and Howard Donald (plus Robbie Williams and Jason Orange) first took their circus on the road in 2009, becoming the fastest-selling UK concert on record.
So naturally, the boys are back to do it all again. Only this time, there are bigger budgets.
Each moment has been meticulously recreated from the only takes a minute dance to the giant elephant – yes, really.
Clips from the concert have been shared on social media as baffled fans take in the weird and wonderful circus world the trio have created.
This is everything you’re missing if you haven’t secured tickets to the absolute trip that is Take That’s The Circus tour.
A gravity-defying elephant tail
‘Where can I apply to be the elephant’s tail on the take that tour?’ asked gigcrumbs on TikTok, zooming in on a dancer dangling by their ankles from a 30ft mechanical elephant.
Gary, Mark, and Howard stood atop the slowly spinning puppet, belting out Hold A Light Up for the encore.
In what looked to be a dizzying ab workout, the dancer swished around pretending to be the tail, complete with a huge string headpiece.
‘We should talk about the elephant in the room,’ added Caity as Biscotti joked: ‘You gotta work your way up from the bottom.’
‘The adult equivalent of being given the triangle in music class.’ wrote baybeigh.
‘I think we’re not supposed to talk about it,’ commented LittleBow, with Unofficial Amy saying: ‘This doesn’t seem entirely necessary.’
Many fans were just concerned about the dancer’s health, with the blood rushing to their head for ‘a good 10 minutes,’ according to one fan.
This frankly hilarious set piece also happened on the original tour, as dedicated fans were quick to point out.
Fire-breathing acrobats
It wouldn’t be a circus without trapeze artists performing in front of a gigantic ringmaster (not played by a certain band member’s son).
Take That have gone for an acrobat suspended in a cage, which features flaming bat wings on either side, as fire breathers and the trio dance below her.
At one point, the giant ringmaster, sporting a Day of the Dead-style face paint, speaks thanks to an uncanny-valley projection.
This is all while a dancer sways and walks through the air, holding onto and twirling around a flaming ribbon.
The ‘epic’ staging was, of course, for the band’s iconic track Relight My Fire, their final number before the encore break.
Take That The Circus tour setlist
- Greatest Day
- Hello
- Could It Be Magic
- Pray
- A Million Love Songs
- Back For Good
- The Garden
- Shine
- Up All Night
- Babe
- You’re a Superstar
- Love Ain’t Here Anymore
- Nobody Else
- The Circus
- What is Love
- Do What U Like/Promises/It Only Takes a Minute/Take That and Party
- Said It All
- Never Forget
- Patience
- Relight My Fire
- Hold Up A Light (encore)
- Rule The World (encore)
A splash zone
Fans with standing tickets close to the second stage experienced a little buyer’s remorse during Back for Good.
During the popular number, several fountains emerged from below for a singing-in-the-rain style routine from the trio.
While Mark, Gary and Howard got to walk around with umbrellas, their fans ended up looking like they’d been in the front seats on Splash Mountain.
‘Safe to say we were a tad drenched,’ wrote picsbyalyssakate on TikTok, showing off the intense amounts of spray hitting the crowd.
Mark appeared to feel a little guilty, repeatedly mouthing ‘sorry’ as his bandmates tried not to laugh while singing.
We can only hope the water was at least room temperature!
An impromptu makeup tutorial
Slowing things down, Gary and the lads get to sit down for a mini makeover mid-performance while singing What Is Love.
The trio pack on white face paint, drawing on clown lips and a red nose as they sat in front of a mirror.
The pace picked back up for the next tracks, with the group performing a mash-up of Do What U Like, Promises, It Only Takes a Minute, Take That and Party.
Clownified Gary, Mark, and Howard recreated some of their original choreography, as well as skipping with a rope made from circus bunting.
Mark also hopped on a unicycle and peddled his way down the stage, as you do.
The Circus Tour will continue through to early July, with stops in Glasgow, London and Manchester. Tickets are still available through the usual sites.
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