There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly trodden grass mingling with pungent diesel fumes to embody a trip to a fun-fair or circus. I remember the good old days when there were three or four giant circuses doing the rounds in England. What I remember best, and what was almost the most exciting, were the roaring lions and tigers leaping through hoops and the troops of huge lumbering elephants trundling around the ring. My childish enthusiasm blinded me to the suffering imposed on those animals and to the tiny cages in which they spent all but ten minutes each day. With the possible exception of the odd prancing horse, circuses now, quite rightly, are proud to announce that they are animal free.
One such is Circus Berlin which is currently on its European tour and stopped off in a field fairly close to Cheltenham to raise its Big Top. And big it certainly was, just like the old days – I calculated it could seat about 1200 people. There was a live band but the acts performed on a solid platform; gone was the old and famed sawdust ring – messy and impractical for everything except absorbing animal poo.
Apart from the lack of animals (a good thing) and a proper clown routine (a bad thing) this was a pretty spectacular show. Sadly there was no programme and none of the acts were announced so I’ll just have to describe them with no names. There were the usual jugglers, balancing acts and a preponderance of hoops – hula for twirling and suspended for acrobatics – but for me there were three really outstanding acts.
The young man in red trousers did a virtuoso routine of wire walking. He had two wire spanning the stage, one a meter lower that the other and crossing each other at right angles. He proceeded to hop between them and perform handstands, back-flips and somersaults and made it look easy. His presentation was very matter of fact – nothing flashy, just a pair of red jeans and a shirt which he whipped off to the delight of the ladies in the audience. His skill was outstanding but I think a bit more showmanship would not have gone amiss.
The other virtuoso act was a pair of guys with their strong man, gravity defying balancing act. Some of the feats of strength were amazing which they performed without even breaking sweat. But beyond doubt the most spectacular act and one I could barely have imagined as a child was the laser light show. Two figures dressed in illuminate suits directed laser beams and rippling sheets of light around the giant tent to the incessant beat from the band. It was truly mind boggling to be engulfed in such a fantastic, totally immersive experience.
I know circuses aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but, whether they are yours or not, I recommend Circus Berlin which is certainly bigger and better than most other shows on the road. ★★★★★ Michael Hasted 21st April 2016
