“You may be stranded out in the cold, still you wouldn’t trade it for a pack of gold. Let’s go on with the show. Let’s go on with the show!” – Irving Berlin
They took their cause to Number 10 Downing Street. Newspapers took note.
You say the circus is dead, America? May I direct your attention across the Big Pond.
Marching up to Number 10 Downing Street on July 9, with posters and bright hopeful faces, were a merry band of circus performers hoping to make a case for the right to get on with their shows. Their placards and spirits were well covered in all the papers.
Two days later, they won the approval they had long sought when the government opened outdoor events, in which tent circuses are placed. Suddenly, a couple dozen or more big tops were back in operation, scrapping and innovating, adapting and re-configuring to satisfy the dictates of local city councils throughout the UK and other various oversight agencies.
The story of their campaign has been reported by Douglas McPherson in London’s The Stage. Among ingenious actions taken, Paulos Circus turned itself into a Drive-In Circus, with stage and screens, and is pushing a score laden with pop music from the 80's (for more on this, scroll down 3 posts.) The formidable Gandey Circus piloted an air-moving system, monitored by the government, in order to keep its sidewalls down. Minus similar measures, other shows must keep their sidewalls up to qualify as outdoor events. Seating capacities have been sliced in half. One show will be seen by a mere hundred. So much easier to pack the house and claim SOLD OUT.
UK tents tend to be in the 300-1,500 capacity range, about the same as in the U.S.
Circus companies wasted no time in posting dates and pitching tickets — Planet Circus, Circus Wonderland, and Uncle Sam’s Great American Circus among the first to announce August re-openings.
“It’s the 24th of July 2020, and Gandey’s circus is open!” proclaims one of its staff outside the tent, amidst cheering co-workers and fans.
“Russell International Circus is back this year with a brand new show! The breath-taking performance is jam-packed with with mesmerizing aerial displays, jaw-dropping stunts, world class. comedy and much more!”
James Richard Circus hands out to its customers safety rules. Bagged cotton candy comes with a complimentary anti-bacterial wipe. And at the Richards show, patrons are asked to hold back on laughter and cheers but to confine themselves to clapping and stomping. “A very difficult situation for a clown.” says white face joey Paul Carpenter (Mr. Popol) of Circus Wonderland. Even the popcorn in sealed boxes may give off less pop. But the show must go on, right!
Zippos Circus was locked out of Scotland, and is now scrambling to nail down replacement dates, with Blackheath slated for August 14-19. Its posters illustrate action from France, Kenya, and the Czech republic. Precious traces of Cirque du Soleil ballet are missing from all the graphics I have come across – a good smart sign.
Animals, anyone? Circus Mondao, above, celebrating 250 years of circus, ballyhoos itself, “Only one of a handful of true traditional family circuses touring towns and village of Great Britain today.” They’ve got a “large family of animals and human performers” in the ring. Sounds like a merry Chipperfield’s party.
Should we be surprised by this dazzling evidence that circus is still alive and kicking in the UK? After all, England is the birth place of circus. The land of equestrian Philip Astley, who invented the whole thing. Indeed, the Brits have a right – I’d say a moral duty – to take just pride in Astley’s great legacy by helping to keep it alive.
Why Not Here”?
Comparing circus action in the UK to the US, the differences are stunning. Life versus Death. What might spell the difference? Regulatory resistance may be stiffer. However, in a guessing frame of mind, I would start by pointing to a spirit of pluck over there that we may be missing here. And I’d suggest a possibly more sympathetic public and media. Goggle up circuses in America. Nothing but indifference. New York papers ignoring the plight of Big Apple Circus. America, it appears, had already talked itself into falling out of love with a form of entertainment too fraught with PC-repugnant elements -- wild animal acts at the forefront, followed by clowns who no longer seem funny or crazy but creepy and evil. Even true aerial daredevils may rattle a new generation of snowflakes.
On this side of the big pond, we were already down to a precious few experienced circus owners. Kenneth Feld retired Ringling in 2017, although he has made serious waves about revving it next year. Just in time for possibly the most spectacular comeback in circus history. Venerable showman Johnny Pugh is out of the picture. Really, only three or four shows are being run by long timers with track records for survival. Big Apple Circus, which has gone through at least two CEO’s since coming our of bankruptcy three seasons ago, is a precarious work maybe still in progress. Its bleak website delivers but one brief terse message about Covid restraints. Nothing like the emotional outpourings of Carson & Barnes or Circus Vargas on their websites.
James Richards’ circus proprietor James Tom is cautious, too. “You can’t just give up. We have a saying in the circus, ‘If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.’ I think that applies now more than ever.”
What a pleasure to be able to write about real circuses hitting real roads for real dates before real audiences. May the public reward them with life-saving, show-saving patronage.
Here is a link to Douglas McPherson's story in The Stage:
2 comments:
It's worth adding that most circuses received none of the government support available to other businesses during the lockdown. That was particularly the case for large numbers of foreign artists, drivers and tent men who were unable to return home. They had no entitlement to unemployment/welfare payments and were in the Uk on restricted visas that prevented them taking work outside the circus. Gandeys had around 40 foreign nationals locked down at its winter quarters and set up a catering wagon to feed them all three meals a day for five months out of their own pocket. Many on other circuses had to rely on the charity of food banks. Circus Mondao, for one, is currently campaigning to repay that debt by encouraging its patrons to donate food to the food banks that helped them in their hour of need.
Thank you, Douglas
This is a very inspiring story that you are covering so well.
And I thank you for sharing much additional information with me.
Cheers to the dauntless British Circuses!
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