While many people might dream of running away to join the circus, it rarely becomes a reality. Not so for a group of Cambridge performers, whose new company, Wildfire Productions, will be the opening this year’s Bonfire Night celebrations on Midsummer Common.

Wildfire Productions, which specialises in fire, dance and circus performance, is the brainchild of Newnham alumnus Frankie Dubery and current PhD student, Jelena Aleksic, who as members of the Cambridge University Fire Troupe.

Frankie Dubery, managing director and former ASNaC said: “People are usually surprised when they find out what we do,”

“We don’t match up to the stereotype of a group of students from Cambridge University.”

Matching up to stereotypes appears to be the last thing on the minds of Aleksic and Dubery, however, whose online profiles describe their dreams of “hot air balloons illuminated in different colours against the night sky” and of “touring the world, soaring above the stage on aerial straps”.

The company has enjoyed success in recent months, sending performers to a variety of events across Cambridge. They were also heavily involved in the University's 800th anniversary celebrations.

This year’s performance on 5th November will be a real highlight, with attendance at the council-run event estimated to be between twenty and thirty thousand people.

Traditionally, the fireworks display on Midsummer Common has been one of the largest free displays in the region, and this year is no exception with over 1200 fireworks expected to light up the sky.

It follows on from last year’s celebration, which saw twenty-five thousand people attend, in spite of heavy rain.