Well, I was right that the circus was in town, but I was wrong about the Michael Jackson music I heard blaring from the valley. I heard the music, but it was a part of Bike Week that was happening on the school grounds across from the Circus. 
This was Southern England's Greatest Jay Miller's Circus, the 21st Anniversary Tour. It was very interesting. I bought a ring-side seat [of course], and I took some pictures, but without the benefit of a flash, they aren't very good. It was pretty entertaining. I bought a souvenir brochure and learned about this circus company.
First of all, there is a welcome letter from Jon Miller, the director, on the inside cover. He begins by saying joined the 
circus at the age of 14, and it's the circus where he met his wife, they have four children [two of whom were in today's circus] .. and then suddenly he's on a tirade about how politicians have irreputably damaged a "... traditional form of family entertainment". Animals are now omitted. Jugglers "should wear hard hats in case they drop a club on their head". Rises in fuel costs that affect their transport [lorries], generators and power heaters.There are no allowances on VAT [Value Added Tax], no grants, and funding for
circus schools as the Circus is not recognised as an art form. Wow! Who knew? I thought I was just going to see some clowns!
circus schools as the Circus is not recognised as an art form. Wow! Who knew? I thought I was just going to see some clowns!There were lots of ways that this troupe drew in money in addition to the cost of my ticket. The programme I bought that turned out to be a big piece of education. Sales during intermission on food and soft drinks; Peppi the clown would paint the kids faces; and souvenirs such as spinning plates, a lottery for large stuffed animals, and balloons on your way out.
It was a s
mall troupe, but everyone's picture [except Jon Miller's, oddly] are in the programme with a little history on each one of them, even those that work only behind the scenes. And speaking of, there was a woman, Anastasia, from Russia, who did a Cloudswing act. She was suspended above the floor without wires or nets, and basically did a vertical tumbling act from a pair of circus silks [ropes]. She was very good. I watched "
back stage" as she was doing her bit and when she would go up towards the top of the big tent, there were four guys that pulled the cable and then locked it in with a carribeaner. When she would come back the floor, they would walk forward with the cable and then it would be locked again into the carribeaner. These were the same four guys, by the way, that are also acts in the show, like the two [pictured right] performing the modern "strong man".
mall troupe, but everyone's picture [except Jon Miller's, oddly] are in the programme with a little history on each one of them, even those that work only behind the scenes. And speaking of, there was a woman, Anastasia, from Russia, who did a Cloudswing act. She was suspended above the floor without wires or nets, and basically did a vertical tumbling act from a pair of circus silks [ropes]. She was very good. I watched "
back stage" as she was doing her bit and when she would go up towards the top of the big tent, there were four guys that pulled the cable and then locked it in with a carribeaner. When she would come back the floor, they would walk forward with the cable and then it would be locked again into the carribeaner. These were the same four guys, by the way, that are also acts in the show, like the two [pictured right] performing the modern "strong man".I couldn't help but think of the last circus I saw. It was O, a Cirque de Soleil production at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. Both aiming for the same end, to entertain through risk and illusion, but how different the scale! It really made me appreciate this troupe. I now get the emotional outburst in the programme! G'night!
