HAS the greatest show on earth come to Worcester?

Fans of the Moscow State Circus will surely answer in the affirmative, and circus performers have an equally positive view of Worcestershire audiences.

This is not the first time that the world-famous circus has come to to Worcester and the big top will be drawing the crowds, young and old alike, to the city's race course until this Sunday, October 2.

As usual, the circus has arrived with a theme and a big message.

A spokesman said: "The new show, "7 Zhelany", is based on the Russian folklore story of Cvetik-Semicvetik, or “the flower with seven colours,” by Valentin Petrovich Katayev, where each of the petals represents a wish and is the perfect back drop for what is undoubtedly the greatest and most famous circus on earth."

The show's "Professor", otherwise known as the versatile performer, Vladimir Georgievski, explains that the story dates from the 1930s and the Soviet era, and it tells the tale of a girl who has seven wishes and ends up using her last wish to help a poorly boy, instead of thinking of herself.

Vladimir said: "People leave with emotion. The British public are rather sentimental, I think, and it's a happy ending.

"The show's message is that, what is important is who you are, not what you have."

Marnie Dock, the assistant show manager said: "We've been to Worcester previously, but this is a brand new show. It's like a play, with the clowns knitting all the story together.

"Normally we have very good audiences in Worcester. They make us feel very welcome."

This year's show features the award winning Troupe Leontiv on flying parallel bars; roller-skating revolutions and daring do on the floating globes.

There will also be barrel jugglers, a trampolining wizard, breath-taking leaps and somersaults on the floating bars, a wire dance and even a hula hooping cleaner.

The show times are as follows:

Friday - 5pm and 7.45pm.

Saturday - 3pm and 6pm.

Sunday 2pm and 5pm.

Tickets and further details at, www.moscowstatecircus.com ticketmaster or on 0844 856 5555 and 0203 375 3970.