A Circus Week

I was on holiday, many years ago. Three weeks holiday, it was, (!) and I had no idea what I was going to do, Something, obviously - I was resident at Boundary Hall !!! I awoke late on the Saturday, and read the local paper during early lunch. Our table-clearing person said to me, "Why not go and see the Circus? It is only in the next village?" I thought, why not! I was surprised by the outcome of the decision....

It was built up in the car park of the pub! It was a very small circus - very small indeed, It was owned by, operated by, transported by and solely "artisted" by one chap! There was a small, round, one pole tent - the 42 foot variety - with the ring built up offset, and the conventional camping tent built 3 foot from the artists entrance in case of rain. I was in plenty of time. Already dressed as a clown, the proprietor was collecting the vouchers, and presumeably, the cash (but I didn't see any cash - except for mine!) I paid, and entered the tent. It was light, the non-transparent tent had not been invented yet, fortunately for the lights were non existent! The chairs, and the low gallery seating - 2 ranks placed either side of the entrance - were 30% filled.

The Show was 40 minutes long, it consisted of Animal Acts - consisting of the dog, the rabbit, and the white mouse - and the juggling act of the proprietor. The audience participation was apparenty neccessary! As I was talking to the proprietor, afterwards, I said "Where you going to now?" "The next week end? I've got to go to Beenham for a summer fête. I've got to have two acts, though! Are you are interested?" I thought for a moment - and agreed!

The site was going to be somewhere along Mount Pleasent, behind the village hall in the north side of the street. I arrived early on the Saturday morning, just in time to see the circus, on a hand cart (!) just turning on to the tober. I parked the red yellow and blue van in full sight, fortunately unmarked with the name of the circus - I was actually obliged to obliterate the name of the previous circus, when I kept the van! And got on with build up!

The Big Show was scheduled to occur at 5:00 pm, and we got on with the build up! The stakes come first, one circle of side stakes and four main stakes 8ft wider. The Kingpole was next, I held it, and the artist ran round and secured the four main guys to the main stakes.... The canvas came next, supported by the side poles. We did the lacing, one each side of the pole, and put the side poles in then, with guys to the stakes. In order to prevent the canvas rotating round the pole, the four guys right at the end of the lacing are led to the "wrong" stakes! In order to access the Artists and Ring entrance, the side guys are crossed over - the stake is not used. At last the canvas is pulled up with the main rope, and the main rope is tidily wound round two miniature stakes, one at the ground level, and one four feet above this.

The ring fence is brought in, by me, whilst the side walls are hung by the artist. The ring fence is in miniature - eight inches wide! The size is Rabbit Size - not horse! The ring is offset, the artist side is parrallel to the side of the tent side, then bearing round to come in just in the public side of the King Pole! The low gallery seats are next - two brackets per seating rank, with 3 or 4 planks laid over, naturally with ropes to hold the planks in place.

The Show Begins - with the juggling act of the artist, followed the act Paper tearing Clown which I do with children from the audience, all have got in free so its a pleasure to have a choice! I relate the tale of a newspaper seller, and hand the strip of newspaper to one of the children, and order that they shall tear in down the middle, longways. I reveal the two halves of the two separate, the child reveals the two halves interlinked. "No! No!" and the attention is the turned to the second child! This time, I relate the story which results in the interlinked, but the child produced them with the halves interlinked in one long section! I chased both children from the ring!

"The Artist"

Then followed on the acts with the Artists animals, during which I changed! Then went as a fire eater! There is a Special Art with Fire Eating Do NOT attempt Fire Eating, or any Fire Arts without experience, or without safety precuations I first went in to demonstrate my insensivity to fire, running the brands to the hands, arms, chest and feet. Then I ran the brands over the tongue, demonstrating the art to the whole audience - then left, then right, and the straight on! Finally "eating" the brand. I attempted the glass as the next feat, something that I do occasionally - if I think we have time! I have the glass concealed in a piece of carpet, and I reveal the glass next - 30 or 40 glass fragments. I break the one, 1 pint, milk bottle in the glass, and discard the base and neck to prove the glass is real. The Artist shows the discarded parts around, whilst I get on with the act! I stand on the glass, (crunch crunch,) and break the largest possible piece under my foot, which results in a crunch again! I lay with my back in contact with the glass, and a volunteer from the audience on my chest - I definitely prefer a male, or a female with trousers on! Returning to the Fire, I light the brands (which have been resting in the Parrafin.) I extinguish the brand in the mouth. I extend the unlit brand away from the head, and take a lit brand in the other hand and plunge it into my mouth. If I succeed, the flame is half a second on my lips, and the unlit brand would burn again... The final trick I do - extinguish all the brands except one, A brighly burning one. Insert the burning brand into the mouth, and take all the hands away! Count for ten seconds, or the Ring Master counts ten, actually! Take the brand in the hand, show it to the audience, and extinguish in the mouth...

I was hooked, again! My next Circus was weekends only, BUT it was CIRCUS!

5th Mar, 2006

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