IT takes a lot to render a journalist speechless, but the rock and rolling, high octane, fire-breathing, sword-swallowing, jaw-dropping, pyrotechnic extravaganza that is the Circus of Horrors will just about do it.

The circus performed the final night of its long-running tour, London after Midnight, to a packed-out audience at Bridport’s Electric Palace on Sunday.

The show is packed with shocks that takes you on a whirlwind journey through a plague-ridden London in 1665, through five murder scenes, to culminate in the great fire of 1666.

It really has brought a new dimension to circus for the 21st century and beyond. Death, plague victims and the entire cast set the tone for the scary, hilarious, incredible performance by walking and climbing through the audience at the beginning.

Doktor Haze and the Interceptors from Hell got the crowds rocking to their rock opera stylings.

Contortionists, a sword-balancing act, high-wire acts and a sword swallower got the crowd staring open mouthed, while the biggest laughs were reserved for Dracula, and strong man Dynamo Dan, who set everyone gasping by opening a bottle of beer with his eye-socket. And I can’t even write what the man can do with a vacuum cleaner.