Not so much a circus troupe as a global phenomenon, Cirque Du Soleil is currently juggling the demands of keeping nine shows in the air around the world. Are they spreading themselves too thinly? On the evidence of Dralion - part dragon, part lion - that seems to be the danger.
Relying heavily on a swathe of imported Chinese acrobatic talent, Dralion borrows wholesale from Oriental imagery to construct its Identikit Soleil persona: wafts of New Age music, a bouncy cast of thousands, decked out in wacky costumes, and a technically dazzling set, all fleshed out by (please God, no) a bunch of clowns.
That's all fine and dandy if the turns are up to scratch but, while Dralion has a clutch of top-of-the-range performers, there's also more middle-of-the-road padding than you've a right to expect from such a glitzy spectacular. Sadly, the stunning diabolo girls are absent, but to make up for that there's a top-twisting hoop diving act, a mesmeric aerial pas de deux and a liquidlimbed juggler with stunning ball control.
But the Skipping Ropes sagged, the Teeterboard teetered on indifference and the hackneyed theme - Air, Fire, Earth, Water - smacked of slack smugness.
The suspicion lingers that Cirque Du Soleil has got too big for its boots - revolutionary when they started, they've stayed static while the performance world has moved on. This formula needs a rejig.
Until Feb 13, Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore SW7, Tue to Sun 7.45pm, Fri, Sat and Sun mats 3pm, £15 to £52 (limited availability). Tel: 020 7838 3122. www.royalalberthall.com Tube: South Kensington/ Knightsbridge
