Circus news from 2013

28 December 2013

The circus year 2012 in review

Introduction

The circus year in review is an annual review published on this website by the end of each year. You can find link to the previous year's reviews at the bottom of the circus news page.

The Danish circuses will remember season 2013 for three things:

·        The incredibly cold start to the season. "The minus seven degrees outside the tent and the feeling of Siberian cold in the feet and legs, put a damper on the experience," Palle Hoej wrote in Frederiksborg Amt’s newspaper about the opening night 22 March in Circus             Benneweis. Normally, the temperature at that time of the year is a couple of plus Celsius degrees. Due to the cold start of the season all circus had to use at lot of diesel to heat the tents. At the same time they had fewer visitors than usual. People feared to freeze during the performances.

·       The very hot and dry summer

·         The accident with a collapsed tent in Kalundborg, which triggered increased authority focus on tent safety and in the future will result in stricter requirements for circuses touring Denmark.

The quality of the performances in the Danish circuses was like previous years very high. Both in the 3 large circuses (Circus Arena, Circus Benneweis and Circus Dannebrog), in the medium sized Circus Baldoni and in the 3 small circuses (Circus Arli, Circus Krone (a Danish circus having the same name as the mighty German circus) and Circus Mascot. In the three large circuses the quality of the program was fully in line with what you can see in leading circuses elsewhere in Europe. And for the other 4 circuses the quality was above what you usually can expect to see in similar circus south of the border between Denmark and Germany.

For the fifth year in row the Danish circuses had competition from DR television’s Big Band and the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation’s Circus Summarum. The Summarum-performances are not circus, but children's theatre that takes place in a circus environment.  In 2013 91,000 persons visited one of Circus Summarum’s performances. This was an increase of 4,000 from last year. The tent used by Circus Summarum was rented from Circus Arena which due to this was less annoyed with the competition than other circuses. The Summarum tent had 2,350 seats and thus room for more spectators than any other circus tent in the Nordic countries.

Unlike other art forms the Danish circuses does not get any sort of public subsidy.

Some municipalities permit circuses to use the local circus lots free of charge. This applies for example in Copenhagen. A fine example which more municipalities should follow. Unfortunately, in some municipalities the trend is in the opposite direction: the rent for circus lots increases. Also in other respects circuses in Denmark are struggling with rising costs.

The performances in 2013

In February, the Canadian CIRQUE DU SOLEIL visited Denmark which the performance Alegria. First in Herning and then in Copenhagen

During the school’s winter break CIRCUS KRONE performed in Aarhus. BENNY SCHUMANN produced performances for Elsinore City Centre. CIRCUS MASCOT could be seen at the Herning Centre and Aalborg Shopping Mall. In Odense ISABELLA ENOCH Produced circus performances for an indoor amusement park in Odense Congress Centre and JIMMY ENOCH produced Enoch’s' Circus Show for the Rosengaard Shopping Centre. In the West Zealand Shopping Centre the customers could meet Jon Burke’s sea lions in a gigantic pole.

The largest circus in the Nordic countries CIRCUS ARENA began their season on 12 March in Copenhagen.

There were several highlights in the performance:

Cai Yong – acrobat of another world and probably the best act presented in a Danish circus ring in 2013. In almost dreamlike sequences, he changes between dynamic, powerful movements and static, slow postures. Almost completely celestial it is when he gets up from splits to a standing position without using his hands. That is for everyone else impossible to do. On 27 July Cai Yong was injured during a performance in Greve in that part of the act where he does rotations balancing on his head. He fell down and had clearly pain when he left the ring and did not participate in the final. After a few weeks he was back in the performance

19 year old Cai Yong ended his formidable act by rotations balancing on his head. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press.

The Mongolian Acrobats were five female artists on high mono bikes. They were juggling with plates, which they throw with their feet up on their heads and throwing plates from one artist to another – with the bikes in full speed.

3 of the girls from Mongolian Acrobats. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

The Four Navas worked on the high wire. In part of the act they worked in two "levels" on two wires. And they're doing all the hardest tricks that can be done on a high wire: an artist climbs to the shoulders of another artist, two artists carries on their shoulders a pole on which the third artist sitting in a chair, balancing on this pole. And they do leapfrog at the wire where first one, later two artists sit while the jump is performed over them. Finally all four goes down an ascent wire at 45 degree angle.

You also met the brothers Rudy and Ray Navas in their rotating wheel of death where they move inside and outside of the wheel. Finally one of the brothers did seven forward somersaults in row at the outside of the wheel. On 14 April Ray Navas was knocked about when he fell down from the wheel of death. While he was on the outside perimeter of the wheel he skipped and made as usual a number of high leaps. After each leap he usually grabs one of the braces in the wheel. But after one of the leaps he didn’t get hold of a brace and was instead clinging to the wheel's outer edge. The centrifugal force meant that he couldn’t keep his grasp and he fell several meters down to the ring. Ray Navas was taken to a hospital and extensively examined. Luckily enough nothing was broken. After a couple of weeks he was back in the performance.

Naves brothers - formidable leap on the wheel of death. Photo: Ole Simonsen

In Diorios’ globe of death there was this year six riders inside the globe at the same time. One more than last time they toured with Circus Arena.

The Casselly family's impressive entrée with horses and elephants in aesthetic colors is a thing of beauty and a joy. And every year this family creates a new entrée and each year it looks easy.

Patrick Berdino presented camels, zebras and alpacas. Laura Berdino came as a gypsy princess into the ring with beautiful Frisian stallions in liberty dressage. We met Sharon Berousek with a juggling act, and there was a teeterboard act done by the Puyang Troupe, where the catcher used a trinka. It was a combination act where springboard is combined with Risley acrobatics.

Circus Arena veteran Jimmi Folco was the clown in the performance in cooperation with the clown Augusto. This name was chosen by the Danish actor Morten Eisner, who had chosen a costume that falls somewhere between the tramp and a mythological adventure figure.

Music for the performance was provided by a 4 piece band.

Circus Arena closed the season 2 September in Koege.

As usual Circus Arena had in early October a performance on tour in Greenland.

As previous years Circus Arena’s winter quarter in Aarslev was open to the public during the winter holidays, summer holidays and autumn holidays. Circus Land, as it is called, offered training of circus animals in the training ring, sea lion show, pony rides, playground, museum, etc. and short performances in Circus Landino. During the summer and autumn holidays you could also see the exhibition Days of the Dinosaur with 44 "live" dinosaurs in natural size.

For a private event a circus tent was on 21 June put up close to the beach in Kalundborg. The tent was 40 m wide, 60 m long and 18 m high. The tent belonged to Circus Arena, but is not the same tent which Circus Arena uses of their performances. The circus tent collapsed around 14:45. Inside the tent there was at the time of the collapse of approx. 550 people and a few animals. Luckily no one was serious injured. Contributing to the collapse was beyond strong winds that the tent was located only 150 meters from the Great Belt with the long facade parallel to the shoreline. The site had previously never been used by circuses and is not Kalundborg’s usual circus lot.

After the collapse the Danish Government’s Energy Agency wrote to all local authorities, pointing out what requirements the municipality must require for processing of applications for permission to put up circus tents. This means that all circuses now are met with much more requirements around the tent safety. In a number of municipalities requests for the use of the circus lot are handled as applications for building permits and requires, among other static documentation for the tent. The documentation must be in Danish. The application procedure for use of a circus lot has therefore become a much more cumbersome. Not only for Circus Areana, but for all circuses touring in Denmark.

CIRCUS BALDONI had their opening night at the circus lot in Lyngby on 21st March. During a snowstorm!

The audience arriving during a snowstorm. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

For several years, the link between the acts in Circus Baldoni has apart from the lion Leonardo (a ventriloquist’s doll) been the clowns Danillo and Danilla. But this year Thessa and René Mönster found that some change would be useful. They had therefore engaged the Russian reprise clowns Duo Kapitanski, who also toured with Circus Baldoni in 2005 and 2009.

This year's show began with Mr Kapitanski entering the circular stage (Baldoni use a stage and not a traditional ring) carrying a large box. But he quickly disappeared and director Baldoni (René Moenster) sang the traditional Baldoni welcome song before all the performers enters the stage.

The first number was cube-juggling, performed at a breath-taking speed by Nedyalko Vaskov. Then Baldoni and the lion Leonardo introduced the Igen family's wonderful dog act with 9 happy dogs. An act that offers everything you would expect of a good dog act.

Josephine Again with her dogs

Then Kapitanski entered the stage with a handcart with a package. It turns out to contain DanilaZen (Thessa Daniella Mönster) seeking job in Circus Baldoni. But the director says no: there are no jobs available.

Next came Veselka Metodieve on the stage and presents to the tune of Frank Sinatra's "My Way" a fine act where she with a chair as trinka combine handstand with contortion.

Veselka was followed by Duo Kapitanski with a run-in, where they swap hats and all of a sudden was locked to each other (see photo).

Duo Kapitanski

Now another package was handed over to Baldoni. Again, it was DanilaZen pleading for a job. But no: Baldoni can’t use her.

Then came a spectacular sword balancing performed by Miss Melina Igen.

And then the director got another package! At first it seemed to be empty (René Moenster is an old magician!). But later it turned out to contain the job seeking DanilaZen. This time Baldoni gave up and offered her a job making popcorn for the break.

The last act before the break was Duo Kapitanski with a fine and original entrée with a laying hen.

After the break Duo Kapitanski presented their cheerful bullfighter entrée. At the opening night they were followed by Clorinda Varricchio with a hula hoop number. After about a week Veselka took over the act as Clorinda and her fiancé Carl Mundeling left Circus Baldoni. Following the hula hoop entrée DanilaZen tried to do a hula hoop act together with a gentleman from the audience. Sergei Scerbina followed as the man who climbed into the giant balloon.

Then we met Vesalka and Nedyalko, this time as a duo with a beautiful and spectacular acrobatic act.

Vesalka and Nedyalko

Then followed a classic illusion act where René climbed into the large basket that Thessa pierces with long spears with fire in the lead.

Now it was time for Duo Kapitanskis last run-in with two buckets of water. The audience screamed with laughter - and Mr Kapitanski got pretty wet!

The performance's last act was the Igen family's African mountain goats which is one of the best such acts in the market.

Click here to see more photos from Baldoni 2013.

Circus Baldoni ended the tented season on 28 August in Tureby. From 2 to 11 September they visited the Faroe Islands.

BALDONI´S CHRISTMAS CIRCUS had three public performances in the Fencing Hall next to the Circus Museum at Hvidovre, Copenhagen, during the week-end 23 and 24 November.

The show started with a snotty Pixie Line (Cindy Binau Nielsen) entering the ring and suggesting to cancel the performance due to her cold. And the situation did not become better when Santa Claus (René Mönster) had to leave in order to repair the machines in a toy factory. Fortunately Santa Claus could make a magic potion which immediately cured Pixie Lines cold. 

Cured for the terrible cold Pixie Line could present the program with some "help" from her brother the pixie Nis (Daniel Dim). Nis was again using Anton Antonius Christmas Pig (a ventriloquist’s doll) as assistant.

Nis and Anton Antonius Christmas Pig

In the rest of the show we met a lot of other Christmas pixies: The juggling pixies Veselka and Nadyalko with meteor juggling. The Pixie Girl Clementine (Helene Ramer) did acrobatics with hula -hoop rings. The tiny pixie princess Jana could also master the hula hoop rings. The foot juggling pixie Katarina Markevich juggled with first two, then three and at last four scarves. The pixies Veselka and Nadyalko did acrobatics. The climbing pixie (Helene Ramer) worked in tissue (silks).

The climbing pixie Helene Ramer

Pixie Line and Nis showed pixie televisions with "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." The juggling pixies Katarina Markevich and Anton Tarbeev did a great diabolo entrée. The acrobat pixie Veselka did handstand . And Katarina Markevich did fine hula -hoop entrée.

Flying diabolos. Katarina Markevich and Anton Tarbeev.

"Did you enjoy the show?” Santa asked at the end of the performance. He got an enthusiastic YES as response.

Click here to see more photos from the performance. 

CIRKUS DANNEBROG opened the season on 21 March in Vojens.

In recent years, Cirkus Dannebrog has had a theme in their performances. In 2011 it was the story about a number of artists who arrived at the circus seeking for a job. In 2012 it was Amazing Africa. And in 2013 it was the circus as it was in the good old days.

The show began with the orchestra entering the tent through the audience entrance and taking place on the stage, while an artist troupe in old-fashioned costumes came into the ring and began to prepare for a performance. The part as the old circus director was performed by Freddi Steckel, who also through show took care of the presentation of each act and acted as performance director.

When the little artist troupe was ready to begin their performance Circus Dannebrog’s CEO and general manager Agnete Louise Enoch entered the ring and welcomed the audience. She was followed by some tableaux in which a group of artists, led by Katja Enoch’s husband Abdel Aziz El Messaoudi build human pyramids. Abdel ended the act as a fakir sticking a burning torch in his mouth and make the flame fountain.

Danneboys & girls with Abdel El Messaoudi. To the left the "Circus director" Freddi Steckel with a barker. In the background you can see Agnete Louise Enoch

The clown who this year bound together the performance was Pieric. His August figure is sensitive and poetic and invites more to a quiet smile than to guffaw. In his first entrée he came into the ring on a motorcycle with a side car and trailer. In the side car is a pony. Later no less than 9 ponies and a mule come out of the trailer. For a short while you also saw a white-faced clown in the circus ring. It was Circus Dannebrog’s technical director Dennie Enoch dressed out as a clown.

Then "Director" Freddi Steckel followed an elegant crinoline dressed woman into the ring. She took her dress off - not strip because she has tights on underneath - and revealed herself as the excellent handstand artist Alexandra Saabel. At some performances during the performance the act was done by Alexandra’s smaller sister Kelly.

Miss Alexandra

After a short run-in with Pierric the Mustache Brothers came into the ring and present a knockabout table act.

They were followed by the Saabel family’s elegant act with Siberian huskies using igloos (snow cabins) as pedestals for the dogs.

At the press premiere Maundy Thursday at 4 p.m. in Odense next act was the young Dutch acrobat Michel with a good entrée in aerial straps. He replaced Duo Tereschenko who left Circus Dannebrog immediately after the opening night because they found it to cold. A very unprofessional behaviour! If I was a circus owner I would never dare to book them as they might let you down anytime. Due to other engagements Michel was only able to stay with Circus Dannebrog for a few performances. As a permanent replacement for Duo Tereschenko the high wire acrobats Mesa Brothers joined Circus Dannebrog later in the season. 

After a little tableau with Circus Dannebrog’s ballet the excellent hand-to-hand artists Curatola Brothers entered the ring. It was a nice reunion with one of top acts from Circus Dannebrog’s 2007-performance.

Then the ring was filled with smoke, and 5 beautiful white Arabs with minimal harness came into the ring. A beautiful and poetic start of the act. Then came the horses' owner and trainer Bernhard Kaselowsky into the ring and presented the best liberty horse act that I in recent years have seen in a Danish circus.

The live horses were replaced by Pieric’s entrée with 5 "horse girls" from Circus Dannebrog’s ballet turning plates around with the letters P A U S E (interval).

After the interval there was a gypsy tableau in the ring. It led to a Risley act performed by Dias Brothers being 11 and 13 years old and with a 6 year old younger brother in the final part of the impressive entrée. Papa Dias stood by ready catch his sons in order to ensure that his sons weren’t harmed.

After a short act in tissue the Saabel family entered in the ring with their beautiful and spectacular high school riding act.

Saabel family

Next Pieric was back, first with a white horse and later with the elephant Ramboline which he presented in a nice entrée with Ramboline’s owner and trainer Bernhard Kaselowsky standing quietly in the background. The number ended with an ancient artist number, which it is many years since we have seen in a Danish circus: capers over the elephant.

Then it was time for the Grand Finale, where Agnete Louise Enoch said goodbye.

After Mesa Brothers joined the show their act was put in between the elephant act and the finale.

There is particular reason to praise the performance's bandmaster Tino Aaby and his 7-piece orchestra. This year, they had been seated on the stage and the amplifiers are thrown out, so the pure orchestral sound fills the tent. A clear improvement! For part of the season the band got an extra member: a violinist.

Circus Dannebrog closed the season on 22 September in Gram.

Click here to see more photos from this year’s performance.

Friday 22 March was opening night for CICKUS BENNEWEIS in Hilleroed with a beautiful, entertaining and family friendly performance.

The show began with the year’s clown Don Christian coming into the ring and making his clown makeup, while ringmaster Judy Glosted sand a poetic welcome song "It’s Circus" to the tune from the old German Grand Prix hit Theatre! Theatre! Next came Sharon Folco in the ring with 3 dromedaries.

Sharon was followed by the first of Don Christian’s run-ins. Don Christian toured also with Benneweis in 2010, but this year his reprises are much better than in 2010. I believe he was the best clown we this year met in a Danish circus. In his first act he blow he up a balloon and ended up floating around in the circus dome under a giant balloon. Ingenious!

Then we met 3 Stoian in an act with Russian bar. They performed with pace and with impressive precision. You can often see a helpers stand ready to seize the female jumper if she fails when she lands on the bar. This was not needed by the female partner in the Stoian troupe. She concluded the act with 3 times a double somersault - performed in a row! Unfortunately one of the male troupe members was injured in the beginning of July and Stoian’s had to quit. They were for the rest of the season replaced by the excellent French bike acrobat Marc Gielly.

From 13 July Marc Gielly replaced Trio Stoian. The versatile French mountain bike acrobat knows how to vary his act and are open for new tricks. Here he jumps over this year’s Benneweis clown Don Christian. Marc Gielly toured last time Denmark in 2009 with Circus Arena.

For many years, John Pablo Garcia and his English born Mrs Vickki Fossett presented an elegant number with a space rocket. In Denmark we saw them in Circus Arena in 2001 and in Circus Dannebrog 2010. But last year they developed a new comic aerial act, in which Vickki as a Mary Poppins descends from heaven to take a trip with John Pablo’s uncontrollable airplane. My 6 year old grandson believes that it is one of the funniest acts he has ever seen in a circus.

Garcia with their airplane. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

After the airplane came a fine and classic act: pas de deux on horseback, presented by members of the Donnert family.

They were followed by Don Christian who assisted by his spouse Bianca made a great water entrée. Many clowns who do a water entrée try to copy José Michel's famous water entrée. But Don Christian has chosen to create his own entrée. And it is excellent!

The last act before the break was Sharon Folco who in a pleasant way showed how you trained an elephant.

The first act after the interval was Pat Clarisson's Hotdogs. As always with this type of act it is hard to tell who is having the most fun: the dogs or their trainer.

Then Don Christian assisted by a man from the audience presented a comical magic entrée. He was until the beginning of July followed by 3 Stoian with a fast-paced and very well performed springboard number.

Vlad Olander and his cats were also in Benneweis in 2009. It was a nice reunion with the probably best house cat act on the market. And Vladimir and his cats presented several tricks not seen in 2009. Amazing what he can get his cat to do.

Then came the young Russian juggler Semen Krachinov with his Krachnikov Fire of Juggling-hall, which last year had great success in the famous Swiss Circus Knie.

A very good performed juggler entrée with a breath-taking pace.

Don Christian had then a funny run-in chasing a mischievous bee.

The performance's last act was another classic circus act: a traditional jockey riding act presented by the Donnert family. The number was awarded a bronze clown at the circus festival in Monte Carlo in January this year.

The Donnert Family. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

The show ended with Don Christian entering the ring and taking off his make up while Judy Glosted song and presented all the participants in the Grand Finale.

Click here to see more photos from the performance.

Cirkus Benneweis closed the season on 15 September at ’Bellahoj’ in Copenhagen.

On 24 March CIRKUS ARLI opened their season in Flong.

The recurring person in the show was the clown Martino aka Martin Arli. Martin, who this year could celebrate his 40 years anniversary as a clown is a gifted entertainer and his ability to get and keep good contact with the audience is formidable. Martino opened the show by miming to the song Somewhere over the Rainbow, while standing above the artist entrance.

First artist was Katarina with a nice hula hoop entrée. Then the elegant ringmistress Bettina Arli presented the painter Martino. He drew a face on the whiteboard. Especially the younger part of the audience was completely ecstatic when the face began to move!

Then we met the wonder horse Carlo, whose rear probably was related to Alexander Arli.

At best Arli tradition the following acts was presented under the theme In a Persian Market. A flute-playing Martino conjured silk pieces up of a basket. The Silk pieces were used by Luidmila in a fine act in aerial silk. Then Martino was back, first doing a rope trick and then assisted by a boy from the audience the trick with the floating table which the boy is sitting on.

Then Katarina came back on stage. This time she did a fine and spectacular foot juggling entrée where she juggled and rotated with scarves.

When Martin Arli years ago met his wife to be Bettina and she joined Circus Arli one of the couple’s first acts was a wild-west act where Martin threw knives after Bettina. Now Martin and Bettina’s son Alexander has met the pretty Ditte Lill, and they have created a similar act. First Alexander cut with his whip newspaper pages hold by Ditte to tiny pieces. Then he placed knives around Ditte - even blindfolded.

Alexander Arli and Ditte Lill

In the first number after the interval Martino came stumbling onto the stage using a walker. It turned out to have a lot of honk horns on which Martino gave a concert.

Then we met Luidmila and her happy and playful poodles which obviously enjoyed their performances on stage as much as the audience did.

Luidmila was replaced by Anton Tabeev who assisted by Katarina did a nice diabolo-act which featured many tricks as you rarely see. The act was closed by that Anton seated on a high mono bike throwing one diabolo after the other to his forehead where he balanced with them. Impressive!

Tabeev

There are not many good clowns. But Circus Arli has no problems. They are self-sufficient in this area and would be criticized if Martino & co. was not included in the show. "& Co." is as in the recent years Alexander Arli who as in 2012 are white-faced clown. This year in a beautiful blue costume. We have seen the entrée before: "Out in Charlottenlund" - the one with the dangerous monkey. But no problem. It is probably Martino & co.'s most beloved entrée.

Throughout the winter, Ditte Lill had practiced in aerial ring. And this despite the fact that she says she suffers from the fear of heights. The training has resulted in a beautiful and poetic number, Pierrette & the Moon, where you couldn’t feel that it was Ditte debut as an aerial acrobat.

Ditte Lill in aerial ring

Then time had come for the Grand Finale with plenty of soap bubbles. The audience at the opening night rewarded the performers with spontaneous and well-deserved standing ovation.

Click here to see more photos from the opening night.

Circus Arli closed the season on 20 August in Vindinge.

On 27 March the Deleuran family’s CIRCUS MASCOT began the season in Roslev.

After the Deleuran family (papa Jess, mama Marianne, Daniel, 23, and Andrew 15) had welcomed the audience 12-year-old Husik entered the ring with the hula hoop act which last fall earned him an award at the circus festival for young artists in Wiesbaden. He is son of the clown Gulio and the aerial acrobat Tatyana and had his artistic debut in Circus Mascot in 2008. Already then his act was impressive, and it is now an act of a quality that far exceeds most other hula-hoop acts. I have never seen others do Husik’s final trick where a hula-hoop ring rotates on his nose.

Husik’s final trick is hula hoop with a ring that rotates around his nose

After Husik's entrée his father Gulio has his first run in, where he started to do hula hoop and ended up using a member from the audience to walk on stilts. As previous years Gulio has a fantastic contact with his audience. They just love him!

Right from the very first season Marianne Deleuran has every year presented a dog act in Circus Mascot. In 1994 there was only one dog and a balloon dog made by Jess. But there were soon more dogs and the act became a dog act of a quality that easily can be compared with the dog acts you meet in large circuses. The last few years, Marianne’s son Andreas assisted her in the act which this year was presented in a new and exciting choreography and new costumes for Marianne and Andreas.

Mother and son Marianne and Andreas Deleuran and their dogs

After a run in with Gulio Daniel entered the ring with a fine act in aerial straps.

Again this year Mascot has managed to get a contract in place with Katja Schumann. In the performance's first part she presents one of her splendid American saddlebreds and in the second part two saddlebreds. The two horse acts is perfect for the ring in the small circus and are presented with the talent and the elegance that has always been the Schumann family's trademark.

After another run-in with Gulio the audience as last number before the break met the Hungarian rola-bola artist Antal Veres.

Antal Veres

The first number after the interval is juggling act where Antal’s son Henrik Veres worked with "bouncing balls".

After that Gulio has a funny run-in where he gets a member from the audience to help him juggle large beach balls. Then Katja Schumann comes in the ring with her second horse number which I mentioned above. A true feast for the eyes!

The next artist wasTatyana Prymanchenko in aerial rope. She was followed by a very good acrobatic act, including hand-to-hand, performed the Deleuran Brothers.

The brothers Daniel and Andrew Deleuran.

Gulio then came in the ring and made with help from the audience his own 4 piece band.

The performance's last act was Veres family with illusions which also featured some new thinking: a box was pierced with colorful umbrellas instead of the usual swords or lances, and what you think will end up being the usual substitution trunk gets another end when the box is taken up in the air and turns out to be empty.

Click here to see more photos from the performance.

Cirkus Mascot closed the season on 25 September in Breum.

The small CIRKUS KRONE had as the last of the Danish circuses season opening on 13 April in Tørring. The owner Irene Thierry and her spouse Jan Allan were probably very happy for the late start which spared them for the challenging weather conditions the other Danish circuses have had in March and the first week of April.

As always the performance began with everyone saying hello to the persons seating next to him and to circus owner Irene Thierry.

The first act in the performance was the young handsome and smiling Natacha Kostareva. She comes from Russia, but has got her artistic training in France and toured also in 2012 with Circus Krone. This year, the talented Natacha presented brand new entrées: In the first she was wrapped in tissue hoisted up under the big top and unwrapped herself  as an ugly duckling out of tissue and presented a fine entrée in tissue and trapeze. She ended her act by doing the splits in trapeze while she balanced a rose on her forehead.

Natacha Kostareva

Then we met the naive and poetic clown Alando (aka Jan Allan) and his mischievous ponies in a funny and charming entrée. Alando was followed by the magician Hans Ulrik (Hans Ulrik Jensen), who used a soap bubble to balance with and later conjured up pigeons that was placed in a cage which in the end of the act finally disappeared into thin air. An elegant number with Denmark's best pigeon magician.

Then Natacha was back, this time with a juggler entrée which also contained balance, handstand and the foot juggling. Well done!

After Natacha’s act Alando walked around with a feather duster and dusted members of the audience of. Irene, now wearing a clown dress, asked to see his ticket and explained what happened to a spectator without a ticket. Alando then borrowed a ticket from a spectator and told of course Irene who now had no ticket! After Alando had entered the ring he and Irene ended the entrée playing xylophone.

Two Thierry's - Irene Thierry and Jan 'Alando' Allan

The first act after the interval was a wheel of death with Mr. Ferenczy. Wheel of death are usually only seen in large circuses. Although the artist was not in line with king of wheel of deaths Crazy Wilson Ferenczy did what belongs to a classic wheel of death act: first he walks inside the wheel and then on the outside perimeter, also blindfolded. The formidable leaps that sometimes are seen done on the outside perimeter of the death wheel was not possible in a small tent as Circus Krone.

Mr. Ferenczy

A tradition in Circus Krone is an entrée with Alando and a 'dangerous' animal. This year Alando entered the ring with a small sea lion doll and asked it to do tricks. Later he met the dangerous penguin. It was the young Theis, who made his debut as a penguin. Last time Circus Krone presented the penguin entrée Irene Thierry was inside the penguin.

The young Miss Luca from Hungary then presented an original hula hoop act. The original in the act is that Miss Luca presents her skills hanging in an aerial ring and not standing on the ground as other hula hoop artists. It was a fine variation of such a number and presented with charm and elegance.

Miss Luca.

Last act in the program was an illusion  where Natacha climbed into a box which the illusionist Hans Ulrik then fold up and collapses and pierces with illuminated bars so that everyone can see that there is absolutely no places where Natacha can be hidden. Eventually he conjures her up again. An excellent version of a classic magic trick.

Click here to see more photos from the opening performance.

Circus Krone closed the season on 14 September in Aale.

Years back you could see artistes in many amusement parks. But unfortunately this is history. Since 1996 there has every year been a week with clown performances at the amusement park Bakken north of Copenhagen. However in 2013 Bakken unfortunately decided to skip these performances, and there are no immediate signs that the they will resume.

From 29 April to mid-September SOREN OSTERGAARD ​​visited a number of cities with its ZIRKUS NEMO. Soren Ostergaard is a popular Danish actor and comedian Soren Ostergaard and Zirkus Nemo is a combination of a comedy show (spoken language Danish) and artist performance. Most Danes loves Soren Ostergaard but foreigners will hardly be able to understand him or his typically Danish jokes.

In addition Søren Østergaard with his zany humor the audience meet the actress Patricia Schumann from the famous circus family of the same name, the Chinese acrobats

Duo Yingling, the Spanish juggler Picasso Jr., the German aerialists Die Sorellas and the elegant Finnish magician Marko Karvo.

From 2 November to 13 December, audiences in different theatres could meet ZIRKUS NEMOS CHRISTMAS GALA, which featured the actors Soren Ostergaard and Sos Egelind as well as a few artists including clown and knockabout acrobat Val de Fun.

A single foreign circus tried its luck on the island of Bornholm. It was the Gärtner family’s tiny circus which under the name CIRCUS FILUR from 30 June to 25 August put up their tent at the parking lot for the amusement park Joboland. The key person In the performance was Mike Gärtner. He presented sea lions in Circus Arena’s Circus in Water - performance in 2011. Apart from his sea lions Circus Filur probably also presented ponies and exotic animals (camel, zebra, llama, etc.). Ottila Debi presented his dogs and Carla Jenkins did aerial acrobatics. The clown was named Zoleti. Additionally there was an unnamed juggler and a "slinky ". The information about performers must be treated with some caution, since I did not see she show or know anyone who has visited it.

During the school children’s autumn holidays CIRCUS MASCOT performed at Bytorv Horsens (a shopping mall). BENNY SCHUMANN’S MINI CIRCUS was in Glostrup Shopping Centre. CIRCUS ARENA produced a performance for the Kolding Shopping Mall and CIRCUS KRONE was sponsored by Dronninglund savings bank on a tour to several cities in Northern part of Jutland.  CHARLIE AND BINALTO from Circus 3 had performances in Frederiksberg Shopping Centre in Copenhagen and the CIRCUS THEATRE has performances in Marielyst.

Obituaries

Frank Harston Meyer passed following a heart attack away the night between 24 and 25. He was 68 year old. As son of the Danish artist couple Alfred and Viola Harston Meyer he was so to speak, born into a life as artist. His parents were springboard artists and members of the Harston troupe whose combined springboard and antipode act had great success worldwide. Frank joined the troupe and with his father and his brother Bill he developed furthermore an excellent comic act: Mac Willams - Scottish comic acrobats. Many have described their entrée as the best comic drunken man act which ever has been shown. The act was for many years a top attraction at music halls, etc. worldwide.

The dean of Nordic circus historians Anders Enevig passed away in his home in Odense on 26 October. He was 90 years old. Anders Enevig has written a number of excellent books about circus and circus families. Many non-Danes knows and are very fond of his book Circus Posters from 2001 with full colour prints of posters by Oscar Knudsen and Erik Stockmarr and with summary in English, German, French and Spanish.  Also of interest for persons without knowledge to the Danish language is his book Cirkus- og gøglerslægter (2. edition published in 2011) with genealogical tables for 38 circus and market performer families, many of them with roots in Germany. This book has a “deutches vorwort”.

The circus year in review is an annual review published on this website by the end of each year. You can find link to the previous year's reviews at the bottom of the circus news page.

25 December 2013

Updated. Circus Dannebrog’s 2014 performance will be called Dynamic Youth! In the program 'The Good Old Days' from 2013 Circus Dannebrog presented a classic show with modern elements. For season 2014 they have chosen to present a modern show with classic elements. 'Dynamic Youth' is Circus Dannebrog suggestion for how classical circus will be in the future.

In the performance you will meet the 17 -year-old diabolo artist Michaël Betrian from Holland. He has won several international awards for his act including the first prize in the age category 10 to 17 years at the European Youth Festival in Wiesbaden in 2012 and silver at Festiwal Talentów in Poland. In February 2014 Michaël will participate in the “New Generation” circus festival in Monte Carlo. In week 8 this year he performed at the winter circus which Isabella Enoch produced for Slaraffenland in Odense, Denmark. Apart from this short visit will the season with Circus Dannebrog will be the young superstar’s first visit to Scandinavia.

Troupe Bingo from Ukraine presents a mixture of many different circus disciplines that are put together into one big act. Bingo Circus Theatre, as they call themselves has a total of 25 members in the age from 17 to 35 years. When they are on tour that it is usually only a part of the troupe you will meet. The troupe got a bronze clown at the Circus Festival in Monte Carlo in 2003. In 2012 received the jury’s special prize. In addition to performing as member of the troupe you will meet one of the members Yana Usychenko with a hula hoop act. Click here to see a video clip from Troupe Bingo's performances in Monte Carlo in January 2012.

The horses in Circus Dannebrog’s performance will as previous years be presented by Bernhard Kasselowsky. Bernhard will present new horse act with Arabian horses. Of course you will also meet his elephant Ramboline. As something new Bernhard will in 2014 also present cows. Even cows with an impressive circus careers. They were namely presented by the world- famous clown Bello Nock at the 35th International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo in 2011.

Bernhard Kasselowsky with 5 white Arabian horses. Photo from Circus Dannebrog 2013

Pablo and Vicky Garcia present the thrilling act with a rocket which many Danes remember from Circus Dannebrog 2008 and Circus Arena in 2001. In 2009, they were awarded a bronze clown for their act at the International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo. It will be the second consecutive year the couple is in Denmark: In season 2013 they toured with Circus Benneweis presenting their comedy aerial act, the prop being an old-tyme airplane.

The couple's 12 year old son Antonio Garcia is also among the performers in Circus Dannebrog in 2014 with his handstand act. "Do not be misled by his young age, as we guarantee you that his handstand already at a very high level," Circus Dannebrog promises and predict him a great career.

Garcia’s and their rocket. Photo from Swedish Circus Maximum in 2010

Said and brothers Karim and Soffien present a fast-paced and modern juggling entrée with balls, rings and clubs.

The clown in this year’s performance is named Mimi. He comes from France and is quite another type of clown than the poetic Pieric who we met in Circus Dannebrog in 2013. After opening his own circus school in Paris Mimi has had a break from the circus, but he has now signed a contract for a season with Circus Dannebrog. He has previously worked for Circus Knie in Switzerland, Cirque d' hiver in Paris and Circus Flic Flac in Germany.

Finally Circus Dannebrog will in 2014 feature the Messoudi - acrobats: a father with three young sons. The Danes remember them from Circus Dannebrog 2008 and the Swedes from Circus Maximum 2010. Since then the act has become even better. They are among the participants at the Circus Festival in Budapest in January.

The 4 Messoudi which the Danes can look forward to meet in Circus Dannebrog in 2014. Here photographed in October this year in the Finnish Circus Finlandia.

Tino Aeby will once again be bandmaster. His 7 -piece orchestra is the largest circus band in Denmark. In Circus Arena there are 4 persons in the band and in Circus Benneweis 6 persons.

22 December 2013

Circus Maximum 2014. Showtic has now published the program for the upcoming season in the Swedish Circus Maximum. Showtic writes (my translation):

The Production 2014 is called "Starlight on Circus" and offers a mass array of award-winning artists and beautiful animals. You will notably see tight wire dancer Zhang Fan, winner of the Gold Clown at the Circus Festival in Monte Carlo. An astonishing quick change act by Duo Monastyrski. Direct from Cuba come four charismatic guys who perform triple somersaults on their Russian bar. Juan Gutierrez with his colorful parrots which also are flying back and forth in the tent. The Englishman Patric Harrisson with his outrageous dog act Hot Dogs. Our own animal trainer Anton Frank with beautiful Frisian stallions and exotic animals. The teeterboard troupe Alexander Troupe and the charming clowns Duo Bobylev with new run-ins.

Anton Frank, who presents exotic animals and horses, has for several years been chief animal trainer at Circus Maximum. I have not been able to figure out if he as in previous seasons also will presents elephants or if Circus Maximum in season 2014 as Swedish Circus Scott have done opt to have elephants in the show.

Pat Clarrison and his hot dogs toured with Danish Circus Benneweis in 2013. In 2010, he appeared under the name Pat Harrisson in the Swedish Circus Brazil Jack. At his birth certificate is written Patrick Harrison, and he has taken over the act from his father Pete Harrison. Patrick is half-brother to the sea lion trainer Ingo Stiebner.

Pat Clarrison and his 4 hot dogs Max, Louie, Roxy and Vinny participated in the Circus Festival in Monte Carlo in January 2013. The act was awarded the Prix Special to Blackpool Tower Circus. In 2014 you can see the act in the Circus Maximum. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

Juan Gutierrez and his parrots were in season 2013 with the large Norwegian Circus Merano. Also the Alexander Troupe was in 2013 in Merano.

Mambo Five comes from Cuba and present a Russian bar act.

Zhang Fan from China work on slack wire. His act is somewhat similar to the act which his compatriot Cong Tian presented in Circus Benneweis in 2010. A member of Beijing's China Acrobatic Troupe, Zhang Fan was the prodigy of slack wire acrobatics. He won his first Gold award at the Acrobatic Festival of Wuhan, in China, in 2000, and another Gold award at the International Circus Festival of Budapest, Hungary, in 2001. As member of Beijing’s China Acrobatic Troupe Zhang Fan was awarded a gold clown in Monte Carlo. He then improved on his already exceptional act with a revolving apparatus; this new version of his remarkable display of unparalleled skills won him a Gold Medal at Paris's Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in 2003. In 2004, he was featured with Circus Knie in Switzerland. Later he spent two years in North America, where he was featured in Cirque du Soleil's Ovo with an amazing ascensional slack-wire act. After a tour in the Netherlands with Stardust International, he returned to Circus Knie in 2011. In 2012, he toured with the Big Apple Circus in the United States. Click here to see a video clip from his act in the Big Apple Circus.

Duo Monastyrsky with their quick change act could be seen at the Open air Stage in Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens in 2002.

The Bobylev clowns were also with Circus Maximum in 2013. The Danes know them from Circus Benneweis 2007 and 2009.

Bobylevs. Photo from this year's performance in Circus Maximum. Photo:Tobias Schött

21 December 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  now: THEATRE DU GYMNASE MARIE BELL proudly presents an outstanding show, quite surrealistic, COMEDY MAJIK CHO --by and with ARTURO BRACHETTI as leading and clearly shining star - surrounded and backed up by: LUCA AND TINO, comedy magic,  DARCY OAKE, big illusions and spectacular escape from strait-jacket, hanging from the ceiling tied to a burning rope,  -- THEO DARI, laser show,  -- LUCA BONO, master of dove magic, everything perfect in a modern stage setting,  -- VINCENT C., comedy magic, -- ALAIN CHOQUETTE, mental magic with cards, entirely original.

ARTURO BRACHETTI is an all-round artist - master of quick-change, magic entertainer, actor, creator and director - he combines all this to get a show that is hilarious, interesting and original, 90 min.

Arturo Brachetti 

Theatre du Gymnase is an old theatre, beautiful and rich in traditions, providing a perfect frame for this unique performance. Absolutely worth seeing!!

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS!!!

See more: Google at "arturo brachetti" - there are lots of interesting info.

Venue: Theatre du Gymnase, 38 Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, 75010 Paris.

Metro: Bonne Nouvelle.

--------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

20 December 2013

Circus Dannebrog’s 2014 performance will be called Dynamic Youth! In the program 'The Good Old Days' from 2013 Circus Dannebrog presented a classic show with modern elements. For season 2014 they have chosen to present a modern show with classic elements. 'Dynamic Youth' is Circus Dannebrog suggestion for how classical circus will be in the future.

In the performance you will meet the 17 -year-old diabolo artist Michaël Betrian from Holland. He has won several international awards for his act including the first prize in the age category 10 to 17 years at the European Youth Festival in Wiesbaden in 2012 and silver at Festiwal Talentów in Poland. In February 2014 Michaël will participate in the “New Generation” circus festival in Monte Carlo. In week 8 this year he performed at the winter circus which Isabella Enoch produced for Slaraffenland in Odense, Denmark. Apart from this short visit will the season with Circus Dannebrog will be the young superstars first visit to Scandinavia.

Troupe Bingo from Ukraine presents a mixture of many different circus disciplines that are put together into one big act. Bingo Circus Theatre, as they call themselves has a total of 25 members in the age from 17 to 35 years. When they are on tour that it is usually only a part of the troupe you will meet. The troupe got a bronze clown at the Circus Festival in Monte Carlo in 2003. In 2012 received the jury’s special prize. In addition to performing as member of the troupe you will meet one of the members Yana Usychenko with a hula hoop act. Click here to see a video clip from Troupe Bingo's performances in Monte Carlo in January 2012.

The horses in Circus Dannebrog’s performance will as previous years be presented by Bernhard Kasselowsky. Bernhard will present new horse act with Arabian horses. Of course you will also meet his elephant Ramboline. As something new Bernhard will in 2014 also present cows. Even cows with an impressive circus careers. They were namely presented by the world- famous clown Bello Nock at the 35th International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo in 2011.

Bernhard Kasselowsky with 5 white Arabian horses. Photo from Circus Dannebrog 2013

Pablo and Vicky Garcia present the thrilling act with a rocket which many Danes remember from Circus Dannebrog 2008 and Circus Arena in 2001. In 2009, they were awarded a bronze clown for their act at the International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo. It will be the second consecutive year the couple is in Denmark: In season 2013 they toured with Circus Benneweis presenting their comedy aerial act, the prop being an old-tyme airplane.

The couple's 12 year old son Antonio Garcia is also among the performers in Circus Dannebrog in 2014 with his handstand act. "Do not be misled by his young age, as we guarantee you that his handstand already at a very high level," Circus Dannebrog promises and predict him a great career.

Garcia’s and their rocket. Photo from Swedish Circus Maximum in 2010

The names of a few more artists in Dannebrog 2014 performance will be released in the days leading up to Christmas. Thus the list of performers above will be updated when this page is updated the next time (28 December).

14 December 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS -- interesting shows:

THEATRE LE MOUCHOIR DE POCHE /meaning "hanky", referring to the small space of this theatre, seating about 20 persons/ proudly presents CLOSE UP MAGIC SHOW by and with magical entertainer CHOU MING FU.

I attended a CLOSE UP SHOW, very nicely and accurately featured, where the artist performed magical effects, illustrating and explaining his experiences during a journey to China. One example: he featured the effect "Torn and restored newspaper" in a very entertaining way -- bravo!!

CHOU MING FU performs a stage show as well, using classic Chinese decorations and costumes, the plot is based on the search for the magic umbrella, an effect that is a classic, thus immortal.

Chou Ming Fu

The point of interest is, as I see it, that the audience, at various occasions, witness on the one hand CLOSE UP MAGIC, on the other hand an elegant and original STAGE MAGIC PROGRAM -- and all of it is ----  LIVE !!!

THEATRE LE MOUCHOIR DE POCHE, in spite of its small size, sports an appealing interior -

in red and black, as well as adequate lightning and a good PA-system.

Well worth seeing!!

See more: www.chou-ming-fu.com

Venue: Theatre LE MOUCHOIR DE POCHE, 26 rue Jean Moinon, 75010  Paris.  Metro: Goncourt.

There is lots of cafés which have added a small theatre where they feature various shows, often the venue is quite small, about 30 seats, and the entrance fee is rather affordable.

This makes it possible for young artists to challenge their luck, seeing if the audience like their performance - or not. Often there are family shows - also by established artists, this makes it possible for families living in the not-so-good areas -------- to see and enjoy good shows.

I saw THEATRE POULAIRE DU REINITAS, featuring magic entertainer DENIS-PIERRE, performing a nice and entertaining program geared to children and their parents.

The point of interest may be that this small theatre is located in an old area where tourists never find their way and where nothing much has changed for decades. The audience was enthusiastic and applauded wildly - can we ask for more??

Venue: Café Theatre Reinitas, 36 rue Henri Chevreau, 775020  Paris, Metro: Menilmontant.

FAMILY SEMIANYKI -- performs at the theatre LE PALACE, a wonderful old theatre where many great revues were presented, and the interior decoration respecting traditional style - is well worth appreciating!

The Family SEMIANYKI, who might well be somewhat compared to the Adams Family, features a comic show, the plot is all about what the members do: hilarious stunts and very visual jokes. The style is inspired by the Russian clown-troupe LICEDEI, as well as by the Russian clown SLAVA POLUNIN, we remember his SNOWSTORM! This doesn't really bear any resemblance to what traditional circus-clowns do.

Members of the Semianyki family

Background: The dictatorial Soviet forced all artists to respect the ideology of the party, the traditional jokes about mothers-in-law etc., performed by the circus-clowns, were outlawed as bourgeois, one had then to find other issues. The art of circus was otherwise supported by the party, being the only art that could not be a threat to the official party line.

THE SEMIANYKI-troupe features a splendid 90 minutes' performance: original, colorful and including a spectacular and totally unexpected GRAND FINALE!!! This will be your surprise....

See more: www.semianyki.com

Venue: Le Palace, 8 rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 75009 Paris.  Metro: Grands Boulevards.

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS!!! 

------------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

13 December 2013

Jacki Steckel turns 60 years 18 December. On Wednesday 18 December the artist, daily circus manager and former circus owner Jacki Steckel can celebrate his 60^th year’s birthday. Jacki Steckel was born in Hedehusene, Denmark. His parents were the circus owner Frederik Schmidt, better known as the clown Gugele, and his wife Dina. Until 1952 Frederik Schmidt ran Circus Schmidt Brothers together with his brother Arnold. In 1953, Frederik helped Arnold with start of the season. But after that he, Mrs. Dina and their 4 children went to Norway, where they performed in Circus Empress in 1953, 1954 and 1955. After the engagement in Norway Frederik Schmidt continued for many years with his clown act Gugele & Co., assisted by Mrs. Dina and the children Randi, Freddi, Jacki and Heidi.

Jacki Steckel

The four siblings did also their own acts, e.g. using the name 4 Steckels. They did a great act which ended up with each of the boys climbing up at a high ladder balancing a sister head to head. Without a safety lounge! Many who remember the number describes it as better than the today so popular and silver clown awarded Azzario Sisters. The premiere of the act was in Germany on 10 October 1968. The last time the 4 siblings did the act was 31 December 1979 in Lille France.

Jacki then continued his career as artist for some years. In 1983 he started together with his wife Ulla, daughter of Danish magician Spinoza, a circus in Finland, Sirkus Stella Nova. Opening day was 22 April in Loimaa, Finland. Sirkus Stella Nova was a nice, medium-sized business and it did for many years fair business. In the early 1990s an economic crisis hit Finland and the number of spectators fell. For that reason Jacki and Ulla decided in 1993 to take their circus to Denmark. However, also Denmark has economic crisis and they had a few months later to close Sirkus Stella Nova.

Today both Jacki Steckel as his wife work for Benny Berdino of Circus Arena. In the recent seasons Jacki has been daily manager for the Swedish Circus Skratt whose performances are produced by the Berdino family who also supplies tent and other equipment.

13 December 2013

Circus Dannebrog 2014. In the days leading up to Christmas, you can at Circus Dannebrog’s Facebook page every day find information about one of the acts you can see in their 2014 performance. I can reveal that it will be a great program. I have promised the Enoch family not to present the program at this website until they have published it on Facebook. If you not are on Facebook, you can soon read about the program on this website.

It is possible to order Cirkus Dannebrog's CD from 2013 with live music from the show. The price including shipping is 20 Euro. If you want to buy the CD then write an email with you name, address and the number of CD's you wish to order to katja@cirkusdannebrog.dk

Thereafter you should transfer 20 Euro to bank account number 3279003802, reg. number 1551, Swift code DABADKKK, IBAN DK1630003279003802. In the field 'message for receiver', write your name (important that it matches the name you send in the email).

Once Circus Dannebrog has received the money they will send you the CD.

Circus Dannebrog has released a CD with live recordings of the music from this year's show. The photo shows bandmaster Tino Aeby with the CD. Above how you can see how to order the CD

8 December 2013

On 7 December, customers in West Zealand Shopping Centre in Slagelse could meet Circus Christmas Fun (in Danish “Cirkus Nissesjov”). In the show which was produced by Circus Baldoni you met Daniel Dim and his girlfriend Cindy and the artist couple Katarina Markevich and Anton Tarbeev and their son. All photos are shot by Rikke Threms.

Daniel with the Christmas pig Anton Antonius (a ventriloquist’s doll)

Katarina Markevich and Anton Tarbeev in their diabolo entrée

8 December 2013

New theatre performance starring Suzanne Berdino at Stockholm’s Orion Theatre. The Danish equestrienne and horse trainer Suzanne Berdino has in recent years had great success in several performances at the Orion Theatre in Stockholm. In March, she will be starring in a new performance Venus. This time together with her triplets Charmaine, Oliver, and Stephanie Berdino.

There will be premiere on 15 March 2014. The performance is directed by Lars Rudolfsson. Venus tells two fabulous stories from 1761 when the Swedish King Gustav III was young and the planet Venus passed between Earth and the Sun. The performance is “Total Theatre” with horses, trained dogs, dance and acrobatic sensations.

Several of the performers are deaf-mute trainees from Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts special line for sign language.

7 December 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS. As earlier mentioned you can in the winter months and especially at Christmas time see a number of excellent circus performances in Paris. On this website you have previously been able to read about the performances in Le Cirque National Alexis Grüss, Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione, Cirque Pinder and Le Cirque de Noel (Christiane Bouglione). This week my Paris correspondent Zarro Zarro writes about two other wonderful circus performances.

CIRQUE ARLETTE GRUSS proudly presents an outstanding program under the BIG TOP - beautifully decorated in bright and tasteful colors, including an elegant lighting.

The ten-piece circus band, 10 musicians from Moldavia, directed by maestro SERGEI IURCO accompanies the splendid program:

Charivari - ZOLA TROUP performing acrobatic stunts, KEVIN GRUSS with his Cyr-wheel - JOHN VERNUCCIO presenting his exotic animals and four Indian elephants - Clowns TOM AND PEPE, hilarious and poetical as well - juggling tableaux by ZDENEK AND FRIENDS - LAURA-MARIA GRUSS presenting her beautiful horses - FLYING REGIO excelling in flying trapeze - HUBERTUS in several entrées using pyro-effects and fire - TOM DIECK in a sympathetic act with his lions and tigres - NICOL NICOLS, salto on tight wire - DUO SERJO, masters of hand-to-hand acrobatic stunts - and we were treated to a number of hilarious surprises along the program.

Nicol Nicols. Photo from Danish Circus Dannebrog 2007

Points of interest: an outstanding atmosphere in the BIG TOP, a setting giving priority to poetry, original and seldom displayed acts, beautiful animals, obviously well cared for and having lots of space in the stable, also a technical news: a circle-sized element appearing from under the ring.

GILBERT GRUSS can be proud of this circus production - and I am sure that he is!!!

Collage from the press kit from Cirque Arlette Gruss

Venue: Pelouse de Reuilly, 75012 Paris.  Metro: Porte Dorée.

The great circus family BOUGLIONE features another X-mas circus, in NANTERRE, a suburb near Paris, THE BIG TOP is mounted in Parc André Malraux, a beautiful and well organized leisure and recreative area.

Maestro VINCENT GUIBERT and his circus band accompany the entire program, giving it an extra lift, it is presented by ARTA SOSNOWSKI DANETTO.

THE SAMBA DANCERS, strikes the tune in an elegant way, the program is created in the style of the Rio-carnival:

MAREK JAMA performs with his beautiful and clever animals - horses, camels, lamas and donkeys - it was stunning to see even a Scottish bull, 2 watutsi-buffaloes and - a kangaroo !  -- all in perfect tune with Marek !

Marek Jama with 6 beautifuld Frisian horses. Photo from Circus Charles Knie 2012

IVES AND AMBRA in tissues, high up under the cupola, spiced up with tango and pas de deux.

COSTIN BELLU, hilariously funny acrobatic stunts on trampoline.

LARS HOLSHER and his two performing elephants, one Indian, one African, impressive !

During this first part, clown JIMMY FOLCO treated us to many original and funny sketches, also during act II - lots of laughter.

PAT CLARRISON featuring his HOT DOGS, at a brisk pace and very appealing.

IVES NICKOLS, tempo juggler at an incredible pace, he mastered  boomerangs , as well.

BATUCADA CAPOEIRA - from South America.

LA TROUPE ALEXANDER, breathtaking acrobatics on springboard.

A high class program - absolutely worth seeing !

Venue: Nanterre, Parc André Malraux, RER-local train from Metro Etoile CDG, 2 stops, off Nanterre Prefecture.

Lars Hölscher and his elephants. Photo from Circus Benneweis 2012. The elephant to the left is Sonia which is an African elephant with its big ears and tusks. The front elephant with Lars on its back is the indian elephant Vana Mana. Vana Mana will in near future get her debut as a movie star: She is the elephant in the film version of the Swedish author Jonas Jonason's funny and heartwarming best-selling novel  'The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared'.

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS !!!

------------------------------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

5 December 2013

Zirkus Nemo 2014. The Danish actor and comedian Soren Ostergaard’s Zirkus Nemo is a combination of a comedy show and a circus. The main character is Soren Ostergaard himself with his crazy humour. In addition he has always some good artists in his show.

Season 2014 will begin in Horsens on 30 April and end on 13 September in Odense. During the season Zirkus Nemo will visit Horsens, Viborg, Randers, Aalborg, Aarhus, Esbjerg, Svendborg, Nykoebing S., Copenhagen and Odense.

One of the artists in the 2014 program will be the incredible rubber man Captain Frodo.

As son of the Norwegian magician The Great Santini 's Captain Frodo was born into the circus world. He has presented his contortion act all over the world and is after the season with Zirkus Nemo booked for at a large-scale show in Las Vegas. Possessed of an utterly beguiling charm, and famed the world over for bending, contorting and manipulating his body into shapes that are as astonishing as they are unnatural, Frodo is one of a kind. After seeing him you will never look at a tennis racquet, much less a baked-bean tin, the same way again.

Captain Frodo. Press photo from Zirkus Nemo

In 2010 Captain Frodo was part of the London cult show La Clique and toured with them in a number of countries, including Denmark and Sweden.

In addition to the Norwegian rubber man whose style fits perfectly with Soren Ostergaard’s crazy humour there will be sea lions in the show. A guess could be that it will be Ingo Stiebner's sea lions which were with Zirkus Nemo in 2012. New Danish rules on the size of sea lions pool make it from 1 January 2014 problematic to have sea lion on tour especially for circus with many day one day cities. The problems are less when you as Zirkus Nemo spend several days in each city.

Background info: The new rules requires that in every city, including one-day cities, the sea lions must 2 hours after arrival have access to a covered pool with a water volume of 50 cubic meters and a minimum depth of 1.2 metres. In some cities it is impossible for the water pipes to provide so much water in 2 hours. And the price to be paid for the water could be as high as high as 260 Euro.

5 December 2013

Kim Kenneth to Winter Circus Roermond | Cirque D' hiver Roermond in the Netherlands. The Danish world class magician Kim Kenneth and his partner and girlfriend Jessica will spend the Christmas holidays in the Netherlands where they perform in the Christmas circus in Roermond. The city of Roermond is located in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, close to the German border.

It is 31th year in row there is Christmas circus in Roermond. There are two performances every day from 25 to 30 December. "We shall make two different illusions acts each lasting 8 minutes each + one magic run in + plus participate in the grand finale with the big cage where we conjure up most of the other artists. So we won’t get time to bore us," Kim writes. He adds that the theatre where Christmas circus takes place is in the same building as a hotel which has booked him to make 3 shows separate for them in the evenings on 25, 26 and 31 December. So he will really be The Dane in the fast Lane! Together with him to Holland he brings besides Jessica the assistants Hannah from England and Anais from Spain.

Kim Kenneth running through the cabinet with the chained Jessica. Photo from this year’s performance in the Swedish Circus Brazil Jack.

2 December 2013

Monte Carlo 2014. The complete list of participants at the upcoming Circus Festival in Monte Carlo is now published:

Hans Klok - illusionist from Holland

The Faltyny family with their bike act and their juggling entrée. The Danish audience met them in Circus Dannebrog in 2005

Faltyny family. Photo from Circus Dannebrog 2005

Troupe Dobrovskiy – aerial act

Duo Have a Ball - jugglers

David Burlet - plate spinning juggler. He is currently performing in Scott's Christmas Circus in Stockholm

Rosi Hochegger - the dancing dogs and the act with her “Bettpferd” Scout. In season 2013 Rosi toured with the Swedish Circus Maximum. She has in previous seasons been with the Swedish Circus Brazil Jack. She has also spent 3 seasons in Denmark: two seasons in Circus Benneweis and a single season in Circus Arena.

Rosi Hochegger and the laughing horse Scout. Photo from Circus Benneweis 2009

Conchi Munoz & Gary Jahn - sea lions. They appear for the moment in Cirque Pinder in Paris. My correspondent Zarro Zarro described the number as follows: ”three sea-lions which seem to enjoy performing as much as the audience like to watch them!"

Trio Angelo Munoz - clowns

Kolganov & Belogorlov - clowns

Flight of desire (Valeriy Sychev and Malvina Abakarova) - aerial straps

Duo Kvas - equilibrists

Vinicio Togni with 30 horses from the Italian Cirque Lidia Togni

Troupe Vavilov - 3 acrobats on a swinging platform (a sort of giant swing)

Sasha - contortion

Troupe Acrocbatique de Wuhan - trampoline and Risley act

Tom Dieck Jr. - mixed act. The 30-year old Tom Dieck Jr. is 4th generation from a German circus family. In Monte Carlo 2014 he presents an act with lions and tigers and two ligers (a cross between a lion and tiger). He was awarded a bronze clown in Monte Carlo in 2007 for his big cat acts with lions.

Tom Dieck Jr. with lions and tigers. Photo shot in the Dutch Circus Herman Renz. By courtesy of Tom Dieck Jr. See more about Tom Dieck Jr. at www.tom-dieck-jr.de

Anastasia Makeeva - tissue with cloud swing.

Gärtner family with five elephants. The Gärtner family is a large family and it is not known which line of the family it is all about. It can be Joy Gärtner who among other elephants owns the old Benneweis elephant Thai, which now is 47 years old.

Daring Jones Duo - trapeze

Liza Katchatryan – tight wire act (perhaps high wire)

Troupe acrobatiques de Suining - equilibrists

Troupe Sokolov - springboard

1 December 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS -- LE CIRQUE DE NOEL /CHRISTMAS CIRCUS/, direction CHRISTIANE BOUGLIONE, proudly performs on one of the many circus lots in Paris, viz. in Bois de Boulogne.

There is always space enough for circus in Paris, the city has the device PARIS AIME LE CIRQUE/PARIS LOVES CIRCUS/.

An excellent program, geared at the smaller fry, 4 - 8 years old, who arrive in buses from the suburbs of Paris, tickets are sold well in advance, the BIG TOP is full which means an excellent atmosphere and certainly, for many children, a first contact with a live performance  and thus a wonderful experience.

A classic circus program: acrobatic stunts by 2 girls on pedestal, a male acrobat displaying his skill with straps, a beautiful chorus  girl featuring hula-hoop, the STRONG MAN , dressed as a Roman  gladiator bends metal rods, has a stone plate crushed on his breast and engages in a tug-of-war against 8 men from the audience - guess who wins ....??

Furthermore the SAABEL family featuring their sympathetic act with husky-dogs and later high school riding, mounted on beautiful horses.

A very good clown had several hilarious entrées: among others the sketch with the 4 chairs and a magic sketch presenting the Substitution Trunk and the audience were screaming with joy!!I Impossible to get hold of the artists' names - but every act was well worth seeing!!

See more: http://www.lecirquedenoel-paris.com/

Venue: Bois de Boulogne, Metro: La Muette, then a 20 minutes' walk.

LE MARCHE DE NOEL /  CHRISTMAS MARKET  -- an enormous marketplace, 180 stalls,  where you can buy ... EVERYTHING ... - it extends from Place de la Concorde half-way up Les Champs Elysées, called  "the most beautiful avenue in the world" -- 

Also this year, the German artist-family DIE TRABER, specialty high wire acrobatics, are booked to personify FATHER CHRISTMAS - he travels in his sledge, pulled  by two reindeer - 20 meters high up in the air between two towers. This gives an excellent atmosphere, X-mas music is played and so are recorded Christmas greetings to all. The sledge can be turned around below the supporting wire and thus travel back to the starting point -- spectacular!!!

From 30 NOV, at 18:00, 18:30, 19:30, 20:00, last day is 24 DEC.

The Traber family’s sleigh. By courtesy of the Traber Family

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS!!!

----------------------------------------------  reported by  ZARRO ZARRO.

26 November 2013

Baldoni 's Christmas Circus 2013. Circus Nissesjov is produced by René and Thessa Mönster from Circus Baldoni. From mid-November to 20 December Circus Nissejov’s two units has sold performances for institutions, companies etc. As in previous years the artists from the two units are the last weekend in November brought together and form Baldoni 's Christmas Circus in in the old Fencing Hall at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen.

There was one performance on Saturday 23 November and two performances Sunday 24th November. There was sold out for all three performances proving that Baldoni 's Christmas Circus in the Fencing Hall has become a beloved tradition.

Both children and their parents/grandparents enjoyed this year's show. "Our Christmas Circus concept is not mainly based on artistic quality but on pure Christmas cheer and Christmas spirit," René Mönster modestly says. And it is true that there are plenty of Christmas spirits in the performance. But Thessa and René Mönster can also be satisfied with the quality of their artists.

The show started with a snotty Pixie Line (Cindy Binau Nielsen) entering the ring and suggesting to cancel the performance due to her cold. And the situation does not become better when Santa Claus (René Mönster) had to leave in order to repair the machines in a toy factory. Fortunately Santa Claus could make a magic potion which immediately cured Pixie Lines cold.  

Cured for the terrible cold Pixie Line could present the program with some "help" from her brother the pixie Nis (Daniel Dim). Nis was again using Anton Antonius Christmas Pig (a ventriloquist’s doll) as assistant.

Nis and Anton Antonius Christmas Pig

In the rest of the show we met a lot of other Christmas pixies: The juggling pixies Veselka and Nadyalko with meteor juggling. The Pixie Girl Clementine (Helene Ramer) did acrobatics with hula -hoop rings. The tiny pixie princess Jana could also master the hula hoop rings.

The 5 year old pixie princess Jana

The foot juggling pixie Katarina Markevich juggled with first two, then three and at last four scarves. The pixies Veselka and Nadyalko did acrobatics. The climbing pixie (Helene Ramer) worked in tissue (silks).

The climbing pixie Helene Ramer

Pixie Line and Nis showed pixie televisions with "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." The juggling pixies Katarina Markevich and Anton Tarbeev did a great diabolo entrée.

Flying diabolos. Katarina Markevich and Anton Tarbeev. Click here to see more photos from the show.

The acrobat pixie Veselka did handstand . And Katarina Markevich did fine hula -hoop entrée.

"Did you enjoy the show?” Santa asked at the end of the performance. He got an enthusiastic YES as response.

My grandchildren on 5 and 9 years told me that they wanted grandfather to take them to Baldoni's Christmas Circus next year again. And course I gave them such promise.

25 November 2013

Circus Scott's Christmas Circus 2014. Anders Troedsson told me that performance in Stockholm runs as follows:

Overture

Water Meteors (Puyang Boys)

Abraham Gebre - juggler

Zuzana Vinicka - dogs

Eric Boo - clown

Laurie Vatan (solo trapeze)

Duo Manducas

Diving Hoops (Puyang Boys)

Interval

Ouverture

Laurie Vatan and partner (aerial act)

Timm Delbosq (Frisian horses)

Scott Dancers

Flash Master Lane - laser show

David Burlet - plate spinning

Eric Boo - clown

Chinese Poles (Puyang Boys)

Finale !

Unfortunately a member of the Flying Pages was injured and the troupe was not as announced with Scott’s Christmas Circus. Laurie Vatan with partner had replaced them. Toni Ferreira of Duo Manduca acted also as run-in clown and assisted circus owner Robert Bronett in presenting the artists.

After Stockholm the show will continue to Amsterdam. In Amsterdam Torres Brothers (wheel of death) will join the show. I do not know if they're coming to Stockholm for some of Circus Scott’s Christmas performances.

25 November 2013

The Danish gentleman thief couple Kenny & Joan Quinn spends the days leading up to Christmas in France. They are from 7 - 23 December part of the ice show MAGIC sur Glace in the City of Lille in the northern part of France. In addition to skating stars including the British-born ice skater Danielle Calthorpe you will in the show meet magic - related acts including Kenny and Joan's entrée . Among the other performers are Jidinis (Fredrich Schulz), known in Denmark from several seasons with Circus Benneweis and in Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens. In season 2013, he toured with the Swedish Circus Scott.

The Finnish magazine KOTIVINKKI had on 20 November an article about the Danish star performer Kenny Quinn. "Joka uskaltaa seurata Kenny Quinniä sirkusareenalle , pääsee hetkessä eroon kellostaan ​​, lompakostaan ​​, JoPa silmälaseistaan​​" the article writes. It means something like that persons coming with Kenny into the ring must be prepared to lose watch, wallet, and even eyeglasses.

25 November 2013

Stephanie Berdino to Braunschweiger Weihnachtscircus. Circus owner Benny Berdino’s granddaughter Stephanie spends her Christmas in Braunschweig , Germany, where she is from 21/12 2013 to 5/1 2014 performs in the city's Christmas Circus . She's riding high school and presenting liberty ponies coming from Circus Arena’s stables.

Stephanie Berdino. Photo from Circus Skratt 2013

Among the other performers in the show are the clown Francesco who the Danish audience knows from several seasons in Benneweis and the Swedes know from several seasons with Circus Brazil Jack, last time in 2013. The audience will also meet Duo Peris with their skating act which the Swedes saw in Circus Olympia in 2008 and the Danes in Circus Baldoni in 2009.

24 November 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  Theatre Alambic Comedie proudly presents on the one hand legitimate theatre geared to an adult audience, on the other hand a number of shows for children, many having a magical theme. Theatre Alambic Comedie is a rather small theatre, but it offers a large play-list.

Venue: Theatre Alambic Comedie, 12 rue Neuve de la Chardonnière, 75018 Paris.  Metro: Simplon.

Read more: www.alambic-comedie.com

Below you can read about three of their performances:

CIRQUE EN VACANCES /=circus artists on holiday/ a MAGIC SHOW by and with BENOIT ROSEMONT where the theme "artists on holiday" is put to good use, entertaining a family audience by means of balloon sculptures and magical effects.

The theatre ALAMBIC is a small one, but decorated in the very best of theatrical style and having a sold out show - the best atmosphere can be attained - and so it was today when I saw the show - original balloon sculptures, hilarious magical effects and a lot of sympathetic actions with the kids.

BENOIT ROSEMONT derives a lot of his success from his expressive and funny mimicry - he treats his audience in a generous way and harvests a lot of sympathy and applause.

Benoit Rosemont. Photo by courtesy of the artist

See more: www.benoitrosemont.com

CLAIRE LA MAGICIENNE - a story plot about a lady who unexpectedly finds herself in a shop where there are lots of magic things....   unexpected surprises occur!!

CLAIRE is a complete artist: dancer, magic entertainer, ventriloquist sporting a perfect technique, actrice -- she immediately gets an excellent contact with the young audience and their parents, her show is basically created on the theme "speaking dolls and puppets" where these latter perform the magic, we have the firm impression that the dolls are really alive!

Elegantly dressed, and beaming a great joy of performing, CLAIRE features her program at a brisk pace, but nevertheless so that the small kids can follow the development, the magical effects lead up to a great grande finale!!!

Claire la Magicienne. Photo by courtesy of Claire Perrine

The audience was indeed enthralled and upon leaving the theatre, after an hour's show, the kids got the opportunity to say GOOD BYE to the dolls!!

An excellent family program!!

LA MAISON MAGIQUE /THE MAGIC HOUSE/ - a magical play by and with PETER DIN, also known as lecturer for other magic entertainers /convention in Lund, university town in Southern Sweden, in 2012.

PETER DIN  is an accomplished artist: magic entertainer, ventriloquist, singer and mime -  all this makes  his one-hour-show an unforgettable one - he succeeds in reaching out to both children and parents, the latter appreciating both the effects and the children's joy  --  thus he obtains a two-fold success !

Peter Din. Photo by courtesy of the artist

PETER DIN has an excellent contact with his audience, he plays in a very lively way and he beams of pleasure to perform, also he performs the magical effects in an original way!!

Elegantly and appropriately dressed in a colorful costume, he makes good use of the stage-space and his interaction both with the small fry and their parents -- is laudable.

A delicious afternoon for the entire family -- absolutely well worth seeing!!!

THEATRE ALAMBIC COMEDIE often features magic entertainers.

My readers have seen a number of write ups on these, and so for several years.

One example is BASTIEN, performing a nice family magic show.

It seems that it is laudable and positive to promote MAGIC AS ENTERTAINMENT - geared to a general lay audience, looking for good and healthy entertainment, thus magic as well.

Bastien. Photo by courtesy of the artist

We can all convey A BIG THANK YOU to the management of THEATRE ALAMBIC COMEDIE for this cultural action and achievement, well worth sympathy.

Please read about shows by CLAIRE, PETER DIN and BENOIT ROSEMONT - in this issue.

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS !!! And this time at Theatre Alambic Comedie

-----------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

19 November 2013

Helsingborg’s Christmas Circus 2013. There is no tradition for Christmas Circuses in the Nordic countries. It is therefore exciting when someone takes the initiative to start a new Christmas circus.

It is the 19 -year-old Albin Ganovic who for some years with success has produced Cabaret Candy Club in Helsingborg, Sweden, who now try his luck with a Christmas circus. The tent is put up at Hamntorget (the harbour square) in Helsingborg, Sweden. There are performances until 15 December.

Helsingborg Christmas Circus at Hamntorget in Helsingborg. The tent is the same as Circus Schollini used during their summer tour in Sweden

The opening night on 18 November in a jam-filled and well-heated tent was a glorious circus experience. One could clearly feel that Albin and his team had the audience - children as well as adults - with them from first to last. At the premiere the performance run for almost 2 ½ hours including break. It's a bit too long and the intervals between some of the acts were a little too long. When the performance has been tightened up a bit the running time will probably be reduced to two hours.

The core team in the show is the clowns Cito (Albin Ganovic) and Gloria (Anna Dror) and the young singers and dancers from Cabaret Candy Club. Cito and Gloria are during the performance doing several well-known reprises: the 4 chair gag, “don’t play here" (which in their version is "don’t sing here"), "busy bee” and the act with many broken dishes. Cito has also a run- in where he and some children from the audience shoot with water guns, just as he dressed in women's costume is the target for the female knife throwing artist Judita Látigos. Furthermore you meet Cito and Gloria as small dolls (see photo).

Gloria, Cito and the Cabaret Candy Club dancers / singers

Cito and Gloria as dolls

The show has a story: It's about a sour and spoiled girl Ella (Linnéa Persson) who Christmas Eve in the morning gets a piece of circus toys, which she angrily throws down. As punishment she conjured into a circus world which se of course she ends up being happy with.

In addition to Cito, Gloria, Ella and the Candy Cabaret Club dancers will meet during the performance a number of good artists:

Alexander Scholl presents first 8 ponies and later in the show three llamas, four camels and four horses (two white Andalusian and two black Friesians) in liberty dressage. The liberty act begins with Nicole Noble riding high school and ends with "large and small" (a horse and a pony) which always are kids favourite. All animals were beautiful and well-kept. Alexander Scholl owns Circus Sydney which without much success has spent the last few summer seasons in Sweden. The animals are also from Circus Sydney. Alexander Scholl was together with other members of the Scholl family in Danish Circus Arena in 1996. Before Circus Sydney came to Sweden they toured for some years Ireland.

Alexander Scholl with one of Andalusian

The 14- year-old Nicole Noble who as mentioned rode rode high school did also a nice aerial act in a sort of aerial ring. Judita Látigos is something as unusual as a female whip cracker and knife thrower. Alexander Scholl’s sons Mike & Thomas did a fast-paced act in trampoline. The greatest applause got Kim (Kimberly) Lester for a great foot juggling entrée where she last juggles with five footballs. I believe that Kimberley is daughter of the clown Titto Lester who was with Circus Benneweis in Denmark in 2008.

Kimberley Lester. Click here to see more photos from the performande. (Will not be ready until 23 November in the afternoon).

Last artists in the performance were the two Mesa Brothers who the Danish circus audience earlier this year met in Circus Dannebrog.

It's Albin Ganovic himself who has put the performance on stage. He has previously set cabaret performances on stage but never before a circus. Given that it is Albin's debut he has done a nice job. But he could probably benefit from advice from experienced persons as Swedish Tino Rivero or Danish Isabella Enoch or Danish Jan Hertz. Some advice from such persons could make a good performance even better.

I hope that Helsingborg’s Christmas Circus will get many visitors and will become a tradition. I am already looking forward to their 2014 edition!

18 November 2013

Bonbon and Tiina to Kerst Circus Ahoy. The Danish / Finnish clown couple Bonbon and Tiina will spend their Christmas in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, where they are part of the traditional Christmas circus in indoor sporting arena Ahoy. It is 43th year in row there are Christmas circus in Ahoy. This year there are performances from 20 to 29 December. It is the fourth time Lasse “Bonbon” Noerager and Mrs Tiina are with Kerst Circus Ahoy. The first time was in 1997, when they did their famous badminton act. In 2005 and 2006 they did other entrées. In 2013 the Dutch can again enjoy the fantastic badminton entrée.

Bonbon and Tiina worked last time in Denmark in 2009. Since then they have been three seasons with the large Finnish Circus Finlandia. This summer they worked at Kristiansand Zoo and Amusement Park in Norway.

Bonbon and Tiina with the badminton entrée. Photo from Cirque Bouglione on Ice January 2010. Press photo from Bonbon’s website.

Among the other artists in Kerst Circus Ahoy are Erwin Kröplin - Frankello (son of Sonny Frankello and Lillian Kröplin) with elephants. The audience will also meets the musical clowns Les Rossyann who has spent several seasons with the Swedish Circus Maximum, last time in by 2010, and a single season, 2004, with Circus Arena in Denmark . Furthermore Troupe Bingo will present hand voltige. Gabi and Beverley Donnert present liberty horses. The excellent horse act has been several season with Swedish Circus Brazil Jack, last time in 2013. In 2010 they toured Denmark with Circus Dannebrog. Also the wheel of death duo Sifolinis is among the performers in Rotterdam. The Danes saw them in Circus Dannebrog in 2011.

17 November 2013

New theatre performance starring Suzanne Berdino at Stockholm’s Orion Theatre. On her website the Danish equestrienne and horse trainer Suzanne Berdino writes (my translation):

The preparations for our next show at the Orion theatre in Stockholm has started: 8 horses, 4 Friesian stallions and 2 PRE Stallions , 2 PRE geldings, 1 donkey stallion and 3 dogs must be ready on 26/1 2014 when we leave for Stockholm, Sweden.

I am especially happy because daughters Charmaine and Stephanie and my son Oliver this time will be with me this time take part in the performance. As they did some years ago in the performance CIRCUS ORION.

16 November 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS -- X-mas circus -- without X-mas circus there could be no secular Christmas festivities!! This reminds me of my adolescence in Stockholm, where Cirkus Schumann always turned up in March - even when there was half a meter of snow at Djurgården's circus building - the news media trumpeted: Cirkus Schumann has arrived - spring is here !!

So - CIRQUE PINDER has arrived - X-mas is here!!

CIRQUE PINDER respects the traditions, but is renewing the presentation and still offers the family audience all that it expects: clowns, flying trapeze, lots of animals like elephants and other exotic breeds, jugglers and acrobats, big illusions -

there is something for everyone:

Ringmaster LEO BRIERE introduces us to the wonderful world of circus.

Grand Charivari with all the artists.

SOL DE CUBA featuring beautiful stunts on Chinese pole.

GARY JAHN presents horses and exotic animals like camels, lamas, donkeys and a much applauded zebra!

STEVEN MUNOZ juggles at a brisk pace: balls, rings, Indian clubs and torches are thrown around and high up under the big top.

SOPHIE EDELSTEIN, daughter of director Gilbert Edelstein, features big and incredible illusions, with back-up from five marvellous acrobatic dancers.

Sophie Edelstein. All photos by courtesy of Cirque Pinder.

ANDRE STYKAN, an incredibly skilful equilibrist, performing stunts I never had seen.

Andre Stykan.

SABAH AND DELHI, Indian elephants presented by MICHAEL BRADY, calmly and in a sympathetic way.

After intermission: FREDERIC EDELSTEIN, son of Gilbert Edelstein, made us admire his new group of six female white lions, a nice interaction between a lion-tamer and his animals.

VALERI, a male acrobat in tissues, seldom seen.

Frederic Edelstein and his lions

JUST TO MEN are two acrobats from Ukraine, performing in straps, very estethically.

LOS MUNOZ, i.e. GARY JAHN and partner present three sea-lions which seem to enjoy performing as much as the audience like to watch them!

LOS CARDINALIS, musical clowns offering many hilarious stunts, they are excellent musicians as well /trumpet, saxophone, guitar. Their son PIPO amused the audience in between some acts, using balloons and music.

The Wheel of death, performed by CRAZY WILSON, fantastic stunts featured outside the wheel.

GRAND FINALE with all artists present in the ring and with a gracious female acrobat hovering high up in the air.

The only thing I would like next year is - a circus orchestra!

Crazy Wilson - fantastic stunts featured outside the wheel

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS !!!

See more: www.cirquepinder.com

Venue: Pelouse de Reuilly, 75012 Paris. Metro: Simplon.

----------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

14 November 2013

Christmas circuses in Denmark and Sweden. This year you can see 3 Christmas circuses in Denmark and Sweden: Baldoni 's Christmas Circus in Copenhagen, Helsingborg’s Christmas Circus and Circus Scott's Christmas Circus in Stockholm. All performances last a couple of hours and introduce a number of good artists.

Baldoni’s Christmas Circus has public performances on Saturday 23 November at 15:00 and Sunday 24 November at 11:00 and 15:00. The performances take place in the fencing hall at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copehagen. The performers are partly Baldoni’s permanent staff: the owners Thessa and René Moenster ant the clown Daniel Dim (”Danillo"). In addition, you can meet the acrobat couple Veselka and Nadyalko who was part of Circus Baldoni's performance this year. And Katarina Markevich and Anton Tarbeev who this summer toured with Danish Circus Arli and in September joined Circus Baldoni during their visit to the Faroe Islands. Furthermore, you can meet Helen Ramer and Cindy Binau .

From the grand finale in Circus Baldoni 's Christmas Circus 2012. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

In addition to Baldoni’s Christmas Circus Thessa and René Moenster produce using the name Circus Nissesjov some short performances to institutions, shopping centres, Christmas parties for companies etc. In these performances you can meet some of the artists from Baldoni’s Christmas Circus.

Helsingborg’s Christmas Circus takes place in a tent that is put up at Hamntorget in Helsingborg. The tent is of course heated. There is room for 400 persons. There's opening night on Thursday 21 November and the season lasts until 15 December. It is the 19 -year-old Albin Ganovic, who for several years successfully has arranged Cabaret Candy Club in Helsingborg, who is the man behind the new Christmas circus.

The performers are Albin and Regina Lund as the clowns Gloria and Cito. Furthermore the audience will meet the high wire acrobats Mesa Brothers from Columbia, known by Danes from this year's performance in Circus Dannebrog , the 13 -year old aerial acrobat Nicole Noble, Jumping Blues on the trampoline, the foot juggler Kimberly Lester from Portugal, a fast-paced magic show, a cowboy act, horses, camels, llamas, ponies, mountain goats and a dog and 7 young dancers and a 5 piece band. Furthermore you will meet Linnéa Persson from Lund’s Dance and Musical High School. She plays the part as the girl Ella who binds the story in the performance together.

In Stockholm Robert Bronett presents for the third year in row Circus Scott Christmas Circus. There are performances from 22 November to 8 December. The performers in this year's show are Zuzanna Vinicka with her dogs, the plate juggler David Burlet, the comedian and clown Eric Boo, Duo Manduca with acrobatics as in the old days, the juggler Abraham Gebre, The Flying Pages in flying trapeze and director Robert Bronett with 8 liberty horses. Furthermore 6 Puyang Boys will do no less than 3 acts: a number in chinese poles, jumping through hoops and meteorite juggling. After Stockholm the performance continues to Amsterdam where it can be seen from 21 December 2013 to 5 January 2014 using the name Winter Circus Amsterdam.

10 November 2013

A magical evening. The photographer Lise Kokholm took a number of photos during the event A magical Evening which I mentioned on this page on 8 November.

Paul Daniels. Photo: Lise Kokholm

Malin Nilsson. Photo: Lise Kokholm

Steen Pegani. Photo: Lise Kokholm

The dealer stand. Photo: Lise Kokholm

If you are on Facebook you can click here to see more of Lise’s photos from the evening.

10 November 2013 

The story about Gentleman Jack. The Danish gentleman thief Kenny Quinn wrote last fall an article about his mentor Tommy "Gentleman Jack" Iversen (1921-1984). From 1949 and 30 years ahead Gentleman Jack was one of the Danish artists who had the greatest international success. He was a pickpocket entertainer and performed in circuses, on variety shows, in nightclubs, etc. assisted by his Swedish-born wife Majlis.

The article which was both written in Danish and English , has since been published in numerous magazines worldwide : the Circus magazine in Denmark , Cirkuläre Notiser in Sweden, the German Circus Zeitung ( where the article was in German) , Finnish magic Circles magazine Simsalabim and in the American Magic Magazine, which probably is the leading magazine in the magic world. Thus, Kenny Quinn has done a lot to make sure that Gentleman Jack isn’t forgotten.

The article was already in January this year published in the collection of articles which is part of this website. The web version of the article has since then been supplemented by a number of additional photos as many continue to send Kenny Quinn additional material about Gentleman Jack. Click here to read the article which as mentioned also is available English.

In addition to acting as gentleman thief Gentleman Jack was also an excellent magician. This picture is among the photos which you now can see in the Web version of Kenny Quinn’s article

The Latest edition of the Finnish magazine Simsalabim also contains an interesting article about Kenny Quinn and Mrs Joan. The article is as many other articles in the magazine written in English. Thus, the magazine is also of interest for other than those familiar with the Finnish language.

Some of the pages from the article in Finnish magic Circles magazine Simsalabim

9 November 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  for about 10 years, the CIRQUE D'HIVER BOUGLIONE, rich in traditions has been featuring winter circus from OCT thru March, in the refurbished circus building CIRQUE D'HIVER -- it can't be done better, although the program is more geared to an adult audience than to children.

We enter a world of fairy tales where beauty and surprises are dispalyed, the illumination is enthralling, so are the colorful decorations and we feel the spirit of history: this is the place where LEOTARD for the first time performed flying trapeze.

The artist in the ring in Cirque d’Hiver Bouglione. Photo ® Dominique SECHER Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione. By courtesy of Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione.

The program:

A nine-piece band, conducted by PIERRE NOUVEAU.

Ringmaster MICHEL PALMER.

Circus and stage hands, supervised by STEPHANE DANETTO.

Ballet: 8 beautiful chorus girls: the SALTO DANCERS.

HANS SUPPEMEIER and his tigers, beautiful and clever animals.

FUMAGALLI, DARIX, ALBERTO in several clown entrées.

HELENA POLACH, beauty, grace and elegance when juggling football balls - amazing.

BOBYLEV and partner, comics and clowns, several entrées.

REGINA BOUGLIONE, horses.

Regina Bouglione with liberty horses. Photo ® Dominique SECHER Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione. By courtesy of Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione.

DASHA AND VADYM, aerial tissues, nice choreography.

CURATOLA BROTHERS, strength, precision and incredible stunts.

Curatola Brothers. Photo ® Dominique SECHER Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione. By courtesy of Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione.

FUMABOYS, athletes from old times ...

JOSEPH BOUGLIONE, horses.

PASHA VOLADAS, acrobatics on bar  and on tango theme - original.

ROMINA MICHELETTY, acrobatics, contorsion and hula hoop, very good contact with audience.

VICTORIA, VALENTINO, DIMITRI, ALESSANDRO BOUGLIONE, classic illusions.

EMILY AND MENNO VAN DYKE, outstanding juggling on theme Southamerican dance.

DUO VANEGAS, Colombian acrobats featuring the WHEEL OF DEATH.

Duo Vanegas. Photo ® Dominique SECHER Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione. By courtesy of Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione.

A memorable evening !!!

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  !!!

See more: www.cirquedhiver.com

Venue: Cirque d'hiver Bouglione, rue Amelot, Metro: Filles du Calvaire.

-------------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

8 November 2013

A magical evening. For 10 year in row the Danish magician and dealer of magical tricks and equipment Steen Pegani arranged "A magical evening” in Copenhagen. As in recent years, it took place at the New Theatre in Copenhagen. This year the event took place on 4 November.

The main attraction was the English magician, TV host and entertainer Paul Daniels, one of the magic world’s living legends. He achieved international fame through his television series The Paul Daniels Magic Show, which ran on the BBC from 1979 to 1994 and also for some years run in DR television. The older generation of Danes remembers from these broadcasts Paul Daniels eminent way of combing magic with what today is called stand-up comedy. Even before the concept stand-up comedian was invented!

Paul Daniels turned 75 years in April this year. But his show during A magical evening proved that he "still is going strong." Among other tricks he did his elegant version of the Cup and Ball-trick.He ended his show with his own version of the well-known trick with the money bill, which the magician borrows from a member if the audience. In Paul Daniels’ version of the trick the bill turns up inside a nut which is inside an egg which is inside an orange. And the nut could only be opened using a nutcracker!

A good new acquaintance for most of the audience was the Swedish magician Malin Nilsson which not many Danes had met before. The 32- year-old Swedish magician has both charisma and talent. She impressed the audience, including top professional colleagues as Kim Kenneth. All guests are hoping to see her soon again. Malin has been a full-time magician since 2000 and has e.g. given close to 70 shows at Hollywood's famous Magic Castle.

Before the two guests stars Steen Pegani had presented his dealer show in which he demonstrated some of the tricks he is selling in his magic shop. Done with charm and elegance.

During the evening there was of course a dealer stand where magicians stood in line to buy interesting tricks and equipment.

The vast majority of the guests were magicians. From professional magicians as Kim Kenneth , Michael Deutsch, Joachim Solberg , Mr Plys, Ib " Pierrot " Groth Rasmussen, Henrik Christensen, Henrik Mortensen, Irene Thierry and Jan Allan to amateurs. Several of them demonstrated during the breaks some of their own tricks. Community life was certainly also an important element in the successful evening.

In one of the breaks the Barton Brothers aka the actors Michael Hasselflug and Peter Aude presented their flea circus. Photo: Ole Simonsen.

7 November 2013

Football Juggler at the Danish Football Award 2013. At the television show Danish Football Award 2013 which is recorded in the Copenhagen Circus Building and is transmitted live by TV 2 on 11 November at 20:50, you can as part of the entertainment see the excellent Cuban juggler Rafael de Carlos, who is a master at juggling with e.g. footballs.

6 November 2013

Zirkus Nemo Christmas gala is apart from the comedians Soren Ostergaard and Sos Egelind featuring a few international artists. However their marketing material tells you nothing about the artists. It is probably also the in Denmark popular names Soren Ostergaard and Sos Egelind that sell tickets.

But there are international top artists in the show. One of these is clown Val de Fun (Valeriy Serebryakov junior). He was born into a family of circus performers on November 11, 1969 in Semferopol, Ukraine. Both his father and grandfather were clowns. In 1984, at the age of fourteen, Vallery became an acrobat on horseback. But his father's influence eventually won out: three years later when Vallery began his apprenticeship as a clown.

In 1992, after two years in the Russian Army he toured first in South America and then with Circus Vargas in the United States. Later he had two seasons with the Big Apple Circus in New York using the artist name Vallery. Later he changed his artist name to Val de Fun. I saw him the first time at the Circus Krone Circus Building in Munich in February 2008. At the time I wrote the following about his act:

"The Clown Val de Fun was a positive surprise. I've never heard of him and his first run-in, where he threw a ball out to the audience which they should throw back so he could catch it on a stick he had in his mouth was not too promising. But his interaction with the audience was quite formidable, and his next entrées with a teeterboard with attempts to reach a trapeze and with his very own version of the famous water entrée was absolutely world class. I will certainly look forward to see Val de Fun again! "

Val de Fun. Photo from Circus Krone 2008

In 2009, Val de Fun attended the Circus Festival in Monte Carlo. His appearance in Zirkus Nemo Christmas gala is his first visit to Denmark.

Click here to see a video clip from one of Val de Fun’s entrées.

6 November 2013

News about circus festivals.

The Circus Festival in Budapest is next time held from 9 to 13 January 2014. It is the 10th Budapest festival. The festival has a reputation for being a place where you apart from established artists also can meet "raising stars". The festival takes only place in even years. The festival always is attended among others by directors of the most famous circuses and a great number of agents and other circus interested persons. There will be several visitors from Denmark and the other Nordic countries.

The names of some of the performers at the festival are now released.

At the jubilee circus festival to be held in January, in addition to the Casselly Family’s Golden Clown Award winning elephant production you can see Don Christian, one of the most popular clowns in Europe, the Ukrainian group of dancing acrobats called The Godfathers as well as the nine strong Diabolo Girls considered as one of the best of the 4000-year old Chinese circus art.

René JR and Marylou Caselly on one of the family's four African elephants. Photo from Circus Arena opening performance 2012 when René JR a little later in the show did a quadruple somersault from the springboard to an elephant.

Don Christian. Photo from his water entrée in Circus Benneweis 2013. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press. Don Christian is one of the Scandinavian circus audience’s favourites and has toured with Danish Circus Benneweis, Swedish Circus Maximum and Norwegian Circus Merano.

Furthermore, also the Spanish aerialist duet Ambra and Yves Nicols are going to appear and the young juggling talent of the world famous French Bouglione circus dynasty is going to present his unique production combined with step dance.

Yves & Ambra Niclos. Photo from Circus Benneweis 2010

László Simet is preparing to crown his career is going to perform a unique semaphore production in the arena located in the Budapest City Park. The Danish audiences know him from Circus Benneweis 1999 and from Open Air Stage performances in Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens in 1998, 2001 and 2003. More recently he has appeared in Cirque du Soleil’s show Les Chemins Invisibles with an amazing number where he rides on a kind teardrop shaped wheel of death. It is this number the audience can see at the Budapest festival. Click here to see a short video clip from the number.

There is also a young Danish artist among the performers: the juggler David Enoch Sosman, who recently won bronze at Nanchang Int'l Circus Festival in China. Before Budapest he will participate in the festival in Enschede, Holland, which is held from 21 to 29 December

David Enoch Sosman

The chairman of the jury will be Fredi Knie, the director of the famous Swiss National Circus Knie.

Also the Circus Festival in Monte Carlo which is held from 16 to 26 January 2014 has published the names of some of the performers:

The Faltyny family – Czech Republic - (5th generation) who will be presenting three acts:

·         acrobatics on a monocycle, during which they appear to easily defy the laws of gravity;

·         group juggling (5 artistes from the 4th and 5th generations) with clubs;

·         balancing on asymmetric ladders and juggling with illuminated cubes.

There is a great variety of acts possible because from a very early age the children of the Faltyny family are taught various disciplines. The Danish circus audience met the Faltyny family in Circus Dannebrog in 2005.

The Faltyny family. Photo from Circus Dannebrog 2005

Angelo Munoz and his daughter Conchi – Portugal – (5th generation) will present two acts:

·         Clown act, the famous "entrance of the sweets"

·         A sea lion act during which the mischievous animals are obviously enjoying working with their trainer.

Finally, Tom Dieck Junior – Germany – (4th generation) will bring his mixed wild cat group into the Fontvieille ring. The audience is sure to be seduced by the beauty of these animals, one of the act's major feature, including two ligers (cross between a lion and a tiger), an apricot-coloured tiger and a male white lion. Tom was awarded a bronze clown at the festival in Monte Carlo in 2007.

The English Circus Magazine King Pole wrote in their latest issue that the audience also will meet Daring Jones Duo and Rosi Hochegger with her dancing dogs.

3 November 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS. Editor’s comment: Due to lots of write-ups from ZARRO ZARRO, Paris, we have this time chosen to bring three of his interesting write-ups. Enjoy them!

In October a new-circus-festival is organized on the big circus lot Pelouse de Reuilly, really a big park.

I attended the BALLET MANCHOT SHOW, 10 acrobats and 5 musicians, who featured an excellent acrobatic show: hand-to-hand acrobatics, springboard, trampoline, and cyr-wheel.

The acrobatic stunts are outstanding, the program is definitely worth seeing, it is advertised as appropriate for kids as of 5 years - here I would like to object - as I see it, it is a show for adults, as /nearly/ always concerning this type of circus.

From the performance. Photo by courtesy of Le Ballet Manchot

The enterprise is subventioned by The Ministry of Culture as well as by a number of other bodies.

The new circus concept wants to differ from the popular, traditional circus, rejected are the festive, colorful costumes, and instead ----  anything goes ...there are possibilities to sport elegant dresses, a good idea is to follow the top sports people's example: to dress up with elegance and style.

On the practical side: the entrance/einlass/ to the /not so big/ top was very narrow, and then one had to sit on hard wooden benches, very uncomfortable.

Even smaller circuses today offer chairs of plastic, where you sit comfortably.

All in all: an elegant, brisk and stunning acrobatic show, 80 minutes.

See more: www.lecubitusdumanchot.fr

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS !!!

Venue: Pelouse de Reuilly, 75012 Paris.  Metro: Porte Dorée.

Within the framework of a South-American tango-festival, CIRCO TEATRO GAUCHO performs at the Theatre Clavel and a couple of other venues.

This circus-show is based upon traditions and folklore from Uruguay and Argentina, and combines skilfully the art of circus and folkloristic dances from these countries.

The show that runs for 90 minutes, contains acrobatics on Chinese pole, aerial ring, aerial straps, vertical rope as well as a very skilful football-juggler and an elegant hula-hoop act featured by MARIANGELES. Furthermore a spectacular act with "bolas", i.e. balls fastened at the end of two ropes that are manipulated and handled in a lasso-like way.

Otherwise they are used by gauchos when they catch cattle roaming on the pampas areas.

CIRCO TEATRO GAUCHO has an elegant stage-setting and an MC ties the different acts together, referring to texts from the South-American folklore.

Original idea and direction: Mariangeles Kalamar.

See more: theatre-clavel.com

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS !!!

Venue: Theatre Clavel, 3 rue Clavel, 75019 Paris.  Metro: Pyrénées.

THEATRE MICHEL proudly presents TOM LE MAGICIEN who enchants both the children and their parents during this one-hour MAGIC SHOW.

Poster created by FM66. By courtesy of Theatre Michel

The POINT OF INTEREST is that this show takes place in a real theatre, in traditional style with red velvet seats and classic decoration, the seats are comfortable and the audience has a clear view of the stage.

TOM, sporting an elegant evening dress, has a very elegant appearance, he starts by performing a classic cabaret act with doves and a rabbit, he continues talking to the audience, the children get involved, mystical and magical things happen, and a couple of children are invited up on stage to help out...

I recognized with joy the effect where some cubes, carrying numbers, are piled up, a second pile of cubes is made, but here the audience decides the order of the numbers, the pile is covered by a kind of chimney - when it is removed --- the numbers decided by the audience match the ones on the first pile - this is repeated with some variations - and it gets more and more intriguing! The Swedish firm HARRIES manufactured these trick years ago - it is no doubt immortal -provided it is presented in an interesting and clear way - as TOM did with elegance!!

In his show, TOM has some singing, juggling and Chinese shadows, projected on to a screen - very original. TOM beams of joy when performing, and his state of mind goes over to his audience - important!

TOM has thus a personality that goes well over to the public, everyone will certainly leave having a pleasant memory of this show!!

Absolutely well worth seeing -- and - IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS !!!

Tom le Magicien. Photo: Fabienne Rappeneau. By courtesy of Theatre Michel

See more: http://www.theatre-michel.fr/enfants.php?affiche=11

Venue: Theatre Michel, 38 rue des Mathurins, 75008 Paris.  Metro: Havre-Caumartin.

-------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

1 November 2013

Ole Bünger turns 70 on 6 November. On Wednesday, 6 November the artist and circus owner  Ole Bünger can celebrate his 70 years birthday. Ole Bünger's artistic career began in 1969 when ‘Professor’ Tribini hired him to work at his variety theatre at the amusement park Bakken north of Copenhagen. Through Circus Dannebrog Ole Bünger ended up in 1990 in Kalundborg as director of Kalundborg Municipality’s youth circus Circus Olaiski. As artist Ole works as juggler, magician and ventriloquist. He has for many years operated his own tiny Circus Pip. His attempt in 1974 to establish a "real" circus Circus Bünger was despite several excellent acts on the program not a success.

Ole Bünger

Ole Bünger in front of Circus Pip. Photo: Per Krogh Petersen

28 October 2013

Obituary: Anders Enevig. The dean of Nordic circus historians Anders Enevig passed away in his home in Odense on 26 October. He was 90 years old. Anders Enevig has written a number of excellent books about circus and circus families. Many non-Danes knows and are very fond of his book Circus Posters from 2001 with full colour prints of posters by Oscar Knudsen and Erik Stockmarr and with summary in English, German, French and Spanish.  Also of interest for persons without knowledge to the Danish language is his book Cirkus- og gøglerslægter (2. edition published in 2011) with genealogical tables for 38 circus and market performer families, many of them with roots in Germany. This book has a “deutches vorwort”.

Anders Enevig

27 October 2013

Circus Finlandia is the only large circus in Finland. Their season runs from early April to early November. They present every year a program with international top artists. As in the other Nordic countries they are not permitted to present tigers or lions. In Finland there is furthermore a ban against elephants. Thus, the only animals in this year’s performance were a few horses and 4 beautiful camels from the Swedish Circus Olympia’s stables. But honestly I did not miss more acts with animals in Circus Finlandia’s performance. It was like previous years one of the Nordic countries’ best circus performances and was accompanied by a well-playing 9 –piece orchestra.

Circus Finlandia at the lot close to the central railway station in the Finnish capital Helsinki

The show began with a Finnish acrobat couple, Aleksi Martin and Liina Aunola. Aleksi is shooting crossbow and ends with a trick in which 12 crossbows are fired in a chain reaction and end up sending an arrow through an apple placed on his head. Liina then does a beautiful and dangerous act in vertical rope and cloud swing. The Swedes saw her 10 years ago in Circus Olympia. Since then she has appeared with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey in the U.S. She and Aleksi is as far as I know going back to the U.S. after the season in the Circus Finlandia.

Aleksi Martin and Liina Aunola 

The next act was the handstand acrobat Melanie Chy. She uses a motorcycle as bench (trinka) in her spectacular number. The Danes saw her act in Circus Benneweis in 2001 when she appeared under the name Mey Ling (Chy Mey Ling). There are probably also Danes who remember her as the pretty little girl from the Chy- fu - dey troupe which was with Benneweis in 1987, 1993 and 1997.

Melanie Chy

The clown Totti Alexis, who was with Circus Dannebrog in 2011, then did his version of the reprise "Do not play here."

Then we met the Finnish illusionists Duo Events, who was followed by Azzario Sisters (Katie and Quincy Santos Azzoria), silver clown winners from Monte Carlo 2012. The Swedes could last year see their great act at Circus Brazil Jack. In season 2014, Danes can meet the two superstars in Zirkus Nemo. They are daughters of clown couple José and Giulia Michel, who you met later in the Finlandia performance along with their partner Kike.

Azzario Sisters - this year in Circus Finlandia and in 2014 with Zirkus Nemo

The two acrobats were followed by a Danish world class artist: the gentleman pick pocket entertainer Kenny Quinn who assisted by Mrs Joan stole both wallets, watches and glasses from his victims. All done with charm and talent and respect for the clients who not were ridiculed and clearly enjoyed the show themselves. Danes saw last time Kenny’s elegant act in Soren Ostergaard’s Tivoli Music Hall in 2008, in Circus Dannebrog in 2009 and in the tent of mirrors during Aarhus Festival 2012.

Kenny Quinn has stolen the client's wristwatch

Here Kenny has stolen the client's glasses and put them on his own nose. The victim didn’t notice that his glasses were stolen!

This year’s ringmaster Timo Kulkamakko is also a magician. From the hallways of the seating he did an elegant version of the ring trick while the ring staff made the ring ​​ready for the next act, the 4 horizontal bar acrobats from the Zhuravel troupe.

In the performance's first part there was floor (planché) in the ring. It was removed during the interval. Second part of the performance began with director Calle Jernström Junior’s act with juggling on horseback. He was followed by the José Michel clowns who probably today have the best classic musical clown entrée. They did their version of the water funnel entrée. The Danes saw them last time in Circus Dannebrog in 2010 and the Swedes in Circus Brazil Jack in 2011 and 2012.

The clowns were followed by a young high wire artist, Ramon, who aroused fond memories of the legendary Manfred Doval. Ramon comes from Australia and is trained as tight wire acrobat in Switzerland by Pio Nock. In his impressive act he among other things ascent on the bias line, jump through a ring, balance on a chair and walk over the wire on stilts. Just as I remember Manfred Doval's entrées many years ago in the Copenhagen Circus Building. Next year Ramon works in his native Australia.

Ramon – balancing on the chair and then jumping down at the wire

As mentioned there were not many animals in the show. But after the high wire act the audience met 4 large and beautiful camels from Circus Olympia's stables. Some of the children had already met the camels during the break, where there was a possibility of camel riding. Camels can’t do much more than look great. But as an added feature the act was presented by Ignat Ignatov, on horseback. Elegant! The number ended with the horse jumping over the camels. The children's joy knew no bounds when there finally a little pony entered the ring.

4 beautiful camels presented by the former Cossack rider Ignat Ignatov on horseback

After another short run-in with Totti Alexis came the Messoudi-acrobats into the ring: a father with three young sons. Danes remember them from Circus Dannebrog in 2008 and the Swedes from the Circus Maximum 2010. Since the number has become even better and will clearly be a candidate for a clown of gold, silver or bronze if they were invited to attend the festival in Monte Carlo.

This top act ended Circus Finlandia excellent 2013 performance.

The Danish circus audience can look forward to season 2014: Then 4 Messoudi’s are back at Circus Dannebrog ring.

The 4 Messoudi who the Danes can look forward to see in Circus Dannebrog in 2014. Click here to see more photos from the performance.

26 October 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  LE CIRQUE NATIONAL ALEXIS GRÜSS is playing during the entire season October thru March in Paris.

As always, featuring an outstanding program, presented by GIPSY and ALEXIS GRÜSS, with the participation of the entire GRÜSS family, and including a number of performers who are contracted to act within the framework of this fantastic show, thus they don't bring their own specialty acts but participate, well integrated, in this show: as usually the horse acts are the main and most important parts, there is jockey-riding, ballerina on horseback and other acrobatic stunts.

A nice tableau on the theme WILD WEST, whip-cracking and lasso-tricks - all very spectacular, also more horses, an impressive juggling tableau, trapeze and an outstanding act by MAUD GRÜSS-FLOREES excelling on high wire - she rides a bike and dances on tip-toe in the best of classic style.

FRANCESCO FRATELLINI features acrobatic stunts, juggling and clowning - a very good artist.

The well-trained Indian elephant SYNDHA is the favorite of the audience.

Grand finale is the seldom seen horse-stunt, called LA POSTE - it can't be done better!!!

The big band, 9 musicians, conducted by SYLVAIN ROLLAND accompanies the show elegantly.

Actress SILVIA MONTFORT had an important part in the development of CIRQUE GRÜSS, and this as of 1974 -- this year's program is dedicated to her memory.

LE CIRQUE NATIONAL GRÜSS never goes on tour, but offers many circus-related activities in LE PARC ALEXIS GRÜSS, located in PIOLENC, Southern France, during May thru September. Here different events can be organized.

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS!!!

See more: www.alexis-gruss.com

Venue: Porte de Passy, Bois de Boulogne, Paris.  Metro: rue de la Pompe or Ranelagh, then 20 min. walk - if coming by car, no P- problem.

----------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

22 October 2013

Circus during autumn holidays. As previously mentioned you could during the Danish schoolchildren’s autumn holidays in week 42 see circus or artist performances several places in Denmark. On 16 October I brought photos from Benny Schumann’s performance in Glostrup Shopping Mall and from Circus Cursci’s one-man show at AFUK in Copenhagen. Below you can see photos from some if the other performances which took place in week 42.

At the Open Air Museum north of Copenhagen the visitors could meet the clown Joey. Photo: Anette Krogh Petersen. Click here to see more photos and a few video clips from Joey’s performance.

At Horsens Bytorv the customers met Circus Mascot, which among others featured Andreas and Marianne Deleuran with their dogs and the clown Don Carlos. Photos: Elly and Kurt Stær

At Circus Arena’s performances in Kolding Shopping Centre ringmaster Bettina Arli could among others present Stephanie Berdino with dogs and goats, Circus Arena’s sea lions and the aerial acrobats Duo Rebel. Photos: Jacob Boas Leitisstein. Click here to see more photos from the show.

22 October 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  now at the very beginning of the season  - ESPACE PARIS-PLAINE, community theatre, proudly presents  LES RENZO, a  one-hour-show featuring LUDOVIC AND OLIVIER who perform and display their circus-skills: hand-to-hand acrobatics including balancing head-to-head, juggling and performing on slack wire,

they have performing budgies, magical effects, music on the trumpet, percussion and on a kind of xylophone, lyre-shaped and fitted on a stand - the whole performance is spiced up with good humour and many hilarious stunts and surprises.

Les Renzo

LES RENZO has a great public-appeal, their jokes and mimicry go directly into the audience who reward them by applauding generously.

An excellent circus program, featured on stage - absolutely well worth seeing!!!

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS!!!

Venue: Espace Paris-Plaine, 13 rue du General Guillaumat, 75015 Paris.  Metro: Porte de Versailles.

---------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

16 October 2013

As previously mentioned you could during the Danish schoolchildren’s autumn holidays in week 42 see circus or artist performances several places in Denmark. Here are a few photos from Glostup Shopping Center, where Benny Schumann along with various Danish artists entertained and draw many additional customers to the centre.

Before the performance Benny Schumann invited children into the ring and showed them how to do some tricks

Benny Schumann, to the left together with the ventriloquist doll Hunni

At some of the performances you met the Danish acrobat couple Tuk and Sofie (see photo), who a few months ago won a prize at the SOLyCIRCO festival. At other performances the audience meet performers from the contemporary circus company TinCanCompany or young performers from Circus Flik-Flak in Odense.

At AFUK at Enghavevej in Copenhagen you  could see Circus Cursci, which is a one-man show with the artist Esben Aerius.
 

Esben Aerius with different acts. Photo: "Mr. Sputnik "Krogh Peters

12 October 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS -- Le Theatre du Rond-Point proudly presents CABARET NEW BURLESQUE, a show that is hilarious, festive and original, concept: KITTY HARTL and stage-setting - video by Pierrick Sorin.

This show featuring queen-size strippers remains without vulgarity and first and foremost without porn.

A glance at the rear-mirror: In USA a similar entertainment was featured in the WEASTERN SALOONS, popular at the time of the Wild West, also during the Vaudeville era which was a kind of variety show, and further into the forties and fifties when burlesque strip was presented on the night club stages.

Photo: Eric Deniset. By courtesy of Théâtre du Rond-Point

Alain Bernardin was inspired by all this and created in Paris CABARET CRAZY HORSE, which functions even today, but now without the four speciality acts, often magic ones, that were programmed in between.

CABARET NEW BURLESQUE got famous by the film TOURNEE, created by Mathieu Amalric, it was awarded a prize in Cannes in 2010.

Now we enjoy seeing: Julie Atlas Muz/ alternatively Peekaboo Pointe/, Catherine D'Lish, Ulysse Klotz, Mimi Le Meaux, Dirty Martini, Kitten on the Keys, and the only male stripper performing on a bouncing stick - Roky Roulette.

All in all - an elegant, sympathetic and entertaining show, in the best of Music Hall tradition,  which is appreciated by all adults, regardless of sex, training or cultural identity.

Photo: Giovanni Cittadini Cesi. By courtesy of Théâtre du Rond-Point

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  ---

See more: http://cabaretnewburlesque.net/ where you also can find video clip from the performance

Venue: Theatre du Rond-Pont, 2 Avenue Franklin D. Roosevelt, 75008  Paris.  Metro: Franklin D. Roosevelt.

---------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

10 October 2013

Circus Scott from Sweden has now published the name of another one of the artists which you can meet at their Christmas Circus in the Swedish capital Stockholm from 22 November to 8 December and in Winter Circus Amsterdam from 21 December to 5 January. It is comedian and clown Eric Boo. Eric Boo call himself a comedian, a clown of the new generation. He is a part of the new generations of clowns that have brought fresh thinking and spontaneity to the world of circus, cabarets and music halls. He is born in Barcelona in 1955. As a young man he worked as a street artist in several countries including Sweden. Later he performed for several seasons at the famous Moulin Rouge music hall in Paris. He has also appeared in music halls in Germany and Spain, in Cirque Medrano in France and in Circus Louis Knie in Austria. The Christmas season with Circus Scott is his first job in a Scandinavian circus. Click here to read more about Eric Boo.

6 October 2013

Kenny Quinn steals from the police in Helsinki. The Danish world class gentleman pickpocket entertainer is this year on tour with the large Finnish Circus Finlandia. They have now reached the Finish capital Helsinki where Circus Finlandia will close their season on 3 November. Thanks’ to Kenny Circus Finlandia got a lot of publicity in the Finnish media when he on 1 October gave his lesson on criminal pickpockets working methods and tricks at the Helsinki Police headquarters. The lesson was attended by more than 50 police and detectives including chief detective inspector Juha Laaksonen. Representatives from the entire Finnish press attended the event. The story came up in all the news broadcasts on the 4 major TV channels in Finland and on the radio and in several newspapers. Click here to see a video clip from one of the broadcasts.

Kenny Quinn has just stolen the police officer's glasses. Photo: Kari Nieminen

In addition to being an excellent gentleman thief Kenny Quinn a master in getting PR for the circuses etc. where he works to the extent they wish to make use of him outside the ring.

Kenny Quinn in action in the ring. Photo: Hannu Salmi

Many European circus friends know Circus Finlandia by name but have never visited them. Click here for a look at a skyviewlive video showing Circus Finlandia at the lot in Helsinki.

6 October 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  CABARET CIRQUE LE ZEBRE  --  proudly presents a wonderful program, in fact there are at least two of them: a family show in the evening,  starring ALYONA AND LILLY: singing, dancing, featuring a puppet show, magic, trapeze, contortion - everything performed in a charming and emotional way !

In the afternoons there is a show mainly for kids and their parents, presenting parts of the above program.

Points of interest: LE ZEBRE was, a long time ago, a cinema which became totally decrepit because of lack of maintenance and consequently was closed down by the municipal authorities, being a security risk. The Belleville area is a typically immigration quarter, where there wasn't much of cultural entertainment.

FRANCIS SCHOELLER, the creator of LE CIRQUE DE PARIS, is now the manager of LE ZEBRE, everything has been refurbished in a nice way, an entirely new interior, using ZEBRA as a running theme, and there is a fantastic setting on this very theme, the local is rather small, but since there are about 12 meters height up to the ceiling, aerial acts are performed.  The stage is rather large and not full of electronic instruments - the stage is for the artists, ALYONA AND LILLY.

Alyona and Lilly. Photo by courtesy of Le Zèbre de Belleville

At the rear of this stage, a ZEBRA, presented as a kind of dummy, is present and very oversize at that - it contributes to the idea of the show: lightness of heart, joy and originality!!!

Technical manager: Arthur Schoeller, in charge of stage setting and production; Florent Hairet.

See more: www.lezebre.com

Venue: LE ZEBRE, 63 Boulevard de Belleville, 75011 Paris.  Metro: Belleville.

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS!!!

---------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

4 October 2013 

Circuses during the autumn holiday. As usual, you can during the Danish schoolchildren’s autumn holiday in week 42 see short circus or artist performances several places in Denmark.

Circusland in Aaslev near Slagelse (Circus Arena’s winter quarter) opens from 12 to 20 October daily from 10 to 16. In Cirkusland you can see lots of circus animals, sea lions in a large pool, playground and rides as well as cafeteria and restaurant. At the Children's Stage there is entertainment and artistic performances presented by Suzanne Berdino.

In Circusland you can e.g. meet Circus Arena’s sea lions in a pool that is larger than the sea lion pool  in Zoo in Copenhagen. Press photo from Circusland.

Circus Arena visits Kolding Shopping Centre from Tuesday 15 October to Sunday 20 October. Several performances every day. The artists are some of the same who just has been with Circus Arena in Greenland: the clowns Bettina and Martin Arli, the magician Hans Ulrik , the aerial acrobats Duo Rebel and Circus Arena's own Pierrot aka Ib Groth Rasmussen.

Circus Krone has a number of performances in the northern part of Jutland sponsored by Dronninglund Savings Bank. 14 October they are the in Aalborg, 15 October in Dronninglund, 16 October first in Hjallerup and then in Frederikshavn, 17 October first in Vodskov and then in Säby and 18 October in Broenderslev.

Two Thierry 's (Irene Thierry and Jan ' Alando ' Allan) are always among the performers in Circus Krone’s performances. Photo from the summer show in Circus Krone.

Circus Mascot can be seen from 14 to 19 October at Bytorv Horsens (a shopping mall). Monday to Friday at 11, 13 and 15. Saturday at 11 and 13. You can meet Andreas and Marianne Deleuran with trained dogs, the clown Don Carlos, Daniel Deleuran with chair balancing and the acrobats Deleuran Brothers.

The brothers Daniel and Andreas Deleuran

In Glostrup Shopping Centre you can meet Circus Schumann Mini Performance from 12 to 19 October. There are performances every day at 11 & 15, except on Sunday 13 October where the centre will be closed. In the performances you apart from Benny Schumann alternately meet professional artists, including the Danish acrobat couple Tuk & Sofie or new talents, including some of the young stars from the youth circus Flik-Flak in Odense.

Benny Schumann in the Glostrup Shopping Centre. Photo from performance during the autumn holidays 2012

The Clown duo Charlie and Binalto can be seen from 14 to 19 October in Frederiksberg Shopping Centre in Copenhagen. Daily at 11 and 14.

Charlie and Binalto

The Circus Theatre presents from 14 to 19 October their performance Aladdin in Marielyst at the Welcome Centre. Daily at 15. Friday and Saturday also at 11.

At the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen, you can from Monday 14 to Friday 18 October at meet the international comic acrobat duo Coexistence (Zora Nikodemova and Michel Lindner) in a fast-paced show.

Flying Superkids (the elite team of performers from the gymnastic club “Gymnastikgården”) are in Thisted on 12 October at 16:00, in Farsø on 13 October at 15:30, in Kalundborg on 16 October at 18:30, in Elsinore on 17 October at 18:30, in Maribo on 19 October at 16:00 and in Vordingborg on 20 October at 13:30.

Circus CURSCI (Esben Aerius) has performances Sunday 13 October, Monday 14 October, Thursday 17 October and Sunday 20 October, every day at 15:30, at AFUK - Academy for Untamed Creativity - Enghavevej 82 B, Copenhagen.

3 October 2013

At Circus Scott’s Christmas Circus in Stockholm from 22 November to 8 December you can apart from the artists I mentioned on this website 24 September meet Puyang Boys with no less than 3 acts: an act in Chinese poles, jumping through hoops and meteorite juggling. The latter consists in the juggling of a rope with a bowl of oil with a lit wick at each end. There are 6 artists in the troupe all coming from Puyang in China, which calls itself "the land of Acrobatics." Danish Circus Arena has in the later years had several artists from Puyang in their performances.

As mentioned 24 September the show continues after Stockholm to Amsterdam, where there are performances from 21 December to 5 January in the same large 6 pole tent, which Cirkus Scott has used for their the tour in Sweden last year and this year. The tent will be put up at Arena Boulevard. In Amsterdam the show is called Winter Circus Amsterdam and is produced in cooperation between Circus Scott / Robert Bronett and the Dutch company Hill Where Circus Events BV. The later has for some years produced winter circus in Utrecht in cooperation with the Austrian Circus Louis Knie. You can read more about the new winter circus in Amsterdam on http://www.wintercircusamsterdam.nl/contact.php

At the Dutch website it is said that Circus Scott is the largest circus in Scandinavia. I am sure that Benny Berdino from Danish Circus Arena doesn’t agree in this statement!

There are already a number of winter circuses in the Netherlands. It remains to be seen whether there is room for the new Winter Circus Amsterdam.

2 October 2013

Circus Arena at Greenland. As is has become a tradition Circus Arena headed by Benny Berdino is presenting an indoor performance in several cities in Greenland in early October. During the period 1 to 6 October Circus Arena will visit Ilulissat, Aasiaat, Maniitsoq, Sisimiut and Nuuk.

This year's show is done by a group of artists specifically chosen for the Greenland audience. Among the performers are the clowns Bettina and Martin Arli, the magician Hans Ulrik, the acrobats Duo Rebel and Circus Arena's own Pierrot Ib Groth Rasmussen.

Duo Rebel (Adrienn and Otilia) have in season 2013 had great success in the large Norwegian Circus Arnado with their aerial act in "living trapeze", where they replaced the usual trapeze bar with their own bodies.

The Danes can meet several of the artists when Circus Arena during the Danish schoolchildren’s autumn holidays in week 42 produce a performance for Kolding Shopping Centre.

For Ib Groth Rasmussen ther will be an additional event in October: He turns 70 on Tuesday, 22 October.

Ib "Pierrot" Groth Rasmussen. He has for many years been member of the Circus Arena troupe visiting Greenland every year in October. On 22 October he can celebrate his 70 years birthday.

30 September 2013

Bronze for David Enoch Sosman. A proud Isabella Enoch tells that her youngest son, the juggler David Enoch Sosman became bronze medallist at the 2013 Nanchang Int'l Circus Festival in China. Nanchang is the capital of east China's Jiangxi Province. The festival featured top artist from twelve countries, including Denmark, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Poland and France. Isabella Enoch was a member of the jury, but of course she had no vote when it came to decision regarding an award for her son.

The young juggler David Enoch Sosman with his trophy

29 September 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS -- but as well at HILLERØD FLEAMARKET /Denmark/, last August.

The big attraction THE CANNON KING CAPTAIN MUNOZ performed his amazing stunt, but as this event was mentioned on www.circus-dk.dk  -- I will just convey some thoughts that afterwards popped up in my head:

The topic is:  WHAT IS - TODAY- AN ATTRACTION???

CAPTAIN MUNOZ got an impressive crowd, having come there to purchase - but even so they stopped and stayed to watch the performance. I was delighted seeing this, as I have, sorrowfully, witnessed various attractions disappear from fun-fairs, carnivals and out-door-events.

I remember with awe seeing Danish CAPTAIN LEONI being shot out of his cannon, as well as numerous aerial acts, with or without a turning motorbike, also Felix Alvo with swinging pole and his brother Bengt Alvo as THE MAN IN THE MOON on top of a high metal structure.

There were acts where the artist dived from about 20 meter's height down into a mini-swimming-pool, a stunt sometimes performed on horseback - certainly not allowed today.

Mast with pool in Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens in 1936. Anders Enevig’s collection

On the MAGIC AS ENTERTAINMENT level, driving a car when blindfolded was a highlight performance, probable impossible to get permission to do today - due to more and more traffic. Predictions, where the artist foresaw the headline of tomorrow's paper or the winning number in the lottery - these features may still exist, but without creating the big interest -- as far as I have seen.

Street performers working for an organization are now rarely seen in Paris, those who only work for tips in the hat - don't awake the big interest of a crowd being out strolling ...or shopping...

I see the development and difference - as I was in this business - 25 years ago.

The living statues don't make a crowd anymore - I saw a few of them now lately in August in Copenhagen.

Thus: I have the question, as of above, --- I don’t have the answer.

Maybe there isn't one??

------------------------------ Paris, SEP, 2013  --  ZARRO ZARRO.

27 September 2013

Circus CURSCI is a new initiative from the artist Esben Aerius. It is an indoor performance running for 40 minutes and followed by a workshop. There's premiere 29 September at 15:30. The venue is AFUK – The Academy for Untamed Creativity - Enghavevej 82 B, Copenhagen.

In a press release Esben writes (my translation):

We have the pleasure to invite you to the premiere of Circus CURSCI 's show. An old-fashioned family show with traditional acrobatics and comedy.

A modern homage to traditional circus - here’s everything true (no security lines, no bungee - jump rubber-bands, no hidden motors) - for it is the joy of the real high acrobatic technique.

The whole performance will be presented by the circus director with pride and high golden hat. It’s the classic form of performance: one five-minute act followed by the other! The director presents six sparkling acts:

There is strong -man -air acrobatics in metal chains - human body against steel: A melancholy number act about hopelessly love called "Love's links".

The Circus- chef shows how to make spaghetti in the circus - and it is a complicated affair:  e.g. the spaghetti comes on top of a four-meter long telescopic pole which the chef is balancing on his nose (it's called "perch" in circus language).

A brand new form of a slinky act in the circus. What is a "slinky" in the circus really? Slinky is the American word for a spring which can travel down a flight of steps. In the circus we have enlarged it to mega dimensions, and there are acrobats inside – is it great fun!

The Circus Princess does vertical tissue gymnastics - our princess will gracefully and sensually (read: easy - dressed) climb in lengths of silk hanging from the circus dome.

The handstand act from Italy with Harlequin's tribute of the circus’s predecessor: the Commedia dell’arte. Handstand is more than you think: it is done on high swaying and rotating poles.

Rola - bola: a classic circus discipline to balance on cylinders. A chaotic act which shows what you can (and can-t!) with small barrels.

After the premiere the show is scheduled for the following Sundays at AFUK: October 6, 13, 20 and 27.

Doors open at15:00. The performance begins at 15:30. Duration: 40 min.

As a family- conception there is something for everyone: from 5 years

At 16:30 Circus workshop for beginners and advanced. From 8 years. Children only with parents.

24 September 2013

Christmas Circus in Stockholm. As in 2011 and 2012 the large Swedish Circus Scott will present Christmas Circus in Stockholm. There are performances from 22 November to 8 December. No performance Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. On Saturday and Sunday played two performances.

Reportedly the circus will after Stockholm go to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

So far only some of names of the performers have been released:

Zuzanna Vinicka performs with dogs. She appears at present along with her twin brothers under the name the Smaha Troupe as a jugglers in Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’ Gold Unit . The Gold Unit will close the season in Bangor on 10 November.

David Burlet is plate spinning juggler. Click here to see a video clip from his number.

Duo Manduca present acrobatics like in the old days. They were also featured at Circus Scott's Christmas show in 2012. Duo Manducas initially consisted of Tony (Antonio Ferreira) and his partner Tino (Tino Frattelini). Today, Duo Manducas consist of Tony's son Fabio and his partner Gabor. Click here to see a video clip from their number.

The juggler Abraham Gebre from Ethiopia juggle with hats, make bouncing ball -juggling etc. During the summer season Abraham toured with the Swedish Circus Olympia. In his final trick he bounces from a balancing ladder balls into the floor.

Abraham Gebre at Circus Olympia

Circus producer Robert Bronett presents eight beautiful horses in a fast-paced liberty act. It is possible that the horses come from Danish Circus Arena’s stables as Circus Arena previously has provided horses for Circus Scott's performances.

The Flying Pages from the United States present as the name suggests flying trapeze. The troupe won a bronze clown in Monte Carlo in 2002. As in many other such trapeze troupes there has since then been some changes in the troupe. According to Circus Scott one of the troupe’s female members can do the triple somersault. A trick, which usually is performed only by men.

Circus Scott will later publish the names of the other artists.

Artist Information from Circus Scott should always be taken with some caution. Throughout the summer season Circus Scott has on their website stated that Fumagalli and his brother Darix was in the show which not has been the case.

23 September 2013

Circus Skratt in Malmö. On 13 September I wrote that the Swedish Circus Skratt probably would close the season on 22 September in Malmo. Circus Skratt was in Malmo on 22 September in the centrally located lot called Mölleplatsen in the Castle Park, where they had performances at 15 and 18. But it was not the end of their season. Circus Skratt’s season will continues until the beginning of October mainly with sold performances.

Circus Skratt's blue / yellow tent at Mölleplatsen (the Mill lot) in the Castle Park in Malmö

The entrance with the ticket office

Stephanie Berdino with 6 ponies. In the performance Stephanie also rode high school and presented a charming act with dogs and goats. Furthermore you met in the performance Circus Arena’s sea lions, presented by Sjang and Dana Catana, the clown Berto (Peter Balder) and a young female acrobat Tatiana, who both appeared in trapeze and with a hula hoop act. The performance was accompanied by a well-playing 6 piece orchestra. Simon Steckel was Sunday afternoon the performance's ringmaster. In some of the performances it is circus owner Bo Rönnberg who is ringmaster.

20 September 2013

Cabaret Candy Club in Helsingborg, Sweden. For the fourth year in a row the young Albin Ganovic presents in October a cabaret with artists in Helsingborg. Opening night is on 3 October. The venue is The Tivoli in Helsingborg. The compere Mr Franz Fritzel (aka Albin Ganovic) present The Candy Dancers, The Candy Band , the knife throwing Los Chicos from Mexico, The Queen of Whips Judita Látigos from Venezuela and illusions by Magic Sisters. Click on www.candyclub.se to read more.

Photo from performance in Candy Cabaret Club

19 September 2013

Christmas Circus in the southern part of Sweden.

Circus Scott had previously announced that they would present a Christmas circus first in in Malmö and then in Stockholm.

But plans have changed: There will be no Christmas circus in Malmo, but only in Stockholm from 22 November to 8 December.

But there will be a Christmas circus, however not produced by Circus Scott, in Helsingborg, Sweden, 15 minutes by ferryboat from Elsinore, Denmark.

It is the only 19 -year-old Albin Ganovic, who for several years successfully has produced Cabaret Candy Club in Helsingborg, who is the man behind Helsingborg Christmas Circus. Albin has also been involved in the Swedish youth circus Circus Villekulla.

The Christmas Circus performances will take place in a red / white tent which Albin have bought from another circus and which will be put up close to the harbour in Helsingborg. The young director promises that the tent will be heated.

In the performance you will meet

·         Albin Ganovic and Regina Lund as the clowns Cito and Gloria

·         The high wire acrobats Mesa Brothers from Columbia , known from this year's performance in Circus Dannebrog in Denmark

·         the only 13 -year old aerial acrobat Nicole Noble

·         Jumping Blues on the trampoline

·         The foot juggler Kimberly Lester from Portugal

·         A fast-paced magic show.

·         A Wild West act

·         horses, camels , llamas , ponies, mountain goats and a dog

·         7 young dancers and a 5 pieces band

The performance will run for 1 hour and 45 minutes, inclusive a 15-minute interval.

In Denmark you can in the Copenhagen area see on 23 and 24 November see Baldoni's Christmas Circus in the Fencing Hall next to the Circus Museum in Hvidovre.

16 September 2013

Circus Baldoni at the Faroe Islands. From Monday 2 to Wednesday 11 September Circus Baldoni visited 10 Faroese cities on 6 different islands. As in previous years the Faroese welcomed Thessa and René Mönster and their artists with enthusiasm. "It is clear that we have become the Faroese national circus," a happy René Mönster writes. First time Circus Baldoni visited the Faroe Islands was in 2003. Since 2007, Circus Baldoni has each year in September visited the Faroe Islands.

"We have this year visited a town where there never before has been a circus. It is a very special experience to perform for an audience that does not know when to applaud," René Mönster says.

In 2008 and 2009 Circus Baldoni also visited Iceland.

Team Baldoni at the Faroe Islands. In the back row seen from left: Sergei Scerbina, Veselka, Katarina Markevich, Thessa Mönster, Nedyalko, Daniel (Danillo) and Anton Tarbeev. In front Veselka and Nedyalko's 5 year old daughter Yana and René Mönster

Circus Baldoni in Skala

Circus Baldoni in Torshavn. All photos by courtesy of Circus Baldoni

15 September 2013

End of season for Circus Benneweis . With a performance on Sunday 15th September at 5 p.m. Circus Benneweis closed season 2013. "A season we all can be proud off," Circus Benneweis writes on their Facebook page. "Thanks to everyone who contributed to our success and thanks to our faithful audience - we will be back in 2014 with a new great program. See you in the best circus in Denmark!!!"

Ringmistress Judy Glosted, performance director Marek Benneweis and all the artists in the finale at the very last performance

In July, the French cycling phenomenon Marc Giely replaced the injured Stoian troupe from Romania in the Benneweis performance. Marc became from the very first day one of the audience’s favourites.

The Danes could also meet Marc Gielly in Circus Arena in 2009. The versatile French mountain bike acrobat knows how to vary his act and is open for new tricks. Here he jumps over this year’s Benneweis clown Don Christian. Click here to see a video with Marc Giely from Circus Krone in Munich from January 2011.

15 September 2013

Sunday 15 September, Circus Dannebrog ended their 3 week long visit to Copenhagen. However, the season is not yet over: they have on the way home to winter quarters in the southern part of Jutland sold performances in Faaborg, Odense, Kolding and Gram where the season ends on 22 September.

After Copenhagen, there will be a slight change in the program: the Saabel family left for Prague where they from 20 September to 3 November are part in a performance in Circus Circus. As replacements for the Saabel family in the last few performances, Circus Dannebrog has booked the jockey riders from the Donnert family, who ended their season with Circus Benneweis on 15 September.

In Circus Circus in Prague the Saabel family will meet several of the artists from this year's performance in Danish Circus Arena: the Navas troupe with high wire and wheel of death, the death globe riders Diorios and the clown Jimmy Folco.

In most of this year’s Dannebrog performances the audience has apart from the French clown Pieric also seen a white faced clown. It's Circus Dannebrog technical manager Dennie Enoch, who also masters the task as being a white faced clown.

Throughout the season, the audience has seen the clown Pieric present the elephant Ramboline. Few have noticed that Ramboline’s owner and trainer Bernhard Kaselowsky was in the background. The entrée closed with Pieric jumping up on the back of Ramboline. Due to pain in his knee Pieric however left the task as elephant rider to Freddi Steckel at the performances on Sunday 15th September.

The 3 Dias brothers, respectively, 6, 11 and 13 years old became one of the audience's favourite acts in this year’s Dannebrog performance

13 September 2013

Close of circus season 2013. In all Nordic countries the circus season is coming to an end.

In Denmark Circus Arli had this season’s last performance on 20 August. Circus Baldoni had their last performance on 28 August and Circus Arena on 2 September. Danish Circus Krone will close the summer season on 14 September and Circus Benneweis on 15 September. Circus Dannebrog has this year’s last performance on 22 September and Circus Mascot on 25 September.

In Norway Circus Arnardo closed the season on 8 September. Circus Merano will end the season on 15 September. It is difficult to get information about the small Circus Zorba. But the season ends probably on 14 September in Eide.

In Sweden Circus Maximum closed the season on 7 September. Circus Brazil Jack has the last public performance 14 September, but has the following days some sold performances. Circus Olympia will close the season on 15 September. Circus Scott will close the season on 29 September. Circus Wictoria close the season on 14 September. Circus Skratt, which only has toured part of the season will probably close the season on 22 September in Malmo. It has not been possible to obtain information about the other circuses which this year has toured in Sweden: Circus Bambino, Circus Europe, Circus Harlequin, Circus Madigan, Circus Schollini and Circus Sydney. Circus Madigan told in the spring that they would finish the season in Estonia as they did some years ago.

The large Finnish Circus Finlandia is as usual the last Nordic circus to close the season: They are in Helsinki from 29 September to 3 November and first then their 2013 season is over. Among this year's performers in Circus Finlandia is the Danish world class gentleman pickpocket entertainer Kenny Quinn, assisted by Mrs Joan.

Circus Finlandia at the circus lot in Helsinki

13 September 2013

Bjoern Schult - Bjoernlys turns 65. On Friday the 13th September the former artist and animal trainer Bjoern Schult - Bjoernlys can celebrate his 65 years birthday. He is born in Freiburg, Germany, where his mother and father were respectively ballet master and chief technical officer at the local theatre. In 1963, Bjoern joined the Cossack rider troupe Golgojew, where he was for three years. In 1968 and 1969 he worked with the Adamski bears, three brown bears that ran on a bicycle etc. He worked also for a while as reprise clown in Circus Busch- Roland and as Cossack rider. In 1970 he established in partnership with Alex Wandruschka a jockey riding act ”Three Hansel” in which they appeared in musketeer costumes . In 1970 they toured with Circus Bouglione. Afterwards, they performed at circus festivals in Lisbon and Madrid. In 1971 they worked in Spain and in 1972 and 1975 in Norway at Circus Berny. Following that Bjoern created together with his wife at that time a jockey riding act "Bjoernlys" which first appeared during the winter of 1975 in Cirque D' Hiver in Paris . They also took a young man into the troupe which then had three persons.

1976 Bjoern toured Denmark with Claus Jespersen’s newly established Circus Dania. The troupe's young man didn’t like life in a touring circus and left the Bjoernlys troupe shortly after the start of the season. Thus Bjoern and his wife decided to become "Two Bjoernly”. In 1977 they were at the Hippodrome Circus in Great Yarmouth, England. In 1978 they toured Denmark with Circus Dannebrog. Later Bjoern became head groom in Circus Benneweis. In season 1980 the Benneweis audience could see him with a comical entrée called Bjoern and his horse. With the same act he appeared in 1982 in Circus Arena where his act was called Bjoernlys and partner. After the season 1982 Bjoern left Denmark and worked in Italy (Circus Nando Orfei / Circo Berlin) and later in France with Circus Amar, Circus Pinder-Jean Richard and Circus Diana Moreno.

Two Björnly

From 1990 to 2005 Bjoern worked for Berufsförderungswerk Schomberg in southern part of Germany. Then he got an interesting offer from Jens Oluf "Luffe" Bogh who in a small village north of Hadsund in Denmark established a permanent circus No Name Circus in connection with the socio-educational institution No Name, which was owned by Luffe Bogh. Bjoern was artistic director of No Name Circus until 2008.

Since he came to the now closed Christianshede Zoo Circus and trained at the same time animals which he rented out to the show, movies, commercials, etc.

Today Bjoern Schult - Bjoernlys lives in Vistorp, Denmark.

Bjoern Schult - Bjoernlys in No Name Circus in 2008

9 September 2013

Monte Carlo 2014. The names of some of the participants in the Circus Festival in Monte Carlo in January 2014 are now known. The English circus magazine King Pole tells the audience among others can meet Daring Jones Duo, Tom Dieck with tigers and lions and Rosi Hochegger with her dogs.

Daring Jones Duo does a splendid trapeze act. Click here to see a video clip.

Tom Dieck got a bronze clown in Monte Carlo in 2007. Since then his act has according to reports become even better. So I believe he goes for gold or silver.

Rosi Hochegger is one of the Scandinavian circus audience’s favourites. Last time we saw her in Denmark was with Circus Benneweis. In season 2013, she has toured with Circus Maximum in Sweden. On http://www.rosi-hochegger.de/filme you can find a video clip with Rosi 's dancing dogs from Benneweis 2010.

Rosi Hochegger with one of her dancing dogs. Photo from Circus Benneweis 2010

9 September 2013

"It’s circus, it’s circus” has Circus Benneweis' ringmistress Judy Glosted sung more than 400 times since Benneweis opened the season on 22 March. The song starts and finishes this year’s Benneweis performance. Since season opening there have been more than 200 performances. The song was Germany's contribution to the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980 where the song became No. 2 The composer is Ralph Siegel. It was sung by the German pop singer Katja Ebstein. In the German version it was called Theater Theater and in English It's showtime. In Judy Glosted's circus version is has become It’s circus, it’s circus. I do not have a video clip with Judy Glosteds version of the song. But click here if you want to see and hear Katja Ebstein’s version .

The singing ringmaster Judy Glosted. It has become a tradition that she opens the performance by singing a Danish text to an evergreen. In 2011 it was That's entertainment from the musical Band Wagon and the 2012 There’s No Business Like Show Business from the musical Annie get your gun. In 2013 the Danish text was to the German Grand Prix tune Theater Theater. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press                         

6 September 2013

Circus Benneweis in Copenhagen. As the last of the large Danish circuses Circus Benneweis are now in Copenhagen, where they Friday night had Copenhagen opening night in a packed tent and with several celebrities in the audience.

There was great excitement about the excellent performance which was reviewed on this website on 25 March. Since opening night Hillerød on 22 March there has been a small change in the program: the Stoian- troupe’s acts with Russian bar and springboard are not any longer part of the performance as one of the troupe’s male members in early July was injured and became unable to perform for the rest of season. Stoians was soon replaced by the formidable French bike acrobat Marc Giely who with his talent, charm, charisma and energy quickly became one of the audience’s favourites.

Benneweis will stay in Copenhagen until Sunday 15th September. This will end season 2013. Dianna Benneweis promise that her audience can look forward to a new and exciting program with international top artists, funny clowns and beautiful animals when Circus Benneweis in the spring start season 2014.

3 September 2013

The large Norwegian Circus Merano came to Oslo, where they always end their season, on Friday 30 August. The Oslo premiere was attended by many invited guests including a number of celebrities.

There are performances in Oslo to and including Sunday 15 September. Weekdays at 19.00, Saturdays and Sundays 15:00 and 18:00. Monday no performance

"We decorate extra in Oslo since we will stay here for two weeks. I enclose a photo of Oslo and the circus lot at Toyen,“ Arnt Helge S. Johansen of Circus Merano writes, adding:" It is not unusual for agent and owners of other circuses to use the opportunity to pay a visit to Circus Merano when we are in Oslo.

We had full house to the performances both Saturday and Sunday. It is very nice that there is so much interest for Circus Merano here in Oslo. The audience have given us very positive feedback on this year's show which many call "best they've seen."

The season ends Sunday 15th September where performers and animals will leave Norway for new contracts”

3 September 2013

Fratelli Rossi to Circus Krone. The two young Fratelli Rossi who for part of the 2012 season and the entire 2013 season has toured with the Swedish Circus Brazil Jack with their Risley act will in 2014 tour with Europe's largest circus, the German Circus Krone. Many artists dream of a contract with the Circus Krone whose tent can accommodate 4,500 spectators. Those who have seen the two young super talents find it easy to understand why Circus Krone has booked them for their tent tour in 2014.

Fratelli Rossi in Circus Brazil Jack

They come from Spain and Italy respectively and are graduates from the artist school in Verona. They are respectively 20 and 21 years old and won in December last year, the jury’s first prize at Circus festival in Enschede. Click here to see a video of their number from this festival.

The Enschede Circus Festival, which has a very good reputation, is held every year in December. At the 2013 festival which will take place from 21 to 29 December, you can, among others meet

·         the juggler David Sosman Enoch, known by Danes from Circus Dannebrog 2012 and the holiday centre Lalandia in 2013. David has also been invited to participate in the Circus Festival in Budapest in January 2014

·         The death globe riders Diorios, known from several seasons with Danish Circus Arena and other circuses

·         the clown Berty Balder , known from Arena Circus Land 2012 and 2013 and Slaraffenland circus in Odense during the winter holidays 2013, as well as from being one of the 3 Balder brothers who were at Circus Dannebrog in 2008 and 2009

·         The Igen family with their dogs and goats. This year they toured Denmark with Circus Baldoni. In 2006 they toured Denmark with Circus Dannebrog and in 2012 Sweden with Circus Brazil Jack

·         Bernhard Kaselowsky with liberty horses. The Danish audience knows Bernhard from many seasons in Circus Dannebrog and a single season with Circus Benneweis.

2 September 2013

Hans Christian Andersen - a magical adventure show. Sunday 1 September was dress rehearsal of Nordisk Film Live's new show H. C. Andersen in the Tivoli Concert Hall. The audience saw a spectacular show based on 6 of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales; The Little Match Girl, Clumsy Hans, The Nightingale, The Princess and the Pea, The Emperor's New Clothes and The Ugly Duckling.

Lighting and sound was impressive, and using impressive digital video scenography created 3- dimensional images on the stage without need for use of 3D glasses. Music and singing was pre-recorded .

At the stage the audience met 18 young dancers and performers who mimed / acted to the fairy-tales and the “links” between the fairy tales. Among the performers were several artists. Best from an artistical point of view was Canadian Valérie Inertie (winner of a silver clown at the circus festival in Monte Carlo 2011) with her act in a large ring (cyr wheel) together with the break dancer Cico.

Danish Anders Astrup had working in tissue the cast as the emperor from the emperor emperor's new clothes, wearing skin-colored tights which he took off when it came to the imperial procession. (Don’t worry – he kept his underpants). But he did not have the opportunity to show all of his artistic skills.

Swedish Mandan Reedman was hanging in her aerial ring the nightingale in the fairy tale of the same name. Nice idea, but nor she had the opportunity to show all of her artistic skills.

The goat Erika owned by Deleuran family from Circus Mascot, acted as Clumsy Hans’s ' goat. And it did very well! During the link to the next fairy tale Erika also proved that he could balance on a wire – or a plank as it is then the artist is a goat.

All in all, a beautiful and spectacular performance where the performing artists and break- and electric boogie dancers clearly helped giving the show a boost.

After the rehearsal the audience reactions were quite diverse. Many were excited. Others who might have expected a more theatre -like presentation of the fairy tales and fond the performance very strange.

2 September 2013

Foreign circus friends visiting Denmark. From 29 August to 1 September, a group of 37 circus friends from Germany, Holland, Switzerland and Austria visited Copenhagen and Malmö.

On 29 August they saw performance in Circus Dannebrog and on 30 August the performance in Circus Arena. The following day they went to Malmö, where they saw the performance in Circus Olympia and met Roy Himsel, chairman of the Swedish circus academy.

Sunday 1 September in the morning they visited the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen, where Danish Circus Friends’ deputy chairman Ole Simonsen welcomed them. Later they went to Korsør to see the performance in Circus Benneweis.

Several in the group had connection to the circus museum in Magdeburg, Germany,  and was very impressed with the way everything is put on display at the Hvidovre museum and of the museum's many activities. The group also gave its praise of the circus performances they had seen during their short visit to Denmark and Sweden.

The exhibition in the Circus Museum is viewed with great interest

The guests were impressed by the museum's many activities, here circus training for kids

1 September 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  -- and I have been pressing that point for years -- it is all about CIRCUS and MAGIC AS ENTERTAINMENT.

International circus people and those interested in circus, flock to Paris every X-mas season to check out the circus shows. Everything is worth seeing and why not enjoy the marvels of Paris, while here?

For more than about 20 years, it has been easy to get around using English, particularly in the tourist areas. So, now that things have changed for the better -. let us all enjoy it!

Everything is ready for a wonderful trip to Paris - and in our luggage we bring common sense and a positive outlook!!

Here follows a not exhaustive survey of the main events, an important piece of information is that circus in France play mainly on Weekends and during school holidays, which includes Wednesdays, as the smaller kids don't have school that day, originally to allow them to get religious knowledge, which is not dispensed in the Republican school, the French Republic being strictly secular.

So here we go:

Bouglione Cirque d'Hiver - www.cirquedhiver.com

Cirque Bouglione plays in the Cirque dHiver, the newly refurbished circus building from 12 October 2013 to 2 March 2014

Metro: Filles de Calvaire, they also have a show in Nanterre, a suburb you can reach by the local train RER, the show is based on the Rio carnival, also an ICE CIRCUS SHOW at Le Bourget, somewhat on the fringe outside Paris.

contact: Fabrice Bing, email: production@cirquedhiver.com

Cirque Alexis Grüss - www.alexis-gruss.com

In Paris from 19 October to 2 March 2014

contact: Dominique Larmoyer, email: dlarmoyer@maiko.fr

Cirque Arlette Grüss - www.cirque-gruss.com

contact: Willy, email: willys@cirque-gruss.com

Cirque PINDER - http://cirquepinder.com/

In Paris from the middle of November to the beginning of January

contact: Michelle, email:presse@cirquepinder.com

Cirque Electrique, new circus sporting innovative ideas - www.cirque-electrique.com

contact: Hervé Vallée, email: contact@cirque-electrique.com

------------------------------------------------------------------

So folks - that's it --- but there is other attraction as well in Paris. MAGIC AS ENTERTAINMENT is mainly performed in small cabarets and theatres,

see L'OFFICIEL DES SPECTACLES, in all news stalls, € O.50.

WELCOME - SEE YOU IN PARIS!!!

----------------------------------------------- reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

30 August 2013

Viola Harston Meyer turns 90 years. On Thursday, 5 September the former artist Viola Harston Meyer can celebrate her 90 years birthday. From 1948 and more than 20 years ahead she was a member of The Harston Troupe which had great success all over the world with their springboard act which included a fabulous trick where the flyer lands with his feet on one foot of an antipodist who is lying on his back on his bench (trinka). See photo below.

Viola Meyer photographed in connection with Circus Dannebrog Copenhagen opening night on 23 August 2013

Viola Meyer was born in Mariager, Denmark. As a young girl she met in Randers, Denmark, the artist Alfred Meyer, who was member of a springboard troupe. Later she moved to Copenhagen, where it was easier to find work than in the Mariager area. There had arisen "sweet music” between her and the five years older Alfred and they kept in touch by writing to each other. When Viola saw an ad after an artist trainee she replied and trained as an artist, however still keeping her regular job. As artist she worked as roller skate acrobat. In 1944 she married Alfred Meyer who together with his brothers Paul and Henry for 4 years had been apprenticed to an Italian springboard troupe. The 3 Meyer brothers formed their own springboard troupe, the Harston troupe, which also has a few other artists as members. The Harston troupe worked among other places in Danish Circus Benneweis in 1945 and 1948.

After season 1948 with Circus Benneweis Viola and her sister-in-law joined the Harston troupe. The troupe went to England, where they for a couple of years as "The Five Harstons" worked at theatres, music halls, etc. In 1949 they went to America, where they spend the next 3-4 years. During the winter seasons they worked in New York where the e.g. presented their act at the famous Waldorff Astoria Hotel and the Palace Theatre at Times Square. During the summer seasons they travelled around the U.S. and appeared e.g. in connection with sporting events. They left the United States because they had a contract with the large Swedish Circus Scott and toured one season with this circus.

Five Harstons. Photo from London approx. 1949. The flyer lands with his hands on the hands of feet of an antipodist.

Five Harstons. Photo from London approx. 1949. The flyer lands this time with his feet on one of the antipodist's feet. Both photos by courtesy of Viola Harston Meyer

Later Harstons went to Australia, where they spent 8 years.

Viola and Alfred had three sons: Frank, Bill and the afterthought Robert .

In the 1950s, Alfred and his sons Frank and Bill created a comical act: 3 Mac Willams - Scottish comic acrobats. With this act they had formidable success. After a period in Europe with performances in e.g. Italy and Spain, they were offered a new contract in Australia, where they met the Haddy Enoch family. Agnete Louise Enoch, who today is CEO of Circus Dannebrog, tells that she has known Viola since 1960 when they appeared together in a TV show We meet in Tivoli. As ringmistress Agnete Louise has worked together with Viola and the Harston family in 7 cities in Australia, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Barbados, Trinidad, Athens, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru and Japan.

Viola stopped as artist in 1973 to be home in Denmark making it possible for the 7 old Robert to join school. Also Robert work for a period as an artist. The Danes meet him in Circus Dannebrog in 1995 doing an excellent foot juggling act using the artist name Bob Harston. Later Robert however decided to stop as artist and got a job at Copenhagen Airport.

Bob Harston. Photo by courtesy of the Circus Museum at Hvidovre. Copenhagen. In the museum’s collection you can find several photos of the Harston troupe and Bob Harston

30 August 2013

Last chance to see the 2013 performance in the largest circus in the Nordic countries, Danish Circus Arena is Saturday 31 August and Sunday 1st September in Dragor, Copenhagen,  and Monday 2 September in Køge. The Saturday performance is sold out but there are still tickets available for Saturday and Sunday.

The show features among other artists the young Chinese Cai Young, whose gold clown awarded act probably is the best act we in season 2013 have seen in a Nordic circus ring. Also René Casselly family's gold clown awarded act with elephants and horses are part of the performance which also features other star performers.

During the season Circus Arena has visited 110 cities during 6 months and have had 190 performances.

19 year old Cai Yong ends his formidable act by rotations balancing on his head. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press.

The performance in Køge is not quite the end of the 2013 season for Circus Arena. By tradition they send in October a special performance on tour to some towns in Greenland.  Among the performers on Greenland will be Martin and Bettina Arli and the excellent Danish pigeon magician Hans Ulrik. After returning from Greenland , some of the performers can during the autumn holiday in week 42 be seen at Kolding Shopping Centre. Many of the shopping malls customers is every year looking forward to the performances Circus Arena produces for the centre during the autumn holidays .

The Danish pigeon magician is among the performers when the Circus Arena sends a tour in in Greenland.

28 August 2013

Dumbo in Circus Dannebrog. With the smell of sawdust in your nose, you can get a unique experience when Circus Dannebrog opens its circus tent for two special showings of the Disney cartoon 'Dumbo ‘from 1941. The event is organized by Buster - Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth.

It takes place on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th September at 10 in the big top at the circus lot at Fisketorvet, Copenhagen.

For the older generations, this will be a wonderful, nostalgic reunion and for the younger ones an unforgettable experience. So do not cheat yourself for this unique opportunity as BUSTER gives families the opportunity to experience the fairytale movie in the right environment - namely in the circus!

After the film, you have the opportunity to ride a real elephant. Bernhard Kaselowsky’s elephant Ramboline. Ramboline is 32 years old. Bernhard got her as a 2 years old calf and has since then taken care of his elephant her with great love and care. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press.

28 August 2013

The Holbaek Clown Festival is an event which takes place in Holbaek, Denmark. This year from 28 to 31 August. It's a fantastic festival which invites clowns from all over the world to participate in different activities such as visiting local shops, performing a routine on stage, walking about the streets and finally run with the children in a race.

The Holbaek Clown Festival was founded in 2011 by Michel Højer also known as the clown Njetski. The festival first began as a clown race in which one day in the town of Holbaek the main street were closed from cars for the children to run along the clowns in a race.

The first year there was a total of nine clowns participating in the event. The second year there was a total of fourteen clowns and so the festival had grown from the first year not only with the clowns but also with the sponsors and people visiting the town.

After the festival in 2012 it has been renamed "The Holbaek Clown Festival", because now it is not only about the race but there is so much else happening around it.

This year 31 clowns will participate in the festival: Jarl (DK), Julius (DK), Nannette (DK), Njetski (DK), Jo Jo (DK), Ballon Ole (DK), Annette (DK), Victor (DK), Pee-Wee (DK), Marta (DK), Pjot (DK), Algost/Epinard (SV), Chofleur (SV), Artichoke (SV), Odojon (SV), Clonk the Clown (UK), Blu (UK), Eek (UK), Ollie (UK), Flo (UK), Barry (UK), Iaren (UK), Bubblz (UK), Sonny (UK), Paliette (UK), Dennis Dennis (UK), Silly Tilly (IE), B.B. Bubbles (IE), Boots (IE), Squiggles (IE) and Mikki (GL).

25 August 2013

Obituary: Frank Harston Meyer passed following a heart attack away the night between 24 and 25. He was 68 year old.

As son of the Danish artist couple Alfred and Viola Harston Meyer he was so to speak, born into a life as artist. His parents were springboard artists and members of the Harston troupe whose combined springboard and antipode act had great success worldwide. Frank joined the troupe and with his father and his brother Bill he developed furthermore an excellent comic act: Mac Willams - Scottish comic acrobats. Many have described their entrée as the best comic drunken man act which ever has been shown. The act was for many years a top attraction at music halls, etc. worldwide.

23 August 2013

Circus Dannebrog in Copenhagen. It has become a tradition for Circus Dannebrog to visit Copenhagen from late August to the middle of September: This year the visit is from 23 August to 15 September where you can find them next to the shopping centre Fisketorvet.

Opening night in Copenhagen 23 August presented a great performance in a jam-packed tent. Standing ovations was very well deserved.

In recent years, Circus Dannebrog has had a theme in their performances. For 2013 it is circus as it was in the old days. Artistic Director Isabella Enoch has managed to put together a beautiful and well-running performance, where the theme is an added value with the poetic clown Pieric and Freddi Steckel as the "main thread".

The performance was reviewed on this website on 3 April.

Since then it has been supplemented by the charming young high wire acrobats Mesa Brothers from Columbia. They have replaced a Russian aerial act, Duo Tereschenko who left the Circus Dannebrog after the season's first performance in March because they found the weather in Denmark too cold! They had even received an advance on their salary. After such behaviour Duo Tereschenko, which originally was trio, will probably have difficulty in getting engagements with other first class circuses. In addition it could be mentioned that their act as a trio was great. But as a duo it was just another aerial act neither better nor worse than the myriad of other aerial acts. 

One of the two Mesa brothers crossing the wire at a small bicycle

There is particular reason to praise the performance's bandmaster Tino Aaby and his 8-piece orchestra - 7 men and a female violinist. Great with a large and well-playing live band which also master more modern rhythms and doesn’t have to play on top of pre-recorded music!

Tino Aaby’s orchestra. In the middle is the clown Pieric

23 August 2013

Last possibility to see the 2013-performance in Circus Baldoni is on Saturday 24 August in Birkeroed, Sunday 25 in Brøndby behind town hall, Monday 26 August at Greve Sports Centre, Tuesday 27 August in Valløby and Wednesday 28 August at Circus Baldoni’s winter quarter in Ulstrup.

Many circuses have mottos: Denmark's best, Denmark's National Circus, Denmark's family circus, etc. Circus Baldoni motto is The family’s favorite circus. This year's show lives 100% up to this ambition

The performance in Tureby is not quite the end of the summer season for Circus Baldoni. As previous years they will also as the only circus visit Faroe Islands, where they from Monday 2 to Wednesday 11 September will visit 10 cities on six islands.

As you can’t bring animals to the Faroe Islands there will be some differences between the program which has toured Denmark and the cast of artists visiting the Faroe Islands. The Igen family with their dogs and goats and their daughter Melina, who does sword balancing, will not be part of the performance at the Faroe Islands. The same goes for the clowns Duo Kapitanski. Instead the Faroese can meet the clowns Danillo and Danilla and Anton Tarbeev and Mrs Katarina, who during the 2013 season has toured Denmark with Circus Arli presenting diabolo, hula hoop and foot juggling with scarves. Also the balloon man Sergei and the acrobats Veselka and Nadyalko (handstand, cube juggling and adagio-acrobatics), all of which have been in this year’s Baldoni-performance, will visit the Faroe Islands. Probably even the lion Leonardo will despite the prohibition to bring animals take the trip to the north Atlantic islands. (Leonado is a ventriloquist’s doll).

Vesalka and Nedyalko with beautiful adagio acrobatics

Circus Baldoni is also active during the winter season. They will present Christmas Circus in the Fencing Hall next to the Circus Museum in Hvidovre in the weekend 23-24th November.

19 August 2013

QUINN – Caught in a Caricature. During Circus Finlandia’s summer tour and visit to the West Finnish town Rauma the 12th of August 2013 Joan & Kenny Quinn was caught in action by the Finnish caricaturist Mr. Teuvo Salminen. Teuvo Salminen very quickly came up with his humorous drawing of the Danish Pickpockets-couple in action.

Teuvo Salminen’s drawing of Joan & Kenny Quinn

Teuvo Salminen's Julkkis-Galleria and popular caricatures can be seen at www.teuvosalminen.com and in Saminen's Julkkis-Galleria, which is found in the center of the Old Rauma/Finland.

Click at www.kennyquinn.dk if you want to know more about the Danish pickpocket entertainer Kenny Quinn. 

16 August 2013

John Seidel turns 75 on 22 August. You may ask: who is John Seidel? Older circus friends will remember him under his artist name Little John. He is the only Danish artist who ever received one of the most prestigious awards at the Circus Festival in Monte Carlo: in 1975 he received a silver clown for his equilibrist act with handstand etc. His international debut was as far as I know in Circus Schumann in the Copenhagen Circus Building in 1950, when the then 11 year old John was presented as "The Danish wonder boy John - equilibrist act". The following year he toured with Danish Circus Belli, and in the following years he was a top act in leading circuses all over the world. The last time we saw him in a Danish circus was in Circus Benneweis in the Copenhagen Circus Building in 1979. However, Copenhagen citizens could also enjoy his act in 1990 and 1993, when he appeared on the open air stage in Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens. For many years John Seidel has lived in Monte Carlo. Click here to see a video clip from his performance in Tivoli in 1990.

Little John. Photo in the program for Benneweis Circus Star-time 1979 in the Copenhagen Circus Building

16 August 2013

Last possibility to see the 2013 performance in the small Circus Arli is Saturday / Sunday 17/18 August at Frederiksberg Town Hall Square in Copenhagen, on Monday 19 August in Sengeløse or Tuesday 20 August in Vindinge.

Circus Arli's motto could be Small but super good. That's at least what they year after year manage to present with elegant and skilfully performances where they use the intimate atmosphere and closeness that you can get in a small tent (they can seat 220 persons).

This year's show, which is called The Journey to end of the rainbow are another glorious Arli performance.

Two of the artists in this year's performance will in the beginning of September be with Circus Baldoni at the Faroe Islands. It is the diabolo juggler Anton Tarbeev and his spouse Katarina who does hula hoop and foot juggling with scarves.

Anton and Katarina Tabev. Photo from Circus Arli’s premiere 24 March

Alexander Arli will as previous years during the winter season be part of the actor and comedian Jan Schou’s revue show Schou-Tour 2013.

Martin and Bettina Arli are as is has become a tradition part of Circus Arena’s performances on Greenland in October and during the schoolchildren’s autumn holiday in Kolding Shopping Centre.

13 August 2013

The Theatre Festival “The Asteroid” which from 16 to 18 August is held at Teaterøen, William Wain Gade 11 in Copenhagen presents two contemporary circus performances:

DEVORIS CAUSA is characterized by the circle: ring, stands and scenic space, and also an argumentative circle that starts over again. When we go out from the enclosure we will remember how we have got in because others will start the same long voyage as we have done. Also the food circle, the cyclical relationship with the beings (vegetables inevitably alive) that we sacrifice to survive. This is the idea, served with resources evoke the Jean-Baptiste Thierrèe gooses and the Chaplin barber from Great Dictator, simple evocative brushstrokes done from the personal scenic language and the construction of characters by Jordi Aspa and Bet Miralta, characters in a great communion with the turkey Fridu, the genuine star of the show.

The performance can be seen Saturday 17th August 2013 at 12:30 & 16 and Sunday 18th August 2013 at 12:30 & 18

In the performance FRAGILE everything is turned upside down. Two line artists, two dancers, one trampoline duo and a dancing clown in a performance that combines contemporary circus, dance and physical theatre. Starring: Lucas Bergandi, Stephanie McMann, Beth Powlesland, Laura Smith, Mark Pieklo, David Vossen

The performance can be seen Friday 16th August 2013 at 20 and Saturday 17th August 2013 at 20.

10 August 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS --  ABC THEATRE proudly presents Mr. CARRE D'AS AND MISS LOUFOQUE - a joyful journey in the world of magic.

This show is created for the small fry and their parents, featuring many magical effects.

The pace of the show is rather calm and laid-back, thus allowing the smallest ones to follow, there is interaction and numerous gags and jokes from MISS LOUFOQUE, /meaning hilarious, funny and somewhat in the moon.../.

Elegant props, good lighting and a nice, intimate small theatre. A sympathetic play between the two artists created sympathy for them among the audience -

a must for any success - and they got it.

Well worth seeing, appealing and attractive for the family audience!!

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS !!!

Photo by courtesy of the artist

Length of show 50 minutes.

Venue: ABC THEATRE, 14 rue de Thionville, 75019 Paris.  Metro: Laumière.

See more: http://abc-theatre.e-monsite.com/album/mr-carre-d-as/

.---------------------------------------------------   reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

9 August 2013

Nablus Circus School visits the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen. It may not be fun to be a Palestinian resident of the west bank of Israel, where many towns and settlements are surrounded by walls in the style of the old Berlin wall. A group of young boys get a break from the harsh and dreary everyday by going to the Nablus circus school. 6 young artists from Nablus Circus School are currently on a visit to Denmark. 7 August they held workshop at the Circus Museum and on 8 August you could see their contemporary circus-inspired show, which got well-deserved applause of the audience in the museum’s Fencing Hall.

The six young artists from Nablus Circus School in the Fencing Hall at the Circus Museum. Click here if you want to see more photos from the show.

9 August 2013

Small change in the program in Circus Benneweis. Marc Giely – the cycling phenomenon from France - is with short notice brought in for this year's show as a replacement for Trio Stoian because one of the troupe's members had an accident during a performance and became unable to perform for the rest of the season. Marc Giely comes directly from one of the German Circus Roncalli’s shows and has previously has performed at the famous Cirque d'Hiver in Paris. Marc Giely joined Benneweis on 13 July.

Marc Giely. Photo by courtesy of Circus Benneweis

6 August 2013

The International and transnational street theatre Passage in Helsingborg and Elsinore from July 29th to 3rd August presented several good artists.

For my part, it was a happy reunion with the young Swedish juggler Johan Wellton, which I remembered from the Circus Festival in Budapest in February 2012. Friday, 2 August at 15:15 the Danes could meet the young super talent at Wibroe's Square in Elsinore. He presented world class equilibristic juggling with a twinkle in his eye.

Johan Wellton. Click here to see more photos from his show.

I was going to Sweden to see the Circus Maximum in Höganäs, but had time to also see the next artist who appeared on Wibroe's Square: The Swedish magical entertainer Malin Nilsson. I was very impressed by a great and entertaining show. Malin is not only a good magician, but also an outstanding entertainer. By chance she chose my son and webmaster Lars to assist her in the acts with the rope which is cut in pieces and the wedding ring which spirits away. Imaginative and original to let the wedding ring back from a gumball machine! - The Magic interested Danes can meet Malin Nilsson at Pegani’s event "A magical evening" at the New Theatre in Copenhagen on 4 November which also has the legendary Paul Daniels on the program. Click here for more information about "A magical evening."

Malin Nilsson is ready to make my son’s wedding ring disappear. Click here to see more photos from her show in Elsinore

6 August 2013

Carl-André Hjelvik from the tiny Norwegian Circus Minimax writes (my translation):

Circus Minimax visited this summer various Norwegian campsites and got good feedback from the press and the audience. It is the first time a circus is traveling around this way in Norway. With him on the tour circus director Carl-André Hjelvik had Steen Offersen and the clown Gugge from Denmark.

Gugge in Circus Minimax’ small tent.

Steen Offersen in the ring in Circus Minimax. Both photos by courtesy of Carl-André Hjelvik

Steen did his diabolo, devilsticks, fakir and juggler tricks in the big top. The clown Gugge had several run-ins during the performance. The audience was involved in several of his acts. Circus owner Carl-André Hjelvik did rola-bola and juggling. He was also part of the act with the chicken Pingrid and Mr. Beef. After the performances there were circus school for the public, where everyone could try their luck as artists. This was a popular offering to the public. Overall, there were 7 people involved in this year's summer tour, including Steen's family and Carl-André's fiancée, Ingrid Lone who was ticket seller and responsible for kiosk sales. We are now planning next year's circus tour and the program. It will be a completely new and exciting program with new artists. We are also working to get an animal act in the program. Circus Minimax has also received a request from Volda municipality for making circus school for children and young people during the autumn and winter, as there are many exciting projects underway. Circus Minimax takes regular assignments for shopping centres, festivals and other events.

5 August 2013

On Saturday 3 August the Danish Circus Friends organized a rally to the youth circus Circus Flik-Flak in Odense. 9 persons joined the rally and was welcomed by Tommy Hardam who gave them a guided tour round the premised and told them about Circus Flik-Flaks history before the show started at 13. Everyone was impressed to see that the performance took place in a modern and well-equipped circus tent with beautiful lighting and sound and that the live band had no less than 17 members! They were certainly no less impressed when the show began: the young artists had plenty of humor and talent, and costumes and staging was great. In short: a lovely experience in a jam-packed circus tent.

Young Flik-Flak-artists. Click here to see more photos from the show

After the show some of the participants in the rally continued to Ditlevsdal Bison Farm, where they saw Laura and Luis Torres’ Schumann Wild West show. A great show done by the two young talented artists and their 3 horses.

Laura Schumann Torres. Click here if you want to see more pictures from the show.

4 August 2013

Flying Superkids 2013. Despite the for Denmark unusual hot temperature (30 degrees) it was a great show the elite team of performers from the gymnastic club and non-profit organization “Gymnastikgården” presented Sunday 28 July afternoon in Copenhagen. The show is a high tempo mix of acrobatics, gymnastics, dancing, singing, comedy, tumbling and of course twists, double & triple summersaults on trampolines and other crazy equipment. The show was better than ever in the brand new Scola Teloni tent which Enoch Show Production has bought and rent out to e.g. Flying Superkids. Not only the tent, but also the inside and lighting and sound was in top quality

As a new feature this year between all the talented "jumpers" was a few different acts: Jimmy Enoch presented his excellent bike act and later in the show, you meet an artist in cyr wheel.

A "classic" Superkids act. Click here to see more photos from this year's show.

4 August 2013

Aarhus Festival’s International Night Cabaret has this year moved from the traditional tent of mirror to the new theatre and arts centre Hermans in Tivoli Freedom. This year they presents the Swedish magician and music hall artist Carl-Einar Häckners show 'The Road'. Aarhus Festival writes (my translation)

Carl-Einar Hackner is a Swedish megastar who knows how to combine comedy, music, magic numbers and illusions, so everything appears grotesque and funny. He has long time ago achieved star status in his home country, where he every year in July for the past several years has entertained visitors at the amusement park Liseberg in Gothenburg. For this year’s cabaret he has selected a number of terrific artists, including:

Silea (DE)

High up in under the roof Silea does daredevil acrobatics in iron chains. You can also meet Silea in a difficult balancing act and on tightrope.

Richardo (SE)

In a great act of the boundary what is possible you can meet the balancing artist Richardo with a pile of glass on top of a bowstring, while he plays the violin.

Alba (Al)

The Snake Woman Alba can twist herself into every imaginable and unimaginable position. Alba master the art of handstands while she fires a crossbow with her toes.

Malte Knapp (SE)

Malte Knapp is a unique bike artist who has appeared e.g. in Las Vegas with his impressive bike entrée where he at high speed rides bicycles being up to five meters high

You can see the International Night Cabaret with Häckner’s show from 29 August to 7 September.

4 August 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS --  even during the summer season --THEATRE ALAMBIC proudly presents CLAIRE LA MAGICIENNE --  she is one of the very few female magic entertainers, also an accomplished ventriloquist displaying a perfect technique, not often seen today, we are here happy to see a technique as good as during the old Music Hall days, when both technique and presentation had to be first class !

CLAIRE is French, but having lived the greater part of her life in Chile, she comes to Paris every year to feature her program, geared to the family audience: the children are allowed to take part up on stage, as interaction is a must in front of a family public.

Magic effects are combined with spots of ventriloquist's interludes - several dummies have their word to say ...and sometimes these dummies also perform some magic -- very original!!

Claire. Photo by courtesy of the artist

I take it that I have seen thousands of shows but not this stunt:

Three glasses filled with differently colored liquids are taken out of a champagne bucket, which is shown empty, the glasses are emptied into the bucket, these glasses are dipped into the bucket, and again taken out, filled with the respective liquids, the bucket is shown dry and empty  -- fantastic !!!

Thus a wonderful, funny and interesting show, performed by CLAIRE - who in her performance shows that she has worked acting and dancing - entirely professional !!

A pleasant and appealing family show - well worth seeing -  IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS !!!

Length of show: one hour.

Venue: THEATRE ALAMBIC COMEDIE, 12 rue Neuve de la Chardonnière, 75018 Paris.

Metro: line 4, get off at Simplon.

--------------------------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

27 July 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  but now as well in BARFLEUR, a beautiful little fishing village in Normandy, France.

The magic entertainer JAN MADD, together with wife CHANTAL SAINT-JEAN, have opened a museum with connected café and MAGIC SHOW !!!

The story: Having toured most of the world featuring his MAGIC ACT, Black and White, based on white billiard balls and white doves  -- JAN MADD, then 45, found that enough was enough. He purchased a barge, got permission to anchor it on the river SEINE, and after refurbishing the boat - he had a theater and a restaurant, in 1990.

Satisfied after 23 years of success, he sold the showboat and purchased an old and decrepit building in BARFLEUR, where he and CHANTAL now continue in the same style:

MAGIC AS ENTERTAINMENT, together with a café and an immense collection of stage props, costumes, photos, programs  --  everything related to show and ENTERTAINMENT.

This very place is baptized LES AMUSEURS, which is the nearest you can come to the English THE ENTERTAINERS. It may be of interest that this museum holds memories of all kinds of entertainers, Maurice Chevalier is perhaps the most famous one.

Les Amuseurs from outside and inside. Photos by courtesy of Jan Madd

Jan Madd

The soul from the showboat METAMORPHOSIS has been transferred to LES AMUSEURS: everything is beautiful, appealing, hilarious and in the best of taste - like in the old Music Hall style.

We wish  BARRAKA - i.e. great  success  !!!

Venue: BARFLEUR, take train from Railway Station Saint Lazare, Paris, 3 hours' journey to Valognes, direction Cherbourg.

IT ALL HAPPENS IN  ------  BARFLEUR !!!

-------------------------------------------------reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

25 July 2013

Mr. Plys (in the centre) has sent me this photo from the tropical holiday centre Lalandia in Rodby, Denmark, where you until 11 August in addition to Mr. Plys’ shows can see the Dutch diabolo-juggler Michael Betrian (standing to the left) and the Danish juggler David Enoch Sosman (standing to the right).

24 July 2013

Sea lion birth in Circus Scott. The Swedish Circus Scott writes (my translation):

Yesterday morning Circus Scott's sea lion Maggie gave birth to a beautiful and healthy sea lion cub.

"It's the first time that a sea lion born at Circus Scott and obviously we are both proud and happy about this," circus owner Robert Bronett says.

The young cub is alert, curious and eats with good appetite. It is Maggie's first cub and she is an exemplary mother. "It is relatively unusual for Patagonian sea lions to get cubs in captivity. To do so, they must feel safe and comfortable with their surroundings”, their trainer Patrick Burke says. The proud father of the baby is 350 kg heavy sea lion Roger appearing in Circus Scott's ring every week. "I am currently negotiating with Roger to let me be godfather." Robert Bronett says and laughs.

For a week or so Maggie and the young cub will stay inside in their indoor pool but soon you may see the new cub playing with mother Maggie and father Rodger in the large outdoor pool at Circus Scott.

The small cub’s dad is the sea lion star Roger, 24 years old. Along with his life partner Maggie the Patagonian sea lion tours with Circus Scott. Because Roger is getting old, it came as a total surprise that he managed to be father to a small cub.

Patrick Burke with the sea lion Roger. Photo from Circus Scott's performance in Malmö 26 April. The female sea lion Maggie are not part of the performance but is around to keep Roger company. And it has now resulted in a sea lion baby. A Patagonian sea lion is pregnant for about 12 months.

- In the wild, they Patagonian sea lions become about 20 years old so we did not think he would be a father. To my knowledge this is the first sea lion cub born in a travelling circus, Robert Bronett says.

 The sea lions belongs to John and Patrick Burke who are considered as being among the leading experts on sea lions, dolphins and other aquatic mammals. It was Patrick who in the middle of the night discovered that something happened out there in the trailer.

- It was three o'clock in the morning when I heard something that sounded like screams from outside. When I got to Maggie, I was witness to the little one being born, Patrick Burke says.

He believes that it is the environment that made the birth possible.

- The animals feel safe and we travel a maximum of once a week. And the sea lions rely on us here in the circus which of course helps, he says.

Mom must rest

So far, no one knows if the little sea lion is a female or male, and after the dramatic birth during the night, there are several questions that need to be straightened out. But first, mom Maggie needs to recover. Then her trailer will be rebuilt in order to make room for the small family.

- Then we buy an extra car to make room for a pool for them outdoors. Next week everyone will get to see the little fella jump around, Robert Bronett says.

It is not correct when Robert Bronett believes that it is the first time a sea lion given birth during the tour with a circus. The experienced sea lion trainer Addie Jepsen has told me that e.g. Ingo Stiebner's sea lions have given birth twice during a tour: at Circus Finlandia in Finland and at Circus Herman Renz in the Netherlands.

24 July 2013

The Contemporary Circus Company Glimt writes:

Empty Steps, outdoor and indoor. On 5th, 6th and 7 August, the show "Empty Steps" can be seen in Copenhagen at part of KIT's Metropolis festival.

In May, the performance had premiere at Elsinore Theatre. Since then it has been on a trip to Italy, and before Copenhagen it can be seen some places in North Zealand and Sweden.

"Empty Steps" shows the passing of one day for a brother and sister living on the street. From waking up in a huge pile of clothes, to desperate acrobatics on a wall. Enjoying their last treasure of food, and taking solace in painting their own home on the wall…

Choreographer and director Camila Sarrazin uses dance, physical skills, humor and drama, to make the audience feel and reflect on how reality is for millions of children around the world.

The performance is being created to have both an outdoors and indoors version. Outdoor version for site-specific stages and indoor version will use video as part of the scenography.

The performance is sponsored by The Danish Arts Council´s Committee for the Performing Arts

GLIMPT was founded in 2002 under the name Teatro GLIMT and is the oldest existing contemporary circus company in Denmark. The main forces are Lars Gregersen & Camila Sarrazin.

22 July 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS --  ABC THEATRE proudly presents a sympathetic and funny summer-entertainment, especially geared at the small fry ---- PERLINE LA MAGICIENNE with clown partner invites everybody to a MAGIC SHOW  fully loaded with magical effects, much fun and - magic at the pace of dancing - since PERLINE performs her stunts  dancing !!

This show is  very well adapted to kids and their parents, some children are invited up on stage to participate, thus there is plenty of interaction and before the show begins we have ample opportunity to look at the colourful and interesting things that are displayed on stage - and to wonder about what will happen with them.

 Colour might well be the theme of this performance, everything is decorated in clear and shining colours, and PERLINE herself is wearing a traditional jester's costume which sports all the colours of the rainbow.

Perline

The kids are delighted, which means that their parents are so as well.

A family show well worth seeing, running for one hour, featured in a sympathetic way and at a brisk pace, displaying an obvious joy of performing.

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS!!!

Venue: ABC THEATRE, 14 rue de Thionville, 75019 Paris.  Metro: Laumière.

----------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

18 July 2013

Norrköping Circus and Variety. The Swedish youth circus Circus Norrköping och Variety, which has around 130 active members aged 6-28 years, participated recently in a festival in Sevastopol, Ukraine. And with great success: they got the grand prix for best circus school, grand prix for juggling and first prize for aerial acrobatics.

In total about 400 young circus artists from Russia, Belarus, Poland, Latvia, Ukraine and Sweden participated in the festival.

16 July 2013

Planning a circus visit to Copenhagen? Foreign circus friends who want to see circuses in Denmark could do it from 31 August to 2 September, where it will be possible to see the three leading Danish circuses Circus Arena, Circus Benneweis and Circus Dannebrog in Copenhagen or close to Copenhagen. You can e.g. pay a visit to Circus Dannebrog in Copenhagen at the lot ‘Fisketorvet’ on Saturday 31 August at 13 or 16:30, to Circus Arena in the Copenhagen suburb Dragør on Sunday 1 September at 15 and to Circus Benneweis on Monday 2 September at 18 in the Copenhagen suburb Greve.

If you visit Copenhagen between 6^th and 15^th September you will find both Circus Benneweis and Circus Dannebrog in Copenhagen. But not Circus Arena as they close their season on 2 September.

In What’s on you can read all about playing time and how to order tickets for all Danish circuses.

Accommodation in Copenhagen? Prices from 19 Euro per night. Well, it’s not easy to find cheap accommodation in any capital in Western Europe!  But here are two suggestions: At Cabinn Hotels you can get a single room with bath and toilet for 68 Euro per night. Click here for further information.

During a circus visit to Copenhagen, don’t forget to visit the Circus Museum at Hvidovre (Copenhagen Suburb). It’s the largest and best circus museum in the Nordic countries. The museum is open Sunday to Thursday from 11 to 15. The address is Hovedporten 6, Avedørelejren, Hvidovre. From central Copenhagen you can take Bus 1A to Avedørelejren right in front of the museum.

At the hostel Belægningen next to the Circus Museum bunkbeds in communitiv will cost you 19 Euro per night. The price for a single room with bath and toilet is 53 Euro per night. Click here for further information. 

15 July 2013

Diana Rhodin’s Circus. (Translated text from Christer Nilsson's website http://magiarkivet.se/):

In Halmstad, Sweden, we had time to look visit the amusement park Adventure Land and Diana Rhodin's circus show at 16.30. Diana and her partner present every year a new program in their tent.

Diana Rhodin’s small circus tent. Photo: Christer Nilsson

The program started with tightrope dancing done by of Diana's partner. Then the partner’s daughter makes Zombie, Diana present three ponies, the daughter makes the “sword through the neck of a boy” illusion, Diana does a number of magical tricks, including the Barricades barrels and the Sword Box. Finale with soap bubbles after 30 minutes.

13 July 2012

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  all the time something interesting --

CIRQUE ELECTRIQUE  - direction HERVE VALLEE, proudly presents a nice version of new circus, featuring a lot of festive, hilarious and surprising stunts. This show, called STEAM, refers to post-industrial society and its challenges - noise and irregular lightning effects together with a one-man-band - convey the image and impression of chaos which the director of the show wants to give us.

All the circus-acts are classical ones, but featured in an original way: Chinese pole, juggling with metal balls, advanced contortion and fantastic acrobatics showing foolhardy jumping and balance on support, a parody of classic dancing, trapeze and vertical rope. A cube made of metal, about 4 square meters, serves as a base and support for a lot of the acts.

Photo by courtesy of Cécile Mulot, Cirque Electrique

The rather small top, holds about 150 persons, the props are in good condition, but many among the public would appreciate comfortable seats, now we sat on hard wooden planks.

The entrance is made in darkness, sure enough that the personnel has small lamps, but this is a questionable idea, this modus operandi is to ask for accidents - lights on, please!!

Length of show: 90 minutes.

A show well worth seeing, to my mind it is better than many of its kind, i.e. new circus.

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS!!!

Venue: Place du Maquis du Vercors, 75020  Paris.  Metro: Porte des Lilas.

-----------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

12 July 2013

Open house (tent) in Circus Benneweis. From 12 to 21 July the oldest of the Danish circuses, Circus Benneweis, is in Denmark’s second largest city Aarhus at the beautifully located lot ‘Tangkrogen’ close to the sea. On Saturday 13 July, from 11-12 there is open tent with free access. Frisko Ice has donated ice lolly the first 300 children.

11 July 2013

The Danish fairy tales author Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1975) and circuses do not have much to do with each other. However, Nordisk Film Live has now teamed up with the theatre director Steen Koerner to create an adventure show based on some of Hans Christian Andersen's most loved fairy tales: The Princess on the Pea - The Little Match Girl - The Nightingale - The Emperor's New Clothes - The Ugly Duckling - Clumsy Hans.

There is premiere on Tuesday 3 September 2013 at the Concert Hall in Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens, where the performance runs until 27 October. The world famous fairy tale comes to life in a magical world of theater, dance, 3D animations and newly written songs.

On the stage you will apart from actors, singers and dancers meet several circus performers: Valérie Inertie from Canada has previously toured with Cirque du Soleil and won in 2011 a silver clown for her number in cyr wheel (a giant ring) at the prestigious Monte Carlo Festival. Break dancer Cico from Italy has won competitions all over the world. Danish Anders Astrup Jensen has appeared in a number of contemporary circus performances and could recently be seen in Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Love Never Dies at the New Theatre in Copenhagen, where he performed with tissue and at tight wire. Swedish Manda Rydman has appeared in a number of contemporary circus performances with Swedish Circus Cirkör and other companies. Her specialty is aerial hoop, handstand and contortion. The show will also feature the goat Kurt, which is leased from Danish Circus Mascot.

Valérie Inertie in Monte Carlo. Photo: Sacha Kristensen

9 July 2013

Artists from the West Bank. The Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen, writes (my translation)

Crazy with circus. Meet contemporary circus from the West Bank, when the Circus Museum is visited by a circus troupe from Nablus Circus School on 7th and 8 August.

Based on the harsh reality at the West Bank the troupe which consists of 7 young people has made a performance where juggling, acrobatics, dance and especially humor are the principal elements. You can see the show on 8th August at 11 at the Circus Museum. The tickets which also are admission to the museum costs DKK 50 for adults. Free for children.

The visit of Nablus Circus School illustrates clearly the circus’ global nature, curator Mikkel Knudsen of the museum says. "Circus you'll find anywhere where it can entertain people, but also provide skills among the artists which they can use in many facets of their life."

In Nablus, it is increasing not only the self-esteem, but also the knowledge of the students. At the same time the reality can be harsh on the occupied West Bank and what is better to create a break than circus. Nablus Circus School cooperates with Global Kids in Denmark and their tour in Denmark is supported by the Centre for Culture and Development.

Global Kids is an international cultural project which offers cultural visits and increase children and young people's intercultural skills. The Centre for Culture and Development was established in 1998 and is an independent institution under the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Some of the young artists from Nablus Circus School. Photo by courtesy of Circus Museum in Hvidovre

If you pass the Island of Funen, you can meet the artists from Nablus Circus School Monday 19th August at 15.30 in Vollsmose Cultural Centre, Vollsmose Allé 14, Odense. Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.

9 July 2013

Elephants taking a swim. As is has been a tradition for many years a lot of people watched when Casselly family's four elephants Sunday 8 July at 10 a.m. crossed the Grasshopper Bridge in Karresbæksminde and later took a swim in the sea. In front of the bridge there was a short show: the elephants stood on their hind legs before they crossed the bridge and headed for the beach. After half an hour it was all over and the elephant walked to the grassy lot where Circus Arena had performance at. 18:30. A local newspaper estimated that about 12,000 spectators saw the passage of the bridge and the elephant bathing. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein from the website www.cirkusportalen.dk where you can see more photos from Karrebaeksminde.

7 July 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  now the CIRQUE GONTELLIS is back on track here.

CIRQUE GONTELLIS is a small family circus, touring Southern France during winter and playing in Paris summer-time, where you can see them in the many small garden-squares that exist in the city.

The audience mainly comes from the surrounding area and even from further away, the program is geared to the smaller kids, 3 - 6 years old, it is a convenient opportunity for families to be able to get a good entertainment without having to travel far. In certain areas, foreign families come frequently, both those who hail from immigration and those who work as experts in Paris.

The show is featured in a small tent fitted with a wooden floor, the acts vary alternatively year after year.

Dad SERGE is the Ringmaster and a brilliant antipodean, tables, barrels and cartwheels spin around projected by his expert feet - an act that would do well even under a big top!

Mum FABIOLA presents the rest of the program and takes part in the clown-entrée at the end of the show.

OPHELIE, 17, is beautiful and elegant on tight-wire and in aerial ring, also she features an appealing dove-act, with snow-white doves.

Ophelie in aerial ring. Photos by courtesy of Serge Gontelle

CHRISTIAN, 13, is on his way to become an accomplished juggler, he performs a cowboy act with lassoes and balances on rola-bola.

MARY, only 8, performs a nice hula-hoop act, she is the darling of the audience.

SERGE presents a goat, white mice and a cat, although not together. The kids are thrilled when they are allowed to pat the animals.

SERGE sometimes performs some magic, mainly with doves and rabbits.

Christian, Mary and Ophelie

A classic clown-sketch: THE WATER ENTRE closes the show.

Length of show: 1 hour, 15 min.

It is a hilarious and festive program, entirely geared to the small fry - they exult with joy - and the parents are happy! The entrance fee, € 5 - is well worth paying. During a short intermission, the kiosk stall sells candy floss, balloons and some circus-related toys. All props are in good shape, the tent is nicely decorated, and the seats are comfortable and well kept.

CIRQUE GONTELLI fills an important slot: providing good, healthy entertainment to families. It is not an easy task though, the weather is uncertain, and the permit to put up the tent and to play is given more or less easily by the Town Hall.

There is a number of these small circuses in France and elsewhere, they do not compete with the big ones, the aim is clear and the public knows what to do and what they are looking for: family entertainment for the small ones or sensational acts featured by the big circuses !

The entire family does everything: putting up and taking down the tent, putting up publicity-posters /and taking them down/, cleaning the area before leaving and a lot more.

The circus-children grow up and in time get a life companion, this means another circus as there are limits to how many persons a circus can feed - but this does not increase the number of potential public!!

I wish all these courageous people all the best - may they always have happy kids and pleased parents watching their show!!!!

To find where they play, look at L'OFFICIEL DES SPECTACLES or PARISCOPE, in all newsstalls.

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS!!!

-------------------------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

4 July 2013

Schumann's horse show on 4 July in the People's Party in Malmö was attended by close to 1,000 children and adults. They enjoyed the glorious sunshine to see Benny Schumann with the ponies Labanovski and Shadow. For this special performance Benny was dressed in one his father Albert Schumann’s beautiful costumes and not in his usual clown costume. 

Benny Schumann with his pony Shadow

Then the audiences met Laura Schumann Torres with two beautiful Andalusian liberty horses. Following that Laura and her husband Luis did a comical entrée with trick riding done by Luis.

One would hope that more amusement parks came to realize that by presenting a show like this can attract additional visitors.

The Danes and visitors to Denmark have from 10 July to 10 August the possibility of seeing Laura and Luis Torres Schumann with their horses at Schumann Wild West Show at Ditlevsdal Bison Farm in Morum, Isle of Funen. Laura and Luis told me that it was part of this show they presented in in Malmö. For more information on the show at the bison farm see What's On.

Laura Schumann Torres with two of her Andalusian horses

Luis Torres Schumann. Click here to see more photos from the show

3 July 2013

Obituary: Toni Hochegger. The famous horse trainer Toni Hochegger passed away in his home on 2 July. He was born 10 August 1932 in St. Johann in Steiermark (Austria) and was thus 80 years old. He was especially known for his entrée with his “Bettpferd”. An entrée which his daughter Rose Hoechegger later took over.

In 1951, he joined the Swiss Circus Knie, where he initially worked as a groom. But the Knie family soon discovered his talent for training and presenting animals, and from 1957 he was in the ring. Mostly with horses, but also with animals such as hippo, giraffe, zebras and elephants. He worked for Circus Knie for 18 years. Then he began to travel around as an independent artist.

In celebration of their 10th wedding anniversary in 1974 his wife Bärbel (Barbara Mascott, one of the famous Mascott Sisters) gave him a horse, Jacket, which he during the next two years trained for the act with the “Bettpferd” which made him famous. The Danes saw the act at Benneweis in the Copenhagen Circus Building in 1980. The number had success not only in the circus, but at many stages, at various horse shows and in television. The trusting relationship between Toni and his horse meant that they could work well on small stages as well as in big arenas.

Last time Scandinavians saw his famous act with the Bettpferd was in Circo Massimo in Karlskrona in 2003.

Diana Benneweis of Circus Benneweis remembers Toni with great gratitude and writes (my translation):

They were the nicest people you can imagine! Along with Manfred Doval and the Young Bros. they have left their indelible footprints in my heart! Star performers and at the same tile the nicest and down to earth and helpful people I have ever meet in my long circus life!

Toni and Bärbel had a very special place with me - we're all horse people! I was short of grooms and who groomed and cleared away the dong and helped in the circus ring during both training and performances - who drove my sulkies when we missed jockeys, - oh! Now I am crying!

Click here to see a video clip from 1981med Toni and Jacket.

2 July 2013

Flying Superkids. The young show gymnasts from Flying Superkids in Aarhus have as usual a summer tour in Denmark. The tour will bring them to Odense (July 17 to 20), Copenhagen (July 24 to August 3) and Aarhus (August 9 to 15). They write (my translation):

Every year we have a summer tour in Denmark with our Show Tent. It all started in 2005 when we bought an old German circus tent and renovated it from top to bottom. It was especially designed for the show and since then over 100,000 people has seen our shows in our Show Tent.

This year we have a brand new tent with seating for 700 spectators, and we hope to give the audience the best / most intimate experience ever. The new show tent is especially designed for our show and no spectator is more than 15 meters from the centre of the stage.

We look forward to be "on the road"!

2 July 2013

The Danish Gentleman thief Kenny Quinn and Mrs Joan, who this year touring with the large Finnish Circus Finlandia, has sent me the photo shown above where Kenny and Joan are seen together with their son Jack in front of the castle Olavlinna in the town of Savonlinna.

Circus Finlandia is currently in eastern part of Finland. The picture below shows the circus seen from a ski jump in the town of Kitee. They have now normal summer weather with about 25 Celsius degrees and the sun from a slightly cloudy sky. In late June, it was even warmer: there were days when the temperature at 9:30 was 31 Celsius degrees!

1 July 2013

Wallman’s 10 years anniversary show Sweet Addiction. This autumn Wallman presents a new dinnershow in the Copenhagen Circus Building. It is the 10^th show they put up after they took over the building in in 2003. This time the performers include two aerial acrobats and a circus performer. In the broadcasted material they write (my translation):

During the last 9 years, 750,000 guests have visited Wallman in the Copenhagen Circus Building and now Wallman invite the audience to their 10 years anniversary show SWEET ADDICTION. Our 10 year anniversary show Sweet Addiction offers even greater doses of pure showbiz, humour and great emotion. As a guest you will be taken on a seductive journey filled with tremendous musical interpretations, entertaining artistry, comedy and dizzying acrobatics...

For our anniversary show the ensemble is expanded from 14 to 16 professional artists, including two international aerial acrobats and a circus performer who will entertain with his brand new Chaplin-inspired show. Our artists have experience ranging from the Danish musical scene for the Eurovision Song Contest and the big shows way over on the other side of the Atlantic.

About the artists they write:

Wallman can this year welcome one of the major capabilities who has

come all the way from Las Vegas. It is the American-born acrobat Shaunna who has performed in the famous club The Box in New York and in major shows in Las Vegas and Dubai. Additionally, this year's show present the aerial acrobat Bruno, who comes all the way from Brazil to do breath-taking tricks.

The young circus performer who will do a Chaplin-inspired show is the Danish mine artist and juggler Kasper Jensen. In 2008, he toured Denmark with Zirkus Nemo's anniversary show, and in 2010 and 2011, the audience could see him with diabolo and devilstick at some of Benny Schumann shows in the amusement park ‘Bakken’.

The show has dress rehearsal on 23 August and will run until June 2014.

1 July 2013

The list of circus museums updated. Dan Roneklint Sorensen has updated the list of circus museums, etc. worldwide. Click here to see the updated list, which also includes links to a number of interesting websites.

1 July 2013

Circus Olympia. The 28^th June I visited the Swedish Circus Olympia in Örkeljungam Sweden. The show featured as always beautiful and well-kept animals, presented by members of the Bengtsons family. Especially impressing amongst the artists was the young diablo juggler David Confal, Anne Leon in tissue and the aerial acrobat Alex Michael. The latter makes an act inspired by the legendary Super Silva, who the Danes last year saw in Circus Dannebrog and who this year tours with Circus Knie in Switzerland.

This year Olympia performance was 26 March 2013 reviewed on this page by Martin Lasson Berglund.

The excellent young diabolo juggler David Confal. Click here to see more photos from Circus Olympia.

1 July 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  now a big illusions-show by DANI LARY and friends ...

A super-elegant illusions-show, featuring mysteries, humour, a festive atmosphere and a marvellous stage-setting including beautiful chorus girls who take an important part in the illusions. DANI LARY is thus back on track in Paris, otherwise he tours France and neighbouring countries.

Dani Lary with one of his beautiful chorus girls

This show is presented now in JUNE and JULY, we are lucky to be able to see it at the CASINO DE PARIS, a theatre rich in traditions, having formerly featured big revues in the very best of Parisian style, nowadays we can here see various shows, often in cabaret style.

Really worth seeing!!

Venue: CASINO DE PARIS, 16 rue de Clichy, 75009  Paris.  Metro: Trinité.

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS !!!

-------------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

28 June 2013

Circus Landino and Cirkusland 2013. Cirkusland in Circus Arena's winter quarters in Aarslev is this year open from 6 July - 11 August every day from 10 to 17. You can as last year see the exhibition Days of the Dinosaur - a journey to the Jurassic - with 44 "live" dinosaurs in natural size.

In addition to the exhibition there are 2 daily performances in Circus Landino, sea lion show, training of circus animals, horses and elephants, playground and rides and a circus museum, cafeteria and more.

The performances in Circus Landino will as last year be presented by Suzanne Berdino. She says that the participating artists this year is Max Weldy with trampoline, Tatiana in trapeze, the reprise clown Berty (Berty Balder) with other reprises than last year, Stephanie and Charmaine Berdino with beautiful horses (high school riding and ponies) and Tim Delbosq with Circus Arena’s 3 elephants. Suzanne has some small acts with dogs, goats and pigs. Each performance will last about 30 to 40 minutes.

Max Weldy is well known by the Danish audience, which last time saw him with his comedy trampoline act at Circus Arena in 2010. Berty Balder was one of the 3 Balder brothers, who the Danes met in Circus Dannebrog in 2008 and 2009. The trio has since the split up and the two other brothers are this year as last year with Circus Olympia in Sweden.

Charmaine Berdino. Photo from Circus Landino 2012

The Berdino family’s own African elephants, presented by Tim Delbosq. Photo from 2012

28 June 2013

Melanie Kaselowsky turns 30 on 1 July. Melanie is daughter of the animal trainer Bernhard Kaselowsky, who for several seasons has worked in Circus Dannebrog. At Dannebrog she met Haddy and Solveig Enoch’s oldest grandson Jimmy, who she has been dating since 2003. Together they have a daughter Emily, born 14 November 2012. For several seasons, Melanie assisted in her father's elephant and camel acts or her boyfriend Jimmy bike acts. This year Melanie, Jimmy and their daughter travels with Flying Superkids where Jimmy is production manager.

Melanie Kaselowsky

26 June 2013

The Schumann Horseshow is the name of a show which you can see on Thursday 4 July at 13 in the People's Park in Malmö, Sweden. It's Benny Schumann who along with his niece Laura Schumann Torres and her husband Luis Schumann Torres presents their horses.

The People's Park promises "A great horse show with two beautiful Andalusian horses, an Arabian stallion and a young Baroque Pinto presented in a combination of comedy and joy". Admission is free. People's Park is located at the address Amiralsgatan 35, Malmo, about 10 minutes' walk from Malmö Trianglen railroad station.

25 June 2013

Monday, 24 June, Victoria Enoch got her high school certificate from Haderslev Cathedral School. Her proud mother Agnete Louise Enoch says that Victoria is the first female member in the Enoch family’s history who has taken such certificate. Congratulations to Victoria and her family

Victoria surrounded by family and friends. To the left of Victoria you can see her friend Merrylou Casselly. First person from left is her cousin David Enoch Sosman and rightmost her cousin Edward Enoch Sosman.

24 June 2013

Circus Magic. Bo Kalvslund writes (my translation)

Allow me to introduce myself: I am the director of Circus Magic :-)

Circus Magic is not a real circus - it exists only in the imagination and in an interactive children's book for iPad that I have made.

The story is about a show in the circus with the princess, circus horse, elephant, clown, etc. I made it to share my enthusiasm for circus with kids and parents.

It is made with illustrations that change when you click on them and you can throw roses and another when you swipe down from the top.

The course is intended for small children as the interactive element is fairly simple: you can click on the images which then switch: e.g. trapeze acrobats jump and are caught.

I have made an international version without the text "Circus Magic" - thought to all countries children + a Danish version "Circus Magic" with text that tells what you can and help on the way. You can read it for the kids who then can play with the things you can get ahead: sounds and small animations.

The app can be seen here:

https://itunes.apple.com/dk/app/cirkus-magi-en-interaktiv/id629095051?mt=8

22 June 2013 

Circus in Sweden 2013. The well-known circuses in Sweden are Circus Brazil Jack, Circus Maximum, Circus Olympia, Circus Scott, Circus Skratt and Circus Wictoria.

However, the Swedish Circus magazine Cirkuläre Notiser tell in the latest issue that there this year there are several other circus in Sweden. All of them small circuses.

The German Circus Bambino is owned by Billy and Ariane Weisheit. In July they can be seen at Ronneby resort and camping in Smaaland, Sweden. All acts are done by the 8 members of the family Weisheit. The tent is 10 x 16 meters.

Circus Elvira is owned by Ann and Thomas Jerbo. From 24 June to 14 July they can be seen at Norra Berget in Sundsvall, Sweden. The performance lasts approx. 35 minutes.

Circus Europe is owned by Michael Sundelius.

Circus Harlequin is owned by Trolls and Monica Olsson. They tour with a 2-pole tent with room for a few hundred spectators in the southern part of Sweden.

Circus Sydney is owned by the German Alexander Scholl family.

Circus Madigan is owned by Peer Jackson and Manuella Scholl. They began their tour in the southern part of Sweden and will later go to Estonia. At the beginning of the season they worked together Circus Schollini, see below. A short review of the performance could be seen on this page on 2 April 2013. There has since then been changes in the performance.

The German Circus Schollini is owned by Hardy "Kalle" Scholl. At the beginning of the season was Circus Madigan and Circus Schollini same enterprise. But after a few weeks split up into two circuses, which was already decided prior to season opening.

Circus Rhodin is owned by Diana Rhodin and performs for the 5^th consecutive year in Halmstad Wonderland in Sweden throughout the season.

Circus Trollehatt presents approx. 50 minutes long performances in Frösö Zoo in Ostersund, Sweden, from 15 June to 11 August in a tent with room for approx. 200 spectators.

21 June 2013

Circus Accident in Kalundborg. On Friday afternoon a circus performance took place in one of Circus Arena tent’s at SEAS-NVE's premises at Sønderstrandsvej in the outskirts of Kalundborg. The premises is south of the city close to the Great Belt. The Great Belt (Danish: Storebælt) is a strait between the main Danish islands of Zealand (Sjælland) and Funen (Fyn). During the show occurred an accident in connection with a sudden violent gust of wind which blew down the tent.

Canvas and poles overturned with a bang and tore a lot of circus equipment down over the audience a witness told TV2 EAST.

Carsten Maersk, sales manager for Circus Arena, was present in Kalundborg, when the tent collapsed over the heads of the audience. He says to DR TV that the tent was put up close to the Great Belt in Kalundborg, when the accident happened.

- It was a squall coming in from the side and suddenly the whole tent cracked.

Seven people were taken to hospital. No one was serious injured.

"There were about 550 people in the tent, who first ate at round tables in a festival tent. Between the courses artists and four of our elephants performed. But suddenly one side of the tent was torn up by the crazy winds," Circus Arena’s tour manager Klaus Jochumsen says to Ekstra Bladet. He was himself in Odense, where Circus Arena with their main tent has performances until Sunday.

The performance in Kalundborg was a special performance for 550 eating guest due to SEAS-NVE 100th year’s anniversary. SEAS-NVE is Denmark’s largest consumer-owned energy company. The guests were members of SEAS-NVE's Board of representative and former employees.

20 June 2013

Obituaries:

The clown Gabo, aka Sven Börje Gaborn, Vinslöv, Sweden, has according to the Swedish circus magazine Cirkuläre Notiser passed way 96 years old. Gabo was for many years resident in Denmark, where he in 1977 worked for Circus Arena and in the years 1979-1981 for Circus Benneweis the Circus Building in Copenhagen. Originally he was costume tailor, and he made costumes for both Circus Arena and Circus Benneweis and for various other shows. As costume and run in clown he was best known for walking on stilts and for his spectacular costumes.

The Costume Clown Gabo at Circus Benneweis at in 1980. My oldest son Morten, who then was 7 years old, was very proud to get the clown's autograph

Anton Kollmann died according Cirkuläre Notiser in April, 97 years old. He was born in Munich and worked from the mid 1930’ties to sometime in the 1950’ties for Circus Krone, especially as trainer of big cats. Then he got a job at Trolle Rhodin’s Swedish Zoo Circus, where he was until Trolle in 1964 closed his circus to become an artist director with Ringling. In the years 1967-1972 and again from 1978-1989 he worked for Danish Circus Benneweis in connection with their guest performances in the early autumn months to the southern part of Sweden. After this season he retired and settled in Imatra in Finland, where his wife worked as a teacher.

19 June 2013

Porsgrunn Internationale Theatre Festival (PIT) in Norway had this year 160 performances and events for nearly 30,000 spectators, Thorbjorn Klæbo Flo writes. He continues: PIT also used the new auditorium in Porsgrunn’s new culture centre “Elvespeilet”. A grand opening with full houses.

On opening day, June 11, it was nice weather and “Brosteinsballet” has almost 10,000 visitors. The audience got to see the African acrobats, clowns and street performers on stilts + + +.

Burnt Out Punks also had a mini show until the French Vost Cirk presented their terrific trapeze show mixed with theatre and irony. 500 lounge chairs was put up (a bit to few) and most spectators stood on their feets and watched the performance. It all ended with a giant fireworks display launched from Porsgrunn River close to midnight. A great start to the festival which many talked about during the entire festival period.

The French trapeze acrobats from Cirk Vost. Photos: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

The day after, the12th June, the Swedish Burnt Out Punks presented their show in pouring rain. But the artist didn’t mind the rain and did a crazy fire show.

Next year celebrates PIT 20 years, expectations are great :)

Swedish Burnt Out Punks. Photos: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

17 June 2013

The elephants Donna’s epilogue and other stories is the title of a new Norwegian book written by Erik Frisch and illustrated with photos taken by Erik Wessel.

About the book to the publishers Manege writes (my translation):

We can quote a bit from the preface of the book:

"Erik Wessel has created the pictures in the book. Wessel is a retired professor of painting from the Art Academy in Oslo. He has had the pleasure of traveling with Circus Arnardo a few days and come close on one life ranging between very sober realism and the magic of the circus ring. Erik works with digital photography and printing techniques and uses Photoshop to regain some of his freedom as a painter. He is careful to point out that this book is a collaborative art project and not a documentary project. He admits that he is often influenced by other artists and has been inspired by a number of them.

Erik Frisch - writer - let in this book his idea and pen follow their whims and associations. You can find playfulness, structure, humor, elegance and fantasy. The author had his debut in 1979 with the novel Light show, and has since then been through most literary genres. He has published prose / poetry and poetry in Italy, and in 2007 was guest of honor at the poetry festival in Ceraso.

16 June 2013

The photographer Per "Mr. Sputnik "Krogh Petersen has visited the youth circus Circus Kæphøj Cocky in Holbæk and writes: CIRKUS KÆPHØJ 2013 (Childens Circus). It was incredible to see what the kids could do. It is a really good SHOW. It is with great pleasure that I now can show you the picture & movie I took under the SHOW. Click here to see Per’s photos.

11 June 2013

The small Norwegian Circus Minimax writes (my translation):

Cirkus Minimax is starting up their summer tour on 29 June at Flø in Ulsteinvik. Circus Minimax is booked for the annual festival Go With The Flø held from the 29th to 30 June. Following this Circus Minimax takes the trip to Gaupen and Snilsberg Family Park from the 3rd to 4 July. Cirkus Minimax has a total of 4 performances in Snilsberg Family Park with a workshop in conjunction with the park's 20th anniversary. The performances are held at 12.00 and 15.00 each day. Gaupen is located between Hamar and Lillehammer. After this Círcus Miminax will pay visit to several campgrounds.

This year's show is packed with excitement and fun from start to end. The performance is suitable for the whole family. Circus Minimax present this year e.g. diabolos at a rapid pace both with and without fire, balance artistry, fakirs, comic acrobatics, jugglers and of course clowns. This year’s clown is named Gugge and comes from Denmark. Gugge is a modern clown with a lot of good gags. He can also juggle several balls with his mouth! Cirkus Minimax also has its very own mascot, the chicken Pingrid which will appear several times during the show. After the performance there will be free workshops, where the public can try to be real artist for a day.

7 June 2014

Two birthdays with a round figure

Louise Mandrup can celebrate her 40 year’s birthday on 13 June. Louise is head of marketing in Circus Benneweis. She was born in Horsens, where her father is among the city's leading lawyers. She graduated from Horsens Senior High School and started studying French at Aarhus University. However, she did not want a future as teacher in French and changed study and graduated as a multimedia designer.

After graduation Louise Mandrup worked with Sales and Marketing at Four Focus, where she sold IT solutions and copiers. Then followed a period in the football club AC Horsens, where she made sponsorships agreements and did audiences promotional activities. Then she came to Stofa as event and sponsorship manager and met in this connection in the fall of 2010 the circus queen Diana Benneweis when Stofa bought a number of Benneweis performances. When Louise in the spring 2011 left Stofa she became marketing manager for Circus Benneweis. Initially it was only for season 2011, but Diana and Louise quickly agreed to continue the cooperation. In addition to marketing is Louise responsible for sales and public relation.

Louise Mandrup photographed in front of a Benneweis-wagon               

Charley Kaye can celebrate his 80 years birthday on 16 June. Charley was born in Lindholm in Aalborg, where his father was a bricklayer and his mother worked at a laundry. Around 1940 the family moved to Copenhagen, where they got an apartment at Vesterbro and Charley was apprenticed as a metalworker. At the same time he began training in a boxing club and at Cliftons artist school as his the dream not to end up as a metalworker. Along with another young artist, he got a job first in Circus Lowe in Norway and then in the Danish Circus Miehe. After having done his service as a soldier, he worked for a while as stage manager at Lorry Music Hall in Copenhagen. When some other artist left he got his debut together with a friend as Clifton Brothers. They were successful and worked in many places all over in Europe. During an engagement at the Music Hall and dance restaurant Bonbonnièren in Esbjerg he met a beautiful English girl Belita Fossett. When Charley's partner in Clifton Brothers wanted to stop Charley and Belita decided to make an act together. And they became a couple both in private life and as artists. For many years they toured all over Europe with a comical knockabout table act and Charley jumped around among the audience behaving as a monkey (chimpanzee). The couple appeared no less than 25 times in Hamburg's legendary Hansa Theatre.

Charley Kaye

When Charley was about 50 years old, he found the job as an artist a little too hard. He then worked for some years as a cultural consultant for a trade union until he in 1988 restarted Amager’s old Red Inn Theatre in a gymnasium at a disused school on Øresundsvej in Amager, Copenhagen. The theatre became a success and featured among other shows with acrobats instead of the usual chorus girls. In November 2006, the Management Board of the theatre found it was time for a generational change and sent a disappointed Charley Kaye on retirement. In 2008, the theatre was declared bankrupt as the change of CEO certainly hadn’t been successful!

5 June 2013

Circus Mascot 2013. Jess and Marianne Deleuran established Circus Mascot in 1994. Thus, 2013 is their season No. 20. It is nice to see the positive developments in the small circus during these 20 years. They're like vintage wine: they get better every year.

Circus Mascot at the lot in Jaegerspris 2 June 2013

After the Deleuran family (papa Jess, mama Marianne, Daniel, 23, and Andrew 15) have welcomed the audience 12-year-old Husik enters the ring with the hula hoop act which last fall earned him an award at the circus festival for young artists in Wiesbaden. He is son of the clown Gulio and aerial acrobat Tatyana and had his artistic debut in Circus Mascot in 2008. He had, however, previously participated in his mother's hula hoop entrées. Already in 2008 his act was impressive, and it is now an act of a quality that far exceeds most other hula-hoop acts. I have never seen others do Husik’s final trick where a hula-hoop ring rotates on his nose.

Husik’s final trick is hula hoop with a ring that rotates around his nose

After Husik's entrée his father Gulio has his first run in, where he starts to do hula hoop and ends up using a member from the audience to walk on stilts. As previous years Gulio has a fantastic contact with his audience. They just love him!

Right from the very first season Marianne Deleuran has every year presented a dog act in Circus Mascot. In 1994 there was only one dog and a balloon dog made by Jess. But there were soon more dogs and the act became a dog act of a quality that easily can be compared with the dog acts you meet in large circuses. The last few years, Marianne’s son Andreas has assisted in the act which this year is presented in a new and exciting choreography and new costumes for Marianne and Andreas.

Mother and son Marianne and Andreas Deleuran and their dogs

After a run in with Gulio Daniel enters the ring with a fine act in aerial straps.

Again this year Mascot has managed to get a contract in place with Katja Schumann. In the performance's first part she presents one of her splendid American saddlebreds and in the second part two saddlebreds. The two horse acts is perfect for the ring in the small circus and are presented with the talent and the elegance that has always been the Schumann family's trademark.

After another run-in with Gulio the audience as last number before the break meets the Hungarian rola-bola artist Antal Veres.

Antal Veres

The first number after the interval is juggling act where Antal’s son Henrik Veres worked with "bouncing balls".

After that Gulio has a funny run-in where he gets a member from the audience to help him juggle large beach balls. Then Katja Schumann comes in the ring with her second horse number which I mentioned above. A true feast for the eyes!

The next artist is Tatyana Prymanchenko in aerial rope. She is followed by a very good acrobatic act, including hand-to-hand, performed the Deleuran Brothers.

The brothers Daniel and Andrew Deleuran. Click here to see more photos from the show.

Gulio then came in the ring and made with help from the audience his own 4 piece band.

The performance's last act was Veres family with illusions which also featured some new thinking: a box was pierced with colorful umbrellas instead of the usual swords or lances, and what you think will end up being the usual substitution trunk gets another end when the box is taken up in the air and turns out to be empty.

Click here to see Circus Mascot’s trailer from the show.

For the time being Circus Mascot is on Zealand, but they will soon return to Funen and Jutland and to Fano, where it has become a tradition that they stay a few weeks.

4 June 2013

QUEEN OF THE AIR: A True Story of Love & Tragedy at the Circus it the tittle of a new book by Milwaukee Author Dean Jensen. It tells the story about the famous trapeze star Lilian Leitzel who fell to her death in Copenhagen in Copenhagen in February 1931. In connection with his research for the book Dean Jensen has been in contact with Ole Simonsen, editor of this website, regarding certain information from Denmark.

The Boswell Book Company presents an Author's Talk at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 13, followed by book signing at Boswell Book Company, 2559 N. Downer Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53211.

Please click here for a short movie trailer on "Queen of the Air".

3 June 2013

Video trailer for Circus Benneweis 2013. The photographer Palle Hansen has told me that he as previous years has made a video trailer for Circus Benneweis. Click here to watch the trailer.

3 June 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  but also in AVIGNON, Southern France, where an important theater festival is featured each year. We see classic theater, but the greater part of interest is often caught by the theater off, performances avant garde - and to a great extent by acts from cabaret-variety-circus, featured by excellent artists, both as street shows and at certain theaters. If you want to keep being updated, concerning all kinds of stage arts - this AVIGNON festival is a real must !!

One of the great stars this year is a MAGIC SHOW, geared at a family audience: MA SORCIERE PREFEREE /=my preferred witch/ by and with the female magic entertainer YOGANE who excels performing a light-hearted and hilariously funny family show presenting humour, magical effects as well as a lot of interaction: many of the small fry are invited up on stage to take an active part in the acting. The title of the show is inspired by a well-known TV-series.

YOGANE is a very talented magic entertainer, she really is the favorite both among the kids and their parents.

Yogane

Production of show: Magie  en Seine/  President of association: J-F Bouffard/ Organization of show: Lully Sakaguchi, known from the Trevise Theater, Paris/ Performer: YOGANE/  Lighting:N. Benier/  Props: Annaelle Try.

Venue: Palace d'Avignon, period: 5 thru 31 JULY.

See more: www.yogane.fr/ma-sorciere-preferee-spectacle-de-magie-pour-les-enfants/

IT ALL HAPPENS IN AVIGNON !!! -  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.  

24 May 2013

Gentleman pickpocket entertainer on stamps. In Finland you can get stamps with circus subjects. The Danish gentleman pickpocket entertainer Kenny Quinn who together with Mrs Joan tour with Circus Finlandia this year has sent me the stamps shown below with himself as subject. There will probably come another Finnish stamp, where you can see Kenny together with Mrs Joan.

The two Finnish stamps shown in actual size

19 May 2013

Video clips from Circus Dannebrog. Circus Dannebrog visits for the time being several cities in Eastern part of Jutland. atvdenmark have made a short reportage where Agnete Louise Enoch tells about the performance, which you also see clips from. Click here to see reportage.

Jørgen Amorsen has send me these photos from the circus lot in Hadsten on 21 May

19 May 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  plenty of family shows --

NOW: COMEDIE BASTILLE proudly presents GIORGIO MAGIC SHOW - a theatrical and comical way of presenting a magic show, where the children are amused - as well as their parents !

Many surprising effects follow each other and a number of children are invited up on stage to participate.

This is a kind of theater - Magic as entertainment is nothing but theater, let alone in a specific form.

The atmosphere of theater is sustained by a cosy and friendly interior, Comedie Bastille sports comfortable seats covered with red velvet, efficient lighting and a good PA sound system.

It has been stated previously, but it is important that even the small fry get into contact with live theater, and that they don't see everything happening by electronics, which you always can have handy and where the programs flow continuously.

To watch and experience MAGIC AS ENTERTAINMENT, you have to move physically to the venue, after having taken the decision to see it all, you have to pay your ticket for admission - it involves your personal decision - whereas everything electronic flows continuously without your moving the little finger, except for the phenomenon called "zapping", which means ultimately that few programs are watched from start to end.

An important difference !!

GIORGIO MAGIC SHOW features a modern style, kind of disco-style - sporting a brisk  tempo, pace, recorded music, enthusiasm and lots of humour and hilarious stunts.

A great show featuring MAGIC AS ENTERTAINMENT !!!

Length of show: 60 minutes.

Venue: Comedie Bastille, 5 rue Nicolas Appert, 75011 Paris.  Metro: Richard-Lenoir. 

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS !!!

See more: http://www.billetreduc.com/88911/evt.htm?gclid=CPSLuKaHmrcCFYV8cAod4VcADA

-------------------------------------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

16 May 2013

High wire act to Circus Dannebrog. When Circus Dannebrog visit Randers during the Whitsun holidays you can in addition to the artists who have been with Dannebrog since the beginning of the season see a new act: the high wire sensation from Colombia, the two Hermanos Mesa. They replace the Russian Duo Tereschenko who after the opening performance in March left the Circus Dannebrog with the message that they found it too cold in Denmark. A very unprofessional and amateurish behavior!  But now, Circus Dannebrog has found a replacement for the two Russians in Duo Tereschenko. Tereschenkos was in the beginning of season 2012 a trio and their quality as an aerial duo was clearly influenced by the fact that there was one person less in the act.

On 15 May during the evening performance in Ry audience got a shock when one of the young Colombian high wire acrobats fell from the wire. On facebook Agnete Louise Enoch of Circus Dannebrog wrote: "During one of his daring tricks young Tomas missed a trick and fell 7 meters down. Luckily enough Tomas was not badly hurt. He climbed back on the high wire to finish his act. A true circus performer who lives by the motto "the show must go on!" Tomas has pain in his leg and a sprained hand. Otherwise, he's fine and is ready again to work in our next show. "

13 May 2013

The human canon ball Captain Muñoz can as in 2011 and 2012 during the summer be seen at a number of fairs all over Denmark. 10th to 12 June he appeared at a fair and flea market  in Copenhagen and during Whitsun 18 to 20 June you can meet him at Graested veteran rally.

Captain Luis Muñoz. Click here to see more photos.

Luis Muñoz (born 1955) is the younger brother of the human canon ball Cristobal Muñoz (born 1954), who became known all over Denmark when he in the 1970s he toured Denmark with Ronald’s Festival Tivoli. Muñoz-family is a well-known Spanish artist family. Some of the members went to America and Luis as well as Christobal are American citizien The brothers' father was also cannon, in Spanish "El hombre del Canon". Another brother, Henry, and an uncle works or has worked as human cannon balls.

12 May 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS -- Theatre ALAMBIC proudly presents an original mnemo-technical show, featured by BENOIT ROSEMONT, magic entertainer and mentalist, and an actor as well.

This show is highly original, the only one of its kind, as far as I know.

BENOIT ROSEMONT features a number of mnemo-technical stunts, where he displays a huge memory as far as letters and numbers are concerned - he performs in a hilarious way - important in this context where he is paid for entertaining a paying audience.

Benoit Rosemont. Photo by courtesy of the artist. Photographer: Eric Hochard

His success is certain, the theatre, although rather small, was sold out!! BENOIT ROSEMONT makes a sympathetic impression on  his adult audience, they like him from the very start, also because he is elegantly dressed and shows respect to the onlookers. Furthermore he runs a career comprising stage-performances, close up-events and family shows.

Here we have to understand some French, but every stunt is clearly displayed on white-board - and the reactions from the public assist the understanding of what is going on.

Absolutely worth seeing!!

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS!!!

Venue: THEATRE ALAMBIC, 12 rue Neuve de la Chardonniere, 75018  Paris.  Metro: Simplon.

See more: www.benoitrosemont.com

---------------------------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

8 May 2013

Circus Maximum 2013 - A great anniversary show. Tobias Schött visited the large Swedish Circus Maximum in Stockholm and writes (my translation):

On 4th of May Circus Maximum owned by Bengt Källquist began their usual visit in the Swedish capital Stockholm on the lot at ‘Gärdet’ in Stockholm. This year's show is called "Celebration" which is an appropriate name as the circus this year celebrates its 30th years anniversary. This year's program includes many artists who we have seen in Sweden before but also some new faces to the Swedish audience.

The performers in this year’s performance "Celebration". Photo: Tobias Schött

First act is the Belarusian acrobats Four Men, a bunch of happy guys showing impressive hand balance and human pyramids. Rosi Hochegger (who we have seen in Danish Circus Arena, Swedish Circus Brazil Jack and Danish Circus Benneweis) present her horse in a stylish high school ride without a saddle, after which the faithful Anton Frank presents the circus’ eight spotted pony stallions in a playful number. The clowns Bobylevs from Russia (known from two seasons at Danish Circus Benneweis) is a fresh feature in this year's show. They have four different entrées during the show and everything felt modern and innovative. Glen Nicolodi from Italy does acrobatics together with his tiny dog Boy. Glen is a full-featured acrobat who we have seen many times in Scandinavia, including in Finnish Circus Finlandia and Norwegian Circus Arnardo. Ingo Stiebner with his sea lions Lola and Lappi we have seen many times before, but it's still a charming and funny act where you really can see the relation between animals and humans. The last act before the break is the Romanian trampoline comedian Costin Belu with a fanciful and funny number that pleased especially the younger members of the audience.

Make sure to visit Circus Maximums stables during the break, where you can see Ingo Stiebner train with his sea lions. All animals in the stables are clean and all animals have good and large facilities.

Bobylevs. Photo: Tobias Schött

After the break, we return to see Rosi Hochegger, this time with an act with her happy dogs. Duo Volkov from Russia present powerful aerial acrobatics, an impressive number that is characterized by both strength and elegance. Anton Frank returns with Circus Maximum’s own elephants: Dunja (Indian) and Daela (African) in an as always good dressage. Dunya is right now the largest circus elephant in Europe and Anton uses voice more than his whip. A delight for the eye to see these well trained giants in the ring! Duo Vanegas with their wheel of death had success in Finnish Circus Finlandia in 2011 and is now for the first time in Sweden. The highlights of the act are when one of the brothers walks blindfolded on the wheel, and when one of them succeeds doing a somersault while the wheel is spinning at high speed. It is a really good and exciting act which fit perfectly as the last act in a show.

Circus Maximum’s elephants with Anton Frank in the background. Photo: Tobias Schött

Maximum’s 9 pieces band headed by bandmaster Krzystof Majewski plays as usual really good and creates a classic circus atmosphere in the tent right from the show's start. Music of a very high quality!

This year's anniversary show is a performance filled with animals and many world-class artists, and is well worth a visit during the summer!

6 May 2013

Circus Skratt 2013. It's not easy to get information about the Swedish Circus Skratt. It is owned by Bo Rönnberg, but rent equipment from Benny Berdino / Circus Arena who also produce the performances. It is also Circus Arena which is "providing" the technical manager Jacki Steckel.

Circus Skratt call themselves Sweden's largest circus and tell that they have room for 1,300 spectators. Circus Skratt never tour in the summer months. In 2013 the spring season is as far as I know from 4 May to 7 June. A large part of the performances are sold to companies, supermarkets, etc. However, there are also some performances where tickets can be purchased at the box office in the circus. Click here to see a Swedish website with list of where you can find the Swedish circuses (the list does not include sold performance and is not quite complete).

With help from a Swedish circus fan Adi Barlov and Suzanne Berdino and her daughter Stephanie, I have identified the following about Circus Skratt’s spring program:

Stephanie Berdino is in the ring with 3 acts: high school riding using side-saddle, an act with 3 goats and 2 dogs and an act with 6 ponies from Circus Arena’s stables. From Circus Arena also come 2 sea lions, which are presented by the Romanian couple Sean and Dana Diaconu. Furthermore the audience will meet the clown Berty (Engelbert Berty Balder), the trampoline comedian Max Weldy and aerial acrobats Trio Wozniewsky. The Danes know Max Weldy and Trio Wozniewsky from Circus Arena 2010. Previously, Max Weldy also appeared in Circus Benneweis, at the Red Inn Theatre and Tivoli. Last year he toured with the Swedish Circus Maximum.

5 May 2013

Small circuses in Denmark. Denmark has a number of small circuses with very few performers (sometimes just one performer) that perform more or less regularly in e.g. shopping centres, at fairs etc.

The photographer Per "Mr Sputnik "Krogh Petersen visited recently one of these Circus Bella Donna with Karsten Clown as the leading figure. Click here to see Per’s photos from Circus Bella Donna.

Myself I met Sunday 5 May at the shopping mall Farum Bytorv Circus 3 with the clowns Charlie & Binalto (Bo Bjerregaard and Jan Kierulf). Both I and my almost 6 year’s old brought grandson Sebastian enjoyed the show with the two glorious pranksters: the roguish Charlie and the more naive Binalto.

Charlie and Binalto from Circus 3 Click here to see more photos from the show. Also Per Krogh Petersen saw the performance. Click here for link to his pictures.

4 May 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  magic entertainer CHRISTIAN GAMBIN proudly presents a number of theatrical shows at his small theatre L'ANTRE MAGIQUE / meaning the magic den or place/. Some of these shows are geared at the adult audience, others are meant for children and their parents.

CHRISTIAN GAMBIN certainly is a gifted magic entertainer, he also is a singer, musician, clown, creator of films and actor, this makes it possible for him to compose many shows, together with partner CHANTAL CRUAUD who takes an active part in most of the shows.

For a number of years CHRISTIAN GAMBIN was hired by one of the great Parisian cabarets:

LE PARADIS LATIN and he conducted an international career, also performing in TOKYO, at the CRYSTAL PALACE. His signature act was when he first appeared as a classic illusionist and then - suddenly - transformed himself into a rocker!

THEATRE L'ANTRE MAGIQUE is now completely refurbished in red and golden colors, thus giving both a classic impression as well as a modern one. The space is allowed to seat 50 persons, it exists since 1995, during all this time about 6 shows for the adult audience have been created, and likewise 6 shows for the children and their parents.

Now, spring 2013, the posters announce a theatrical play for the smaller fry and their parents: LE PINGOIUN / the penguin/ ---  it has a great success featuring puppets, dancing, magic and lots of hilarious happenings. As L'ANTRE MAGIQUE is a small theatre, a good contact to the audience is always created and the atmosphere is excellent.

Interested parents can hire a show of their choice and get it delivered to their home, where it is subsequently played.

A real treat for you next time you visit Paris  ---  and --- IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS!!!

Venue: L'ANTRE MAGIQUE, 50 rue Saint Georges, 75009 Paris.  Metro: Saint Georges.

See more: www.antremagique.fr

-----------------------------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

2 May 2013

Artists in Lalandia. Just as in 2012, the tropical holiday centre Lalandia in Rødby present apart from Mr Plys Shows and Monky Tonky Shows in high season also artists on the stage. This year it is Danish David Enoch Sosman and Dutch Michael Betrian.

In period from 3 July - 11 August 2013 you can meet them every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

David Enoch Sosman is 20 years old. He grew up in the circus and is son of the famous clown Eddy Sosman and Isabella Enoch of Circus Dannebrog. David is juggler and has performed with his show throughout Europe. He is a graduate of the Italian circus school "Accardemia d'arte Circense". In the summer of 2012 he toured with Circus Dannebrog and this summer he will be on the stage in Lalandia.

Michael Betrian is 17 years old. Since he as 6-year-old visited a circus together with his dad, he knew that he would be a circus performer. Now he lives as a professional diablo-juggler. He comes from Holland and has participated in Holland’s "Got Talent" where he was No. 3 He has toured with circuses in the Netherlands, France and Germany. He won the first prize in 2012 at "The International European Youth Circus Festival" for the age group from 10 to 17 years. This summer you can meet him in Lalandia.

28 April 2013

Porsgrunn International Theatre Festival. By tradition there is in June a theatre festival in the Norwegian town Porsgrunn. This year it is from 11 to 16 June. As usual, there are several circus / contemporary circus performances during the festival.

Thorbjorn Klæbo Flo writes: On opening day there is a different sort of fakir show with Swedish BURNT OUT PUNKS. At 22.00 the audience see Europe's most awesome show in its genre - flying trapeze – the French cirkVost and Epicycle. The have roots back to Les Arts Sauts who was at PIT in 1997. Among the other performances this year is the Spanish COPACABANA with Pont-PIE (see www.ponten-pie.com). This is a story about some artists from CIRCUS BIMIL. A strange restaurant where things happens both above and below the tables. Another of the performances at this year's festival is Russian Derevo with the performance Harlequin.

You can read more at www.pitfestival.no

28 April 2013

Circus Scott in 2013 - in search of Merlin's magic wand. In many of the circus performances which wants to tell ‘a story’ you need to know the story in advance to have a chance for following the story. This is not at least true in contemporary circus performances, including performances in the famous Cirque du Soleil.

To follow the story is easy in the 2013 performance in the large Swedish Circus Scott. It helps that the story is illustrated by video clips and photos on the big screen above the artist entrance. It also helps that the performers speak Swedish, although movements of mouths reveals that it apart from ringmaster Robert Bronett it is pre-recorded talk.

The setting for the show is the story about the magician Merlin (performed Jidinis) whose magic wand is stolen and flies high up in the air. With assistance of various artists he tries to get his magic wand back. First by the end of the performance's end he get it back when the human canon ball Robin Valencia courageously let herselves shoot up in the air from her cannon and of course gets the magic wand down with her when she lands on the airbag.

Audience-wise Circus Scott today goes for a family audience: children together with parents and grandparents. It seemed like the kids caught the story and followed the action and that the performance in general was a perfect fit for the target audience.

From an artist point of view, the performance was nice, but without any major highlights. When I saw the show 26 April, the day after the opening night, some acts were a bit longer than I would have expected. It was probably due to the fact that two of the announced artists, Fumagalli and his brother Darix, wasn’t with the show. Fully understandable as Fumagalli day the before the opening night lost his eldest son, only 27 years old. It is unknown if Fumagalli and Darix will join Circus Scott later in the season.

In the beginning of the performance you saw on the large screen above the artist entrance a short video about Merlin and his magic wand, which was conjured into another dimension by the evil Morgana Le Fay. Then all the artists came into the ring, and some artists / artist troupes made a few ricks.

From the start of the performance. Note the large screen above the artist entrance.

First act was Cuban-born Yosvany on tight wire. His act on the wire is most likely his B-number which is used to fill the gap due to Fumagalli and Darix's absence. Taking this into consideration, it was a good act. When I saw the show he missed the difficult forward somersault. Without trying one more time, so the missing was not a fake.

The next act was 8 beautiful white Arabian stallions from the stables of Danish Circus Arena, presented by the young Karolin Rask and with Arenas chief animal trainer Tim Delbosq standing in the background.

Then Patrick Burke came driving into the ring with his sea lion. A good act. However Patrick has not quite the same charisma as his father John Burke.

Patrick was followed by the brothers Steve and Jones Caveagna who to the children’s delight and enthusiasm did slapstick acrobatic and ended up dancing Gangnam style with the Circus Scott ballet. Danes met the two brothers in 2006 first in Circus Baldoni and then in Circus Dannebrog, both places together with their father.

The next artist was Helena Polack, who juggled first with 3 and then with 4 and 5 footballs. The Danes know the great act and the pretty girl from Circus Benneweis' 2012 performance. She was one of the Scott-performers who got the most applause from the audience. Very well deserved.

The football juggler Helena Polack

Next Steve and Jones Caveagna came back, this time with the well-known 4 chair gag.

The first act after the interval was the 8-person large Troupe Fantasie with springboard. The troupe's members come from Romania and are composed of artists from the artist school in Bucharest. The troupe mastered up to 5 men high (using the classical support pole) and did a nice act although they lacks the charisma and routine that you find with the very best springboard acts.

Next, we met Lars Hölscher and his two elephants, an African and an Indian. Danes know Lars Hölscher from Circus Benneweis 2011 and 2012. A good act presented in a sympathetic way. There is no doubt that Lars Hölscher has a close relationship with his two elephants.

After a dancing act with 8 dancers from the Circus Scott-ballet Steve and Jones Caveagna were back in the ring. Jones played saxophone and Steve did a great diablo act.

Now came Yosvany back in the ring, this time with his main entrée in aerial straps.

He was followed by Jidini (Frederic Schulz) who plaid the part of Merlin and with the assistance of Steve and Jones and some girls presented a number of illusions. Also Jidini is known by the Danes: he was with Circus Benneweis in 1998 and 2008 and at the open air stage in Tivoli in 2001 and 2003. At Circus Scott Jidini presented some tricks which the Danes have not seen yet: a white and a black poodle were conjured into a Dalmatian, and in the classic number ‘Sawing a woman in half’ we saw both halves of the lady after the case has been cut through. A nice version of a well-known trick.

Jidinis with the two parts of the lady

The magic act ended with the evil Morgana Le Fay being put through a wringer and coming out as a talking poster who revealed that the stolen wand was up in the air.

Robert Bronett called now for the human cannon ball Robin Valencia, who undertook to be shot up in the air to grab the magic wand. Her gun was placed on the border between the large tents Circus Park area and the seating / circus area. As in Monte Carlo 2007 and in Danish Circus Arena in 2007 Robin Valencia landed on an airbag in the middle of the ring. And of course, she had caught the magic wand and the show could get a happy ending.

Robin Valencia. Click here to see more photos from the show

As last year Circus Scott is using a large 8-pole tent, which they call Europe's largest. One half of the tent features a Circus Park with kiosks and various circus activities that children (for a fee) can try: trapeze, rola bola, hula hoop rings, juggling, magic, etc. The other half contains the circus area with seating and ring. The 4 poles in the circus part is placed next to stairways so that no or very few spectators risk getting their visibility limited by a pole.

The performance was accompanied by a very well playing 8-piece orchestra which a few times was supplemented with 2 singers. The orchestra also mastered other than traditional circus music and played also after the show until the last spectator had left the circus part of the tent. Light and sound for the show was the absolute top class. After the show you could meet the artists lined up in the Circus Park area, and to have a chat or an autograph was no problem. You felt welcome in Circus Scott!

Tent and Circus Park, reproduced from flyer for Circus Scott

The printed program states that Circus Scott in November and December will present a Christmas circus, first in Malmö in the southern part of Sweden and later in Swedens capital Stockholm. Last year, they presented Christmas Circus in Stockholm. The Christmas circus will be in Malmö from 8 t0 10 November and in Stockholm from 15 November to 15 December.

27 April 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  all the time or rather frequently - that one finds new, original and sympathetic bars and cafés that become meeting points and waterholes for a number of people.

NOW: CHRISTOPHE and THIERRY, experienced bartenders from the most up-scale hotel-bars, have opened LE CALBAR  --  where they serve drinks and snacks - wearing an elegant shirt and butterfly - and likewise elegant briefs/underwear "downstairs"  --  the whole idea is presented featuring a tongue-in-cheek-attitude and a lot of humour !

As an unexpected attraction, magic entertainer VINZ performs close-up-magic at tables and bar, he works his magic right under the nose of the patrons - they appreciate, applaud and all have a festive evening or night out.

Point of interest: Many people don't really get any personal attention during their days - but this is abundantly given out here. To my mind, this is the very strong point of close-up-magic: the human being is in the centre -- the lost and found card may be of little interest, but all and sundry are happy getting interest and personal attention!!

See more: www.lecalbarcocktail.com & www.vinzmagicien.com

Venue: LE CALBAR, 82 rue de Charenton, 75012 Paris.  Metro: Ledru-Rollin or Gare de Lyon.

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS !!!

-----------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

26 April 2013

The large Swedish Circus Scott had their opening night in Malmö on 25 April. When this page is updated on 4 May you can read a review of this year's performance. From 28 April you can see some photos from this year's show by clicking here.

25 April 2013

German circus trying their luck on Bornholm. Bornholm is an island located in the most eastern part of Denmark, the Baltic Sea. Bornholm is also called the rocky or sunny island. The island has an area of ​​588.5 square kilometres and has 41,802 inhabitants and a lot of visitors during the summer months

Under the name Circus Filur the Gärtner family’s circus will from 30 June to 25 August try their luck on the island, where they will put up their tent at the car park at the small amusement part Joboland. There will be several performances every day each of approx. 1 ½ hours duration incl. interval. The ‘driving force’ behind the circus seems to be Maik (Mike) Gärtner. He presented sea lions at Circus Arena’s Circus under Water-performance in 2011. In Circus Filur he will in addition to his two sea lions present ponies and exotic animals (dromedary, camel, zebra, llama, etc.). Ottila Debi will present her dogs and Carla Jenkins does aerial acrobatics. The clown is called Zoleti. Apart from Maik Gärtner I've never heard of any of the artists mentioned. Additionally there will be a juggler and a "slinky" in the performance.

Quality wise the performance look to be much weaker than the performances in the two circuses, which usually visit Bornholm: Circus Baldoni and Circus Arena. And it seems very doubtful if the small island of Bornholm can provide the necessary audience for performances for almost two months!

25 April 2013

Nino Huesca passed away. Nino (Giovanni) Huesca (the elder son of the clown Fumagalli) has finally conceded his battle with brain cancer. He was only 27 years old. 27 is far, far too young. Along with his younger brother Niko he presented for years a Risley Act. Among other venues, they have been featured at Circus Benneweis in Denmark in 2006 and in the Big Apple Circus in the United States in 2007. For part of season 2012 the brothers toured with the Swedish Circus Scott. However, they had to stop during the season due to Nino’s disease.

Nino Huesca's death has caused many comments from all over the circus world. "It is just so terrible!" Diana Benneweis writes. "The worst thing of all is losing your child," Agnete Louise Enoch of Circus Dannebrog says. She started Circus Dannebrog’s performance Thursday evening with a minute's silence in honour of the young artist who just had lost the battle against cancer.

RIP

23 April 2013

The large Norwegian Circus Arnardo is currently in Oslo, where they have performances at the lot next to the Munch Museum until 28 April. Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo has sent me the photos below from the circus and performance. Circus Arnardo’s 2013 program was mentioned at this website on 4 March.

Circus Arnardo's box office and entrance.  All photos are shot by Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

Just as his grandfather Arne Arnardo Are Arnardo is presenting great illusions

The master of pigeons Andrejs Fjodorovs. Did you know that he made ​​his international debut in Circus Arli in Denmark in 2008 and since then has appeared in leading circuses all over Europe?

22 April 2013

Ray Navas back again. Circus Arena tour manager Klaus Jochumsen tells that the high wire and wheel of death artist Ray Navas is back on the wheel again after his accident last week.

22 April 2013

As part of the promotional activities before Swedish Circus Scott’s season opening in Malmo 25 April the human canon ball Robin Valencia was shot from one roof in the Emporia shipping mall to another roof. Click here to see a video clip.

21 April 2013

World Circus Day 2013. In Denmark, the day was celebrated in Hvidovre and in Esbjerg.

In Hvidovre it was Danish Circus Friends Association, the Circus Museum and Circus Baldoni who arranged the event. About 50 people listen to a talk show with Aase Tribini who entertaining and enthusiastic talked about her father ‘Professor’ Tribini and the years she was part of the fairground king’s performances.

Aase Tribini had put up posters etc. on the stage in auditorium in Avedørelejren, where she for a little more than one over an hour entertained the audience with the story of her and her father's life. To the left of Aase Tribini you can see the talk show host John Lington

At 13 almost 200 children and adults saw Circus Big in Fencing Hall featuring the clowns Knud and Mr. Big.

Top: Circus Big with the clowns Knud and Mr. Big. Below: spectators

At 15, there was almost full house in Circus Baldoni’s tent that was put up just behind the Circus Museum. About the Circus Day and show the former artist and theatre director Charley Kaye wrote:

It was a lovely weekend I had together with the Danish Circus Friends at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre. We closed the day with a visit to Circus Baldoni which had a good program with good artists. I can recommend the whole family to go in and see their performance. I understand why Circus Baldoni is called circus for the entire family. I wish them a good season.

Circus Baldoni blue / red tent was put up on the Alarmpladsen just behind the Circus Museum.

Per "Mr. Sputnik "Krogh Petersen took some photos and video clips from the day. Click here to see Per’s photos etc.

In Esbjerg, the day was celebrated by Circus Dannebrog, in cooperation with the Danish Circus Friends Association. There was a photo competition and ringmaster Freddi Steckel told little about the World Circus Day during the performance. Also in Esbjerg there were words of praise for the performance. One of the participants in the photo competition wrote:

"The circus is clowns, princesses, artists, dogs, elephants and mysterious fog in which the beautiful white horses pop up. Thanks for a great day I where had the pleasure of taking my very quiet and very concentrated grandchildren to the circus for the very first time.” Another guest wrote: "Thanks for a superb performance in Esbjerg. It was a good program, great artists and beautiful animals. See you next year. "

In Esbjerg the Danish Circus Friends was represented by Finn Sejer Stendevad-Nielsen, who distributed material about the Circus Day, the photo competition and the circus friends association.

In Sweden, the day was celebrated in Karlstad by Circus Brazil Jack in cooperation with the Swedish Circus Academy. In connection with the event circus owner Carmen Lupasco Rhodin received the Circus Academy’s annual award, see below.

21 April 2013

‘The Charlie’ to Carmen Lupasco Rhodin. In connection with the World Circus Day Carmen Rhodin received the Swedish circus academy honorary award ‘The Charlie’. The

Academy writes (my translation):

The Swedish Circus Academy has decided to award the ‘Charlie’ award for the year 2013 to a person, who in the eighth generation works with the circus.

The 2013 recipient is Carmen Lupasco Rhodin.

Carmen came to Sweden in 1982 from her native Romania to work on the oldest circus - Circus Brazil Jack. She has for more than 30 years worked with a variety of classic circus disciplines. After Trolle Rhodin Sr's death, Carmen has become a leading figure in the Swedish Circus world and has successfully and in Trolle's spirit managed to keep and the oldest touring circus company in Sweden.

Carmen's ability to put up classic circus performances and take care of the daily operations of Circus Brazil Jack can’t be valued enough. She has a burning heart and is an enthusiast for the classic circus arts. As a representative of Swedish circus Carmen Lupasco Rhodin is also active internationally and has such been a jury member at the International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo.

Congratulations to Carmen with the well-deserved award. There are no similar awards in Denmark, Finland or Norway.

From the left the chairman of the Circus Academy Roy Himsel, Carmen Lupasco Rhodin and circus academy board member Hans Lindgren.

20 April 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS --  now THEATRE CLAVEL proudly presents an excellent show, called 1+1=1- a cavalcade of classical magic effects - in a modern stage setting.

The performers readily get a good contact with the small fry, 4 - 6 years, attending the show on a Wednesday, when the youngest children in France have a day off from school, they were completely carried away and enjoyed seeing the many thrilling effects: red balls and lights appeared from nowhere, only to disappear again ..we saw surprising predictions, being simple and clear enough to allow the children to follow what was happening, there were quick changes of costumes and, as grande finale: THE SPIRIT CABINET, a classic illusion where a pseudo-medium is tied up and put into a cabinet, in spite of this one hears a  bell ringing, a cigarette has been lit and as the final punch: the medium is wearing a jacket borrowed from a spectator, but the jacket is UNDER the firmly tied rope that makes it - apparently - impossible for the medium to move at all !!

Photo by courtesy of Theatre Clavel

The theatre was full, a pleasant atmosphere had been created - thus another visual show at the THEATRE CLAVEL !!!

Length of show: 60 minutes.

The main point of interest certainly is that the children, as early as possible in life, get to understand that there are other kinds of entertainment and activities than those based on electronics. Having seen such a fine magic theatre show, the children will want more of the same kind !!

See more: www.3jock3.com

Venue: Theatre CLAVEL, 3 rue Clavel, 75019  Paris.  Metro: Pyrénées.

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  an unexpected and unforeseen event  --

NOW: a FASHION SHOW, called DES FILLES EN AIGUILLE - this is a pun referring to a French saying, in fact impossible to translate -  BUT ----  the point of interest is that the managers have chosen to launch this fashion show on the theme:  HAPPY CIRCUS  !!!

The reason for this choice is undoubtly that HAPPY CIRCUS connects to JOY, FESTIVITY AND HILARITY --  the message is thus that CIRCUS is the common denominator for all that is FUNNY, REJOYCING AND POSITIVE  !!!

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  !!!

----------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

19 April 2013

Anders Enevig 90 years old. On 22 April the dean of Nordic circus historians Anders Enevig can celebrate his 90 years birthday. Anders has written a number of excellent books about circus and circus families. Many non-Danes knows and are very fond of his book Circus Posters from 2001 with full colour prints of posters by Oscar Knudsen and Erik Stockmarr and with summary in English, German, French and Spanish.  Also of interest for persons without knowledge to the Danish language is his book Cirkus- og gøglerslægter (2. edition published in 2011) with genealogical tables for 38 circus and market performer families, many of them with roots in Germany. This book has a “deutches vorwort”.

Anders Enevig and his wife Inga. Photo: Lise Kokholm

18 April 2013

Oh, what a clown! The clown Totti Alexis who Danes know from Circus Dannebrog in 2011 and Swedes from Circus Maximum in 2012 is this year with Circus Finlandia in Finland.   A few days ago he broke his foot during his act with the microphone at the moment when he did a stunt falling down with a ladder. Reaching the floor he hit his foot on the edge of the podium. The broken foot means that he is not mobile for the next 5 weeks. For the time being Totti is sitting in a wheelchair and being pushed into the gallery near the artist entrance to make his two entrées. He two other run-ins are temporarily taken out of the performance. Totti’s accident happened just two days after the premiere in Karis.

Totti Alexis in a wheelchair. He is pushed by José Michel, who together with his family and his partner also tour with Circus Finlandia in 2013

17 April 2013

Wheel of death artist fell down from the wheel during performance. During the afternoon performance at 15:30 Sunday 14 April in Circus Arena in Aarhus, the young artist Ray Navas was knocked about when he in the beginning of the performance fell down from the wheel of death. While he was on the outside perimeter of the wheel he skipped and made as usual a number of high leaps. After each leap he usually grabs one of the braces in the wheel. But after one of the leaps he didn’t get hold of a brace and was instead clinging to the wheel's outer edge. The centrifugal force meant that he couldn’t keep his grasp and he fell several meters down to the ring.

Ray Navas doing formidable leaps on the outside perimeter of the wheel death. Photo from the season opening performance 12 March in Copenhagen.

Several doctors who were present in the audience attended immediately Ray Navas who under the doctors' instructions were carried out of the ring to the waiting ambulance which with blue lights and the sirens on took him to Aarhus Municipal Hospital.

Ray Navas was extensively examined at the hospital. Luckily enough nothing was broken.

He expects soon to be ready again. "Circus is my life," he said the TV Channel DR Ultra News the day after the accident, when they visited him at the circus.

"We are very happy for the fact that he wasn’t badly damaged. The accident was a nasty surprise for everyone," Circus Arena's press agent Lena Just Lund says. She continues:

"Ray is back in the ring. However, he is not yet back on the wheel. Now, his brother Ron Navas has taken over Ray’s part in the number and Jefferson Webber has taken over Ron’s usual part. Jefferson Webber is the ‘driving force’ and Ron Navas has the proactive role. Ray Navas is in the ring and supervises the act. Ray Navas decide himself when he is ready to be back at the wheel together with his brother Ron. Ray takes also a break from the high wire act where he isn’t replaced. The number continues without him. "

Click here to see a video clip of the accident.

Ray Navas is 28 old was in January this year tougher with his brother awarded a silver clown in Monte Carlo for their act on the wheel of death. In addition to the wheel of death act Ray Navas and his brother does together with two others a high wire act.

In 1996 the Scholl brothers presented their wheel of death in Circus Arena. Also they had an accident: one of the brothers fell down and was not as lucky as Ray Navas: he damaged a leg and had to stop as wheel of death-performer.

16th April 2013

Danish Circus Krone 2013 - charm, humour, poetry, and for the first time in the tiny circus’ history a wheel of death. The small Circus Krone did as always start their season in mid-April, i.e. 3-4 weeks after the other Danish circuses. This year, the owner Irene Thierry and her husband Jan. Allan are probably very happy for the late start which has spared them for the challenging weather conditions the other Danish circuses have had I March and the first week of April.

2013 season opening took place on Sunday 14 April in the space Solfang (which means ‘Sunlight collect’) in Tørring. The sun was shining in the morning - it was Irene Thierry's birthday! Later in the day, it was cloudy and a little before the show time at 15 there was a single short shower. But as Irene Thierry says: Ladies and Gentlemen - There is always sun behind the clouds! And now Circus Krone is in town! The shower was over before the audience entered the tent. And there was as always a ray of sunshine in the performance in the cosy circus.

As always the performance began with everyone saying hello to the persons seating next to him and to circus owner Irene Thierry.

The first act in the performance was the young handsome and smiling Natacha Kostareva. She comes from Russia, but has got her artistic training in France and toured also in 2012 with Circus Krone. This year, the talented Natacha presented brand new entrées: In the first she was wrapped in tissue hoisted up under the big top and unwrapped herself

as an ugly duckling out of tissue and presented a fine entrée in tissue and trapeze. She ended her act by doing the splits in trapeze while she balanced a rose on her forehead.

Natacha Kostareva

Then we met the naive and poetic clown Alando (aka Jany Allan) and his mischievous ponies in a funny and charming entrée. Alando was followed by the magician Hans Ulrik (Hans Ulrik Jensen), who used a soap bubble to balance with and later conjured up pigeons that was places in a cage which in the end of the act finally disappeared into thin air. An elegant number with Denmark's best pigeon magician.

Then Natacha was back, this time with a juggler entrée which also contained balance, handstand and the foot juggling. Well done!

After Natacha’s act went Alando around with a feather duster and dusted members of the audience of. Irene, now wearing a clown dress, asked to see his ticket and explained what happened to a spectator without a ticket. Alando then borrowed a ticket from a spectator and told of course Irene who now had no ticket! After Alando had entered the ring he and Irene and Alando ended the entrée playing xylophone.

Two Thierry's - Irene Thierry and Jan 'Alando' Allan

The first act after the interval was a wheel of death with Mr. Ferenczy. Wheel of death are usually only seen in large circuses. It is excellent that Circus Krone now also gives the audience in the smaller cities they visit possibility to see such a number. Although the artist is not in line with king of wheel of deaths Crazy Wilson, who only performs in large circus, Ferenczy does what belongs to a classic wheel of death act: first he walks inside the wheel and then on the outside perimeter, also blindfolded. The formidable leaps that sometimes are seen done on the outside perimeter of the death wheel are not possible to do in a small tent as Circus Krone. But the audience has probably fine with that artist does not risk his life and limb while doing his act.

A tradition in Circus Krone - and the small circus has many traditions! - is that Irene walks around and tells a little about the circus: what the Big Top is, what the Circus Ring is and what grandfather's pole is (a pole from Regnar Thierry's Circus Krone).

Another tradition is an entrée with Alando and a 'dangerous' animal. The audience loves the entrées with the 'dangerous animals'. This year Alando entered the ring with a small sea lion doll and asked it to do tricks. Later he met the dangerous penguin. It was the young Theis, who made his debut as a penguin. Last time Circus Krone presented the penguin entrée Irene Thierry was inside the penguin.

The young Miss Luca from Hungary then presented an original hula hoop act. The original in the act is that Miss Luca presents her skills hanging in an aerial ring and not standing on the ground as other hula hoop artists. It was a fine variation of such a number and presented with charm and elegance.

Miss Luca. Click here to see more photos from the opening performance

Last act in the program was an illusion  where Natacha climbed into a box which the illusionist Hans Ulrik then fold up and collapses and pierces with illuminated bars so that everyone can see that there is absolutely no places where Natacha can be hidden. Eventually he conjures her up again. An excellent version of a classic magic trick.

Irene Thierry, Jan Allan and Irene's sons Frank and Marc can be satisfied with this year's show. Let’s hope that many children and adults find their way to their tent, and that the sun throughout the season will shine on the tiny circus.

15 April 2013

A bit more about Circus Zorba and other Norwegian circuses. On 8 April, I wrote a bit about 2013 in the small Norwegian Circus Zorba. Here is some additional information: The clowns in this year's show are Duet Clowns, who has been with Zorba since 2009. The year before they came to Norway with Circus Arena. Thus it is now their season nr 6 in Norway.

The troupe, which performs with springboard and ladder balance is Trio Badea. They toured with the large Norwegian Circus Merano in 2012.

Trio Bedea. Photo from Circus Merano 2012. Photo: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

In my note 8 April I wrote that Circus Zorba's first season was 1991. The small circus is established in 1991, but did not tour until 1992.

My mentioning of Circus Zorba has got someone to ask what has become of Jan Ketil’s Circus Agora, which went bankrupt in 2010.

In 2012 Jan Ketil / Circus Agora had performance on stage in the amusement park Tusenfryd outside Oslo. It starred about a handful of artists. For some seasons, Jan Ketil has hired out some old caravans (canteen and caravans for crew) to others including the contemporary circus group Circus Xanti. One of Jan Ketil’s daughters has run a circus school in Bergen area under the Agora name. Reportedly, Jan Ketil is interested in buying a used tent in size from 26 to 28 meters. So it's possible that he has a dream of getting Circus Agora back on the Norwegian roads.

Apart from Circus Zorba, there are two circuses in Norway: Circus Arnardo and Circus Merano, both of which are large and well-run circus with international performances of high quality. In addition Norway has the tiny Circus Minimax.

15 April 2013

On tour with Circus Benneweis. The Danish TV channel TV Lorry followed Benneweis when they 10th April moved from Ganløse to Ølstykke. Click here to see the approx. 4 minutes long reportage.

15 April 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  -- LE CENTRE D'ANIMATION LE POINT DU JOUR, a community theatre featuring cultural animations, viz. theatre, dance,  music, acrobatics and -- MAGIC AS ENTERTAINMENT  -- proudly presents the funny and very sympathetic magic entertainer CLEMENT LE MAGICIEN in a show he calls ZYGOMAGIC, referring to the comical slanting of this show.

This show ZYGOMATIC is hilariously funny, presented in a dynamic way and the small fry and their parents follow the actions: a table floats in mid-air, milk is pumped out of a child's arm, and the umbrella illusion in an original version where a bottle of water has been put upside-down on the top of the umbrella - thus it is raining - then the illusion is performed - it loses its cover and instead we see a number of previously disappeared silks dangling from the umbrella rods. A lot of interaction including some kids on stage, funny bits of business and a clear and thus easily understood comedy - all this means SUCCESS !!

Clement le Magicien. Photo by courtesy of the artist

Points of interest: this theatre is located somewhat on the border of Paris, but within the Metro net - the idea is to make the local people attend the activities, i.e. people who might not travel into the center of Paris, where many shows are staged -- they find good and healthy entertainment and animations near where they live. Furthermore it is important that ZYGOMAGIC is featured in a real, modern theatre, where the seats are built in amphi-style which allows everyone to see clearly all that is going on up on stage.

Maybe the most important thing is that the kids see that  entertaining and pleasant activities are not only found watching video-games etc - but that the best show is viewed  --  LIVE  -- all that is followed up when CLEMENT LE MAGICIEN is present at the exit, saying bye bye and thanks to all !!

An excellent show, artistic, entertaining and of social importance !!

Length of show: 60 minutes.

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS !!!

See more: www.clementlemagicien.com

Venue: CENTRE D'ANIMATION LE POINT DU JOUR,  1-9 rue du General Malleterre, Paris.

Metro: Porte de Saint Cloud.

-------------------------------------------  reported by  ZARRO ZARRO.

12 April 2013

World Circus Day. Celebrated on and around the third Saturday each April, World Circus Day is a special day for families all over the world to celebrate the magic of the circus. This year the date is 20 April. In Denmark the day is celebrated in Hvidovre (a Copenhagen suburb) and Esbjerg.

In Hvidovre World Circus Day is celebrated by the Circus Museum in Hvidovre in co-operation with the Danish Circus Friends Association and Circus Baldoni.

At 10.00: The museum opens. On this special day admission is free.

At 11.30: Talk show with the late entertainer “Professor” Tribini’s daughter, Aase Tribini who with John Lington as host will tell about her life. Admission is free.

At 13.00: Circus Big present their two person show at the Fencing Hall behind the museum. Admission is free.

At 15.00: The museum closes

At 15.00; Performance in Circus Baldoni at the lot just behind the Circus Museum. In the performance you will meet dogs, goats, sword balancing, handstand, adagio acrobats, a bouncing giant balloon, a cube-juggler, Russian clowns and a comical illusion. As usual, ​​director Baldoni aka René Moenster is ringmaster, assisted by the cheeky lion Leonardo (a ventriloquist’s doll). To celebrate Circus Day Circus Baldoni has very favorable prices: all tickets cost DKK 130.

In this year’s Baldoni-performance you will amongst others meet the Igen family with their trained goats.

In Esbjerg Circus Dannebrog will celebrate World Circus Day. There are gala performances on the circus lot ‘Skibhøj’ at 13 & 16. This year's show is called The Good Old Days, and Circus Dannebrog invites their audience to dress up like in the good old days. In cooperation with Danish Circus Friends Association they have arranged a photo contest where you can win tickets to next year's show in Circus Dannebrog.

Esbjerg is western Denmark’s main hub with a big city atmosphere. It is the 5th largest city in Denmark.

Circus Dannebrog’s 2013-performane is called Circus as in the good old days

If you are in Denmark and unable to get to Esbjerg or Hvidovre, you can choose to celebrate the day by a circus visit to one of the other Danish circuses. Circus Arena has performance at Tangkrogen in Aarhus at 12 and 15:30. Circus Arli has performance in Hørsholm at 16. Circus Benneweis has performances at 14 & 17 at Møllebakken in Kalundborg. Circus Krone is in the People's Park in Brædstrup with performance at 16. Circus Mascot has a sold performance somewhere in Jutland.

In Sweden the World Circus Day is celebrated by Circus Brazil Jack in cooperation with the Swedish Circus Academy. It takes place in Karlstad. From 11 to 13 there is open house at Circus Brazil Jack, where you can see artists and animal train. It is also possible to buy various circus books etc. At 16 there is performance in Circus Brazil Jack. After the show there is dinner for circus friends in a centrally located restaurant.

8 April 2013

Circus Zorba 2013. The small Norwegian Circus Zorba begins the season in Kristiansund on 10th April.

The program includes amongst others Daniel from Romania with ladder balancing and the Italian juggler Sibilla Ernani.  A clown trio - father, mother and daughter – include probably the clown Gena, who also toured with Zorba in 2012. In addition, there is a 3 person springboard troupe, and 6 years old Palina with soap bubbles.

The first April Circus Zorba wrote on their facebook page that "for the first time in Circus Zorba's history, we can present the Konovics family with its elephants”. However, it was only an April Fool. There are no elephants in Zorba’s performance.

"Meet you in the New Circus Zorba!," General Manager Ronja Gujord writes. The "old" Circus Zorba was declared bankrupt after season 2012, but through a new company the Gujord family has once again managed to get their cirrus on the roads.

Circus Zorba was also in bankruptcy season 1995. Also then the owners established a new company and were on tour again in 1996. The small circus' first season was season 1991.

8 February 2013

Swedish comedy magician Johnny Lonn (Björn Olof Lönnqvist) has passed away, 69 years old. From monumental success at FISM in Paris 1973 and performing with Doug Henning and Bill Cosby in Las Vegas Johny Lonn travelled the world. Click here to see a video clip from one of his most well-known entrées.

8 April 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS -- there are lots of shows geared at children, the idea and the aim are to give the small ones a taste for theatre, including MAGIC AS ENTERTAINMENT which indeed is a good kind of theatre!! The theatres want to secure - the audience of tomorrow.

Now LA COMEDIE SAINT MICHEL proudly presents an excellent show featuring magic and ventriloquism, performed by CLAUDE MONLOUIS, a fine and talented artist who gets the children's attention and interest by showing them a program geared to the small fry - and he gets the adults' attention as well - the program is funny and interesting.

A big bag appears in between the two curtain halves - and CLAUDE himself follows ... there were lots of suspension and laughter: doves appeared and disappeared, goldfish popped up in a big glass bowl, a little girl from the audience was made to float in mid-air in between two chairs   ...

Claude Monlouis

The program is a great example of variety: CLAUDE interspiced the magic with his funny dialogues together with his dummies and dolls, hilarious talk and a perfect technique, the latter is not seen too often . 

CLAUDE gets immediately the audience's sympathy as he has a humorous attitude and is very professional, the program is very pleasant and appreciated - thus a very successful show.

CLAUDE is a very talented artist, well worth his success - the public would gladly have seen more!!

Length of show: 60 minutes.

See more: www.claudemonlouis.com

Venue: LA COMEDIE SAINT MICHEL, 95 Boulevard Saint Michel, 75005 Paris.  Metro: Cluny Sorbonne.

---------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

3 April 2013

Church service in a circus tent. When the Swedish Circus Olympia on 12 and 13 April visits Växjö their tent is not only used for circus performances. On Saturday 13th April at 12 there will be a church service in the tent. Come and participate in a different sort of service in the circus tent at the circus lot at Spetsamossen, the organizers writes. The service is free. In the service the Vaxjö minister Leif Adolfsson, the Allemands choir from Växjö, conducted by Linda Andersson and Bishop Jan-Olof Johansson participates.

3 April 2013

Circus Dannebrog 2013 - an enchanting performance as in the Good Old Days. In recent years, Cirkus Dannebrog has had a theme in their performances. In 2011 it was the story about a number of artists who arrived at the circus seeking for a job. In 2012 it was Amazing Africa. And in 2013 it is the circus as it was in the old days.

The show begins with the orchestra entering the tent through the audience entrance and taking place on the stage, while an artist troupe in old-fashioned costumes comes into the ring and begins to prepare for a performance. The part as the old circus director was played by Freddi Steckel, who also show through took care of the presentation of each act and acted as performance director.

Many are a sceptical about having a theme in a circus performance. But again this year Isabella Enoch has managed to put together a beautiful and well-running performance, where the theme is an added value. A performance which certainly will entertain the audience which throughout the season will gather around Cirkus Dannebrog’s ring.

When the little artist troupe is ready to begin their performance Circus Dannebrog’s CEO and general manager Agnete Louise Enoch enter the ring and welcomes the audience. She is followed by some tableaux in which a group of artists, led by Katja Enoch’s husband Abdel Aziz El Messaoudi build human pyramids. Abdel ended the act as a fakir sticking a burning torch in his mouth and make the flame fountain.

Danneboys & girls with Abdel El Messaoudi. To the left the "Circus director" Freddi Steckel with a barker. In the background you can see Agnete Louise Enoch

The clown who this year binds together the performance is Pieric. His august figure is sensitive and poetic and invites more to a quiet smile than to guffaw. In his first entrée he comes into the ring on a motorcycle with a side car and trailer. In the side car is a pony. Later no less than 9 ponies and a mule come out of the trailer. The animals are presented by Pieric up in a charming entrée. For those who might be afraid of the ponies being unfairly crowded in the small trailer: When ponies come out the trailer is parked with the back against the artist entrance and ponies comes from the back into the trailer one at a time.

For at short while you also saw a white-faced clown in the circus ring. It was Circus Dannebrog’s technical director, Dennie Enoch dressed out as a clown. It will be exciting to see if he during the season will develop an entrée together Pieric.

Then "Director" Freddi Steckel followed an elegant crinoline dressed woman into the ring. She took her dress off - not strip because she has tights on underneath - and revealed herself as the excellent handstand artist Alexandra Saabel.

Miss Alexandra

After a short run-in with Pierric the Mustache Brothers came into the ring and present a knockabout table act.

They were followed by the Saabel family’s elegant act with Siberian huskies using igloos (snow cabins) as pedestals for the dogs.

At the press premiere Maundy Thursday at 4 p.m. in Odense next act was the young Dutch acrobat Michel with a good entrée in aerial straps. The number was extra impressive because he arrived just before the performance to replace Duo Tereschenko who had left the Circus Dannebrog. Michel arrived indeed at the same time as the audience entered the tent and had no possibility for rehearsals. It was impressive that the young AFUK-trained artist in this way was able to be part of a performance. He can only stay a few weeks with Cicus Dannebrog as he has engagement in Switzerland. But in the meantime Cirkus Dannebrog will undoubtedly get another act to replace the artists who have let them down.

After a little tableau with Circus Dannebrog’s ballet the excellent hand-to-hand artists Curatola Brothers entered the ring. It was a nice reunion with one of top acts from Circus Dannebrog’s 2007-performance.

Then the ring was filled with smoke, and 5 beautiful white Arabs with minimal harness came into the ring. A beautiful and poetic start of the act. Then came the horses' owner and trainer Bernhard Kaselowsky into the ring and presented the best liberty horse act that I in recent years have seen in a Danish circus. He has bought the horses from the large Dutch Circus Herman Renz.

The live horses were replaced by Pieric on a small pony (see photo) on which also a boy from the audience got a ride. Pieric’s entrée ended with 5 "horse girls" from Circus Dannebrog’s ballet turning plates around with the letters P A U S E (interval).

 Pieric

After the interval there was a gypsy tableau in the ring. It led to a Risley act performed by Dias Brothers (probably being 8 and 12 years old) and with a younger brother in the final part of the impressive entrée. Papa Dias stood by ready catch his sons in order to ensure that his sons weren’t harmed.

After a short act in tissue the Saabel family entered in the ring with their beautiful and spectacular high school riding act.

Saabel family. Click here to see more photos from this year Dannebrog-performance.

Next Pieric was back, first with a white horse and later with the elephant Ramboline which he presented in a nice entrée with Ramboline’s owner and trainer Bernhard Kaselowsky standing quietly in the background. The number ended with an ancient artist number, which it is many years since we have seen in a Danish circus: capers over the elephant.

Then it was time for the Grand Finale, where Agnete Louise Enoch said goodbye and the audience rewarded the performers with a large and well-deserved applause for yet another wonderful Dannebrog-performance.

There is particular reason to praise the performance's bandmaster Tino Aaby and his 7-piece orchestra. This year, they had been seated on the stage and the amplifiers are thrown out, so the pure orchestral sound fills the tent. A clear improvement!

3 April 2013

The Finnish Circus Finlandia has as the last of the large Nordic circuses opening day on 7 April in Karjaa. Among the performers in this year's performance is the Danish gentleman pickpocket entertainer Kenny Quinn and Mrs. Joan. As usual artists always arrive about week before the premiere, and Kenny says: "In the days we have been here we have had a fantastic weather with sunshine and crystal blue sky and approx. 3-5 degrees. But at night it is still cold, last night temperature came down to 17 degrees below zero."

Kenny and Joan Quinn's 6 year old son Jack in front of a Finlandia Poster

2 April 2013

Danish Circus Krone 2013. Irene Thierry from the small Danish Circus Krone writes (my translation):

After a successful 2012 season with a tent full of happy people, Circus Krone is again ready to be on the Danish roads with an exciting, enjoyable and cosy family show.

With national and international artists we will offer a performance at a high level and with plenty of room for enthusiasm and high spirits.

From the international artistic world we can amongst others present French Natacha Kostareva. With her combination of juggling, balancing and acrobatics Natacha creates her own style - with grace and elegance. There will also be plenty of excitement and thrill when she high up under the tent dome presents her own version of the ugly duckling.

From Denmark we have been fortunate enough to get magician, Hans Ulrik, who has a Nordic Championship of magic on his CV. Enchanting illusion numbers with live pigeons and adventurous soap bubbles. With perfection and elegance he presents magic of format.

Circus Krone has the world’s best clown - clown Alando!

It is with great pride that this year once again can present our own world's greatest clown. As clown Alando, Irene Thierry’s spouse Jan Allan Hansen, entertains and enchant children and the young at heart. You never know what Alando will figure out. But surely it will be funny!

Circus Krone's trademark - the small naughty ponies - is also to be found in the ring.

Director Irene Thierry guides the audience safe and secure through the show.

In other words: Welcome to the Circus Krone 29th season's international circus

for the whole family!

Ladies and Gentlemen - There is always a sun behind the clouds! And in a moment Circus Krone is in town!

Circus Krone will start their season in Tørring on Sunday 14 April.

2 April 2013

Circus Brazil Jack 2013 - one of Scandinavia's best circus performances. The Swedish Circus Brazil Jack began their season in Malmö, Sweden, on 21st March in Malmö. This one night the world clown David Larible was special guest star. Due to other appointments I unfortunately had to say no to the invitation to the premiere. I saw not the performance until Good Friday in Helsingborg. Even without David Larible it was a great performance. The Swedes have something to look forward to!

By tradition a Brazil Jack performance opens with all the artists getting in the ring and making a few tricks before co-owner and general manager Carmen Rhodin welcome the audience.

The first act on the program is the young Sandor Donnert who juggles standing on horseback: juggling balls, clubs and rings. It's hard to juggle standing on a shaky horseback. But Sandor does it well and with great talent.

He was followed by this year’s clown, the lovable Francesco, who also juggled and ended up by making a rapper entrée with a boy from the audience.

Then we met Shirley Larible in a great number in aerial straps. Normally, it is a man who does such acts. But the pretty and smiling Shirley made it better and more elegant than most of the male artists I've seen doing such an act.

Shirley Larible

She was followed by Francesco with one of his classic entrées: the one where he rotates a globe on head and finger and later by help of an artificial finger with built-in blower sends globe into skies. The number ends with the "finger" whirling a toilet roll up in the air.

Then time had come for an animal act: Fatime and Patso with a nice act with domestic cats. After them came Francesco, who juggled with fireballs and flaming torches.

Next came one of my favourite acts: Gabi Donnert with 3 white and 3 brown Arabian liberty horses. Gaby Donnert act is the best liberty horse act you this year can see in any Nordic circus!

Gabi Donnert

Gabi Donnert was followed by another top act: Kim Kenneth, who assisted by his girlfriend Jessica and Shirley Larible presented great illusion numbers. "How is that possible?" I heard several members from the audience ask when Kim on a motorbike went straight through the cabinet with the chained Jessica, squashed her out of a box and made her disappear into another box which although it were shown empty turned out to accommodate both Jessica as Shirley. As a Dane you are proud to have such a world class star as countryman. Kim is not for nothing known as "The Dane in the fast lane". It's his season No. 25 as a professional magician.

Kim Kenneth running through the cabinet with the chained Jessica

The first act after the interval was Mr. Jumping aka Fatimes partner Patso (Peytchev Plamen Metodiev) in the well-known comic drunken man entrée with a trampoline, “dressed” as a swimming-pool. Danes remember the entrée from Circus Baldoni 2006 and 2011. He was followed by Francesco with the run-in, where Francesco plays on gloves with built-in whistles.

Then the audience met the young juggler David Larible JR. He is the son of the world famous clown and sister to Shirley Larible. I saw him in February 2012 at the Circus Festival in Budapest. At the time, he was good, and now he is even better. Stylish and confidently he juggled with clubs, rings and hats and closed the act with clubs ones again. Bravo!

The young champion juggler David Larible JR

Before the next act Francesco had another run in, this time with the reprise with music on bells assisted by two men from the audience.

The show’s last act was a nice and well performed Risley act performed by Rossi Brothers.

As an introduction to the grand finale Francesco came in the ring wearing the costume on which he can play xylophone. Then, a cage with Kim Kenneth and Jessica was pushed into the ring. It was briefly covered with a black cloth - and voila, then all the performers came out of the cage! A beautiful and powerful end an excellent performance.

The performance ran for 2 hours. Live music was provided by a 6 piece band.

2 April 2013

Circus Madigan 2013. The Swedish Circus Madigan began their season on 28 March in Sjöbo, Sweden.

Anders Troedsson writes (my translation): Circus Madigan is this year travelling with some members from the family that owns Circus Belly Wien (NL). Last year, Madigan toured in Germany under the name Schollini Circus, which also sometimes is used this year in Sweden. It is a co-operation between Madigan, Schollini and Belly Wien.

Madigan has a new 2-pole tent. New light and pre-recorded music. The performance was very nice. Madigan has truly improved and has a really good show!

Madigan is in the southern part of Sweden during the month of April.

Circus Madigan’s tent 2013

The program for Circus Madigan 2013 is:

Overture - vocals by Nadine Scholl

MARLON ZINNECKER - 2 white Arabs / 2 black Frisian horses

MARYLIN SCHOLL- footjuggler

Talina SCHOLL – aerial ring

NADINE & NATHALIE SCHOLL - hula hoop (Manuela Scholl Jackson & Peer Jackson's daughters)

ALFRED SCHOLL - juggler

RENÉ, NADJA & HARDY SCHOLL - two Indian elephants (belongs to Circus Belly Wien)

Interval

Overture

WILD WEST SHOW - Marlon Zinnecker, Nadine & Nathalie Scholl

MARYLIN & KIMBERLY SCHOLL – high school riding

Natascha SCHOLL - aerial silk

MR ZIPPO "fire eater"

SCHOLL BROTHERS (René & Alfred Scholl) - trampoline

FINAL! - Vocals by Nadine Scholl

The elephants are presented by René, Nadja & Hardy Scholl. Photo: Anders Troedsson. The Scholl family is a large circus family, originally coming from Germany. Circus Madigan’s owner Peer Jackson is married to Manuela, who comes from the Scholl family. Manuela's brother Alexander Scholl and his wife Yvette toured last year in Sweden with their Circus Sydney. Circus Sydney is again this year touring Sweden.

Horses in Circus Madigan’s ring. Note that you over the artist entrance can see the name Circus Schollini, being the name used last year during the tour in Germany. Photo: Anders Troedsson.

2 April 2013

Circus Minimax ready for a new season. The tiny Norwegian circus writes (my translation):

Cirkus Minimax, the only mini circus in Norway, is ready for a new season. Opening day is 4th May at 16:00. This year's program is packed with excitement and fun from start to end an enthusiastic circus director Carl-André Hjelvik says. Cirkus Minimax this year amongst other acts present diabolos with high speed and both with and without fire, balance artistry, fakirs, comic acrobatics, jugglers and of course clowns. Our clown this year is named Gugge and comes from Denmark.

Gugge. Press photos from Cirkus Minimax

We have also reengaged Danish Steen Offersen who was with us last season. Steen is considered as one of the best diabolo jugglers and present new tricks in the big top. Cirkus Minimax also has its very own mascot, the chicken Pingrid which will appear several times during the show. We look forward to begin the new season and meet the audience around the ring our small, intimate circus tent, Carl-André Hjelvik says.

Steen Offersen. Press photos from Cirkus Minimax

Cirkus Minimax has a website: www.cirkus-minimax.jimdo.com and facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/minicirkus

1 April 2013

A new circus prince is born! Easter Sunday 31 March at19:35 a new circus prince entered the world: Benjamin Enoch El Mesaoudi, son of Katja Enoch and her husband Abdel Aziz El Messaoudi. The Little Prince is 47 cm long and weighed 2,560 grams and is according to Aunt Agnete Louise Enoch just so beautiful! Congratulations to Katja, Abdel and the rest of the Enoch family

Katja with her ​​son Benjamin. Katja has also a15-year-old daughter, Nathalie.

1 April 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  two weeks' school holiday, and many shows geared to the small fry: a good one is SPECTACLE DE MAGIE by and with HARRY L'EMPOTÉ, the name is a distortion of Harry Potter.

The magic entertainer, real name JEAN-LUC BETRON, features a pleasant MAGIC SHOW which is lively, hilarious, humourous and presented with a tongue-in-cheek attitude and it is obvious that JEAN-LUC BETRON is an accomplished actor and mime as well.

Elegantly dressed in black and white, he performs a number of classic effects, including a lot of interaction: the children are allowed to act both on stage and in the audience space - towards the end of the show a number of kids are asked to come up on stage, greet the audience and do a simple trick which they all master immediately!

An excellent idea, as this creates self-confidence among the youngsters, they get applause and - a shining medal around their neck - as a Thank You for their participation.!!

JEAN-LUC BETRON closes his show featuring  THE FLOATING TABLE  - thus, the audience both adults and children have a topic to talk about on their way home ...

An excellent atmosphere from the very beginning, humour and sympathy - good contact with the audience - everything fine !!

Length of show: 60 minutes.

See more: www.ateliersjeanlucbetron.com

Venue: ABC THEATRE, 14 rue de Thionville, 75019 Paris.  Metro: Laumière.

------------------------------------------------------ reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

29 March 2013

Circus Dannebrog is during the Easter holidays in Odense. They had invited the press to see their performance on Maundy Thursday at 16. The audience had some wonderful hours around Circus Dannebrog’s enchanting ring. You can read a review of the performance when this page is updated 6 April. Click here to see some photos from this year's performance (the photo series will not be completed until March 31).

29 March 2013

Strange and unprofessional behaviour of Duo Tereschenko. Last season Trio Tereschenko from Ukraine had a contract with Swiss Circus Knie where they presented their aerial casting act performed by one male and two females. However, one of the females left the act and Circus Knie accepted that the act for the remaining part of the season was a two-person act, performed by Roman and Elena Tereschenko. For season 2013 Roman and Elena Tereschenko had signed a contract with Danish Circus Dannebrog. They turned up at the winter quarter as they should and performed at the season’s first performance on 21 March in Vojens. After this performance they left the show, stating that it was too cold for them in Denmark! It has all over Scandinavia been a very cold March (see below), but no other artist has left a circus. Circus Dannebrog had paid all cost for visas to Roman and Elena Tereschenko and had also prepaid some of their salary.

Duo Tereschenkos behaviour seems very strange and unprofessional. Their act is pretty good, but not outstanding. Circus Dannebrog will for sure be able to find another good aerial act with more professional artists.

29 March 2013

Circus Brazil Jack 2013. The Swedish Circus Brazil Jack had its opening night on 21st March in Malmö and has since visited Landskrona, Eslöv and Helsingborg. Easter Saturday and Easter Monday they are in Lund, then heading north to Halmstad, Falkenberg and Gothenburg and many other Swedish cities.

Gaby Donnerts liberty horses are probably the best liberty horse act presented in any circus in Scandinavia

As in previous years they present one of Scandinavia's best circus performances. You can read a review when this page is updated 6 April. Click here to see some photos from this year's performance (the photo series will not be completed until March 31 by the end of the day.

28 March 2013

Tough weather conditions for the Danish circuses. The Danish circuses which I so far have visited - Circus Arena, Circus Arli, Circus Baldoni, Circus Benneweis and Circus Dannebrog - agree on one thing: none of them remember having had that tough a season start as they have had this year. Snow, wind and temperatures below zero makes everything much harder than usual: water pipe freezes, generators is overloaded and it is hard for the tent workers to put the tent up in the bitterly cold and windy weather. The vans can be difficult to keep warm. Insulation wise they are not built for temperatures which can be 10 degrees below zero. And heating of the tents require thousands of gallons of diesel.

Circus Arena are happy for the fact that they starts the season with 3 weeks at Bellahoj in Copenhagen and that their tent crew not under the present weather conditions every day has to take the tent down and put in up in another town.

"I have never experienced anything worse, everything takes 3 times as long as usual," René Moenster from Circus Baldoni says. Monday 24 March Circus Baldoni visited my home town Allerod and should the next day continue to the neighbour town Lynge. But their team was so worn out that they chose to stay two days in Allerod and thus save the problems by taking down and up the tent. Of cause circus people are professionals - when they are "on" you can’t see that they are tired. Thus, the audience at the two performances in Allerod experienced as always good and energetic artists and the tent was heated to a reasonable temperature.

Also Bettina and Martin Arli told in connection with Circus Arli's season opening Sunday afternoon about the tough weather conditions. Maundy Thursday Martin wrote on facebook (my translation): "Morning has frost in the mouth" and it is perishing weather!

"The minus seven degrees outside the tent and the feeling of Siberian cold in the feet and legs, put a damper on the experience," Palle Hoj wrote in the newspaper Frederiksborg Amts Avis about the premiere 22nd March in the evening in Circus Benneweis. He was pleased, however, by the facts that there were many good acts.

Circus Dannebrog chose to cancel a performance in Tommerup 26th March. It had simply been too hard for the crew with the cold start with a visit first in Vojens and then in Fredericia. They will be in Denmark’s third largest city Odense throughout the Easter holidays and promises that the tent is comfortably heated.

Fortunately, it seems that we are now entering a period where at least daytime temperatures are above zero. This makes it possible for the Danish circus to keep the tents comfortable heated. Only if temperature as at the Benneweis-premiere comes down to well below zero it can despite the heating be difficult to keep a decent temperature.

27 March 2013

"Come and have fun at the Circus Museum, where you can try all kinds of circus disciplines from juggling to trapeze. Our artist will be available for instruction, and you can safely take both the youngest and the oldest children with you," the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen, writes about their successful Sunday workshops where the acrobat Line Vittrup helps the many children who turns up. There were also workshops Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Easter. Here is a photo of Line Vittrup with one of the children, my second youngest granddaughter Ida, 4 ½ years old.

27 March 2013

Danish Circus Friends Association and Circus Museum in Hvidovre’s yearbook “Cirkusbladet” (the Circus Magazine) has been posted to all members of the Danish Circus Friends Association and a number of others associated with the circus and artistic world. Just like last year, the magazine is 24 pages in A4 format and with many photos also in colour. The magazine has an article about on flea circus, an interview with the Danish magician Kim Kenneth, an article / interview with René Jr. Casselly, an article about the gentleman pocket thief Gentleman Jack, the story of the aerial acrobats Gurli Sisters etc.

Non members of Danish Circus Friends Association can purchase a copy of the magazine. If you are interested, send an e-mail to ole@danskecirkusvenner.dk

26 March 2013

Wonderful Circus Arli - Circus Arli 2013. Circus Arli's motto could be Small but super good. That's at least what they year after year manage to present with elegant and skilfully performances where they use the intimate atmosphere and closeness that you can get in a small tent (they can seat 220 persons)

This year's show, which is called The Journey to end of the rainbow are another glorious Arli performance.

The recurring person in the show is the clown Martino aka Martin Arli. Martin, who this year can celebrate his 40 years anniversary as a clown is a gifted entertainer and his ability to get and keep good contact with his audience is quite formidable. Martino opens the show by miming to the song Somewhere over the Rainbow, while standing above the artist entrance, see photo.

Martino somewhere over the rainbow

First artist was Katarina with a nice hula hoop entrée. Then the elegant ringmistress Bettina Arli presented the painter Martino. He drew a face on the whiteboard. Especially the younger part of the audience was completely ecstatic when the face began to move!

Then we met the wonder horse Carlo, whose rear probably was related to Alexander Arli.

At best Arli tradition the following acts was presented under the theme In a Persian Market. A flute-playing Martino conjured silk pieces up of a basket. The Silk pieces were used by Luidmila in a fine act in aerial silk. Then Martino was back, first doing a rope trick and then assisted by a boy from the audience the trick with the floating table which the boy is sitting on.

Then Katarina came back on stage. This time she did a fine and spectacular foot juggling entrée where she juggled and rotated with scarves.

When Martin Arli years ago met his wife to be Bettina and she joined Circus Arli one of the couple’s first acts was a wild-west act where Martin threw knives after Bettina. Now Martin and Bettina’s son Alexander has met the lady of his heart, the pretty Ditte Lill, and they have created a somewhat similar act. First Alexander cut with his whip newspaper pages hold by Ditte to tiny pieces. Then he places knives around Ditte - even blindfolded. Pure nostalgia for the older part of the audience to see this act which also impressed the children who never before had seen anything like it.

Alexander Arli and Ditte Lill

In the first number after the break Martino came stumbling onto the stage using a walker. It turned out to have a lot of honk horns on which Martino gave a concert.

Then we met Luidmila and her happy and playful poodles which obviously enjoyed their performances on stage as much as the audience did.

Luidmila was replaced by Anton Tabeev who assisted by Katarina did a nice diabolo-act which featured many tricks as you rarely see. The act was closed by that Anton seated on a high mono bike throwing one diabolo after the other to his forehead where he balanced with them. Impressive!

Tabeev

There are not many good clowns. But Circus Arli has no problems. They are self-sufficient in this area and would be criticized if Martino & co. was not included in the show. "& Co." is as in the recent years Alexander Arli who as in 2012 are white-faced clown. This year in a beautiful blue costume. We have seen the entrée before: "Out in Charlottenlund" - the one with the dangerous monkey. But no problem. It is probably Martino & co.'s most beloved entrée.

Throughout the winter, Ditte Lill has practiced in aerial ring. And this despite the fact that she says she suffers from the fear of heights. The training has resulted in a beautiful and poetic number, Pierrette & the Moon, where you certainly couldn’t feel that it was Ditte debut as an aerial acrobat. Well done!

Ditte Lill in aerial ring

Then time had come for the Grand Finale with plenty of soap bubbles. The audience at the opening night rewarded the performers with spontaneous and well-deserved standing ovation, and it will undoubtedly likewise be received with enthusiasm by Circus Arli regular visitors and others who find their way to the small circus tent.

A group of German and Dutch circus friends, who some years ago visited a number of Danish circus, was slightly in disagreement about which of the major Danish circuses that was the best. But all of them agreed that Circus Arli was in a class of its own. Thank you the Arli family for still being in a class of your own.

Click here to see a number of photos from the premiere performance.

26 March 2013

This year's performance in Swedish Circus Olympia – a euphoric an exhilarating show! Martin Lasson Berglund writes (my translation):

Circus Olympia had as usual their season opening in Oskarström. It was colder ant there was more snow than usual but that did of course not have impact on the opening performance.

This year's two comic artist couples were undoubtedly the Wolf Brothers who had a lot of fun in a trapeze number, and later returned with knockabout table acrobatics. People laughed and it could be seen that they are experienced artist and used to work together. The clowns from last year, Balder, was in years back in the ring with new gags. Even if they should learn a little more Swedish the audience enjoyed their different entrées. They had great classic costumes, played trumpet in both the opening and the closing of the show and proved with their style and class that they have performed at major circuses in Europe.

The Balder clowns. Photo: Linda Himsel. Press Photo from Circus Olympia

Anna Leon did a modern tissue number with modern music played by the orchestra.

Anne Leon. Photo: Linda Himsel. Press Photo from Circus Olympia

Sirle Saba juggled with her feet, fast and advanced. Alex Campos made a daring trapeze act where he both went up and down and swung himself between trapezes. A very exciting act which as far as I know hasn’t been presented in a Swedish circus ring for the last 15 years. Another champion was David Confal with his diablos. With incredible accuracy, speed and precision, he made this diabolo act the best I have seen in Sweden. But he is also German champion in the discipline.

This year's animal acts are as always worth seeing! Henrika Bengtsson’s alert dogs jumped and skipped around, just as it should be at Olympia.

Henrika Bengtsson. Photo: Linda Himsel. Press Photo from Circus Olympia

Natascha Jarz has this year put together a new act with goats, alpacas and geese and with new music. As with dogs, a charming number that got the audience to smile a little more.

Niklas Bengtsson has also created a new act with camels, llamas and Jersey bulls (or was it oxen). An elegant and exotic act performed to new music. Jessica Bengtsson presented Tinker Horses and ponies. Two completely different types of horses. First, the big heavy horses and then the frisky small ponies. Also for this act there was new and modern music.

Last but not least, faithful Valentin Smirnov headed his seven pieces orchestra which played well and created a nice sound in the tent. In short, it was a nice modern and innovative family show that surely will become even better in the weeks following the premiere.

25 March 2013

Benneweis 2013 - beautiful, entertaining and family friendly. Should you make circus for adults, for children or for both? A few years ago there were someone who believed that Diana Benneweis wanted to make circus for adults although the main part of the Danish circus audience is parents or grandparents with children.

With this year's performance has Diana Benneweis and her team has demonstrated that it is possible to create a performance that is family friendly and at the same time is offering a very good artists and thus is offering something for both children and adults.

The show begins with the year’s clown Don Christian coming into the ring and making his clown makeup, while ringmaster Judy Glosted sings a poetic welcome song "It’s Circus". Next came Sharon Folco in the ring with 3 dromedaries.

Sharon was followed by the first of Don Christian’s run-ins. Don Christian toured also with Benneweis in 2010, but this year his reprises are much better than in 2010. I believe he is the best clown we this year will meet in a Danish circus. In his first act he blow he up a balloon and ended up floating around in the circus dome under a giant balloon. Ingenious!

Don Christian. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

Then we met 3 Stoian in a number with Russian bar. They perform with pace and with impressive precision. You can often see a helpers stand ready to seize the female jumper if she fails when she lands on the bar. This is not needed by the female partner in the Stoian troupe. She concludes the act with 3 times a double somersault - performed in a row!

For many years, John Pablo Garcia and his English born Mrs. Vickki Fossett presented an elegant number with a space rocket. I Denmark we saw them in Circus Arena in 2001 and in Circus Dannebrog 2010. But last year they developed a new comic aerial act, in which Vickki as a Mary Poppins descends from heaven to take a trip with John Pablo’s uncontrollable airplane. My almost 6 year old grandson believes that it is one of the funniest acts he has ever seen in a circus. It is possible that the space rocket act from a technically point of view is more difficult than the act with the airplane. But the airplane act has much more audience appeal - go and see it!

Garcia with their airplane. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

After the airplane came a fine and classic act: pas de deux on horseback, presented by members of the Donnert family.

They were followed by Don Christian who assisted by his spouse Bianca made a great water entrée. Many clowns who do a water entrée try to copy José Michel's famous water entrée. But Don Christian has chosen to create his own entrée. And it is excellent!

The last act before the break was Sharon Folco who in a pleasant way showed how you trained an elephant.

The first act after the interval was Pat Clarisson's Hotdogs. As always with this type of act it is hard to tell who is having the most fun: the dogs or their trainer. The kids in the audience loved the number.

Then Don Christian assisted by a man from the audience presented a comical magic entrée. He was followed by 3 Stoian with a fast-paced and very well performed springboard number.

Vlad Olander and his cats were also in Benneweis in 2009. It was a nice reunion with the probably best cat act on the market. And Vladimir and his cats presented several tricks not seen in 2009. Amazing what he can get his cat to do.

Then came the young Russian juggler Semen Krachinov with his Krachnikov Fire of Juggling-hall, which last year had great success in the famous Swiss Circus Knie.

A very good performed juggler entrée with a breathtaking pace. Semen must be a candidate for one of the prestigious awards at a future Monte Carlo festival.

Semen Krachinov. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

Don Christian had then a funny run-in chasing a mischievous bee.

The performance's last act was another classic circus act: a traditional jockey riding act presented by the Donnert family. The number was awarded a bronze clown at the circus festival in Monte Carlo in January this year.

The Donnert Family. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

The show ended with Don Christian entering the ring and taking off his make up while Judy Glosted song and presented all the participants in the Grand Finale.

Benneweis 2013 offers as mentioned a beautiful, entertaining and family-friendly show, which deserved throughout the season to draw a large audience. Click here to see a number of photos from the premiere performance.

24 March 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS --  now again at the THEATRE TREVISE, rich in traditions:

a show featuring excellent artists and an extraordinary atmosphere - the performers display an outstanding joy of performing and the audience gives a wild applause.

As I have covered the THEATRE TREVISE several times, I will give a résumé of the present program, the artists change.

Entrance - and the public is confronted with the ACCROCHES-LUNE, mimes, comedians and acrobatic dancers who welcome the public, featuring many visual jokes and then act as MC:

JULIE, young and funny juggler, performing with bowler hats - very original.

ISADORA, extremely talented dancer and singer, she masters both the classic repertoire and the modern one - she is the favourite of the audience!

MISTER F - two acts, diabolo and contact juggling using glass balls.

LAURENT BERETTA, two acts, a magic one and one featuring card flourishes.

ELLES DUO, YOGANE AND SOLVEIL performing a magical sketch where the attractions are grace, elegance and feminine beauty, we were treated to an original version of the Chinese Rings and a splendid performance of the SPIRIT CABIN.

Finale acted by JEROME MURAT and his statue having two heads - super-original !!

Elles Duo (Yogane & Solveig). Photo: Tinoy, by courtesy of Yogane

Some info-dates may be of interest: THE THEATRE TREVISE is located in a building from 1892, financed and donated by JAMES STOKES, New York, it is a donation to French youth at the time, viz.to the French U.C.J.G., the building was inaugurated in 1893, the aim being to spread the Evangile and to enable young people to take part in activities, sports, theatre etc, within good and healthy surroundings.

Nowadays these activities continue as well as international exchanges of a social character. The theatre is acceptably restored, and the more than centenary floor of oak-wood is maintained. You feel that History is still present on these premises - this is a treasure to see, to admire and to keep!!

Venue: 14 rue de Trevise, 75009  Paris.  Metro: Grands Boulevards.

THEATRE TREVISE, variety program organized by LULLY SAGAGUCHI, closes the season end of March, but will resume in October. The programs are all excellent, well worth seeing, and it is to be noted that this theatre is the only one in Paris, that proudly presents variety programs in the very best style and tradition of MUSIC HALL.

-------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

22 March 2013

Circus Benneweis 2013. Circus Benneweis had its opening night in Hillerod 22 March. You can read a review of the performance when this website is updated next Saturday (30 March). Click here to see some photos from the opening performance. (Will not be 100 % ready until 24 March).

Among the many great acts in this years Benneweis-performance are Garcia’s with their comical airplan act. Photo from opening night 22 March

21 March 2013

Circus Baldoni 2013. Many circuses have mottos: Denmark's best, Denmark's National Circus, Denmark's family circus, etc. Circus Baldoni motto is The family’s favorite circus. This year's show lives 100% up to this ambition.

Weather conditions up to season opening on Wednesday evening in Lyngby have certainly not been favorable to Thessa and René Moenster and their team. Temperatures below zero, windy and snow - even during the premier show. But despite these obstacles the result once again was a performance that the Baldoni audience will enjoy. This year there are many animals in the show which undoubtedly will delight the youngest generation.

For several years, the link between the acts in Circus Baldoni has apart from the lion Leonardo (a ventriloquist’s doll) been the clowns Danillo and Danilla. But this year Thessa and René found that some change would be useful. They have therefore engaged the Russian reprise clowns Duo Kapitanski, who also toured with Circus Baldoni in 2005 and 2009.

This year's show begins with Mr. Kapitanski entering the circular stage (Baldoni use a stage and not a traditional ring) carrying a large box. But he quickly disappears and director Baldoni (René Moenster) sings the traditional Baldoni welcome song before all the performers enters the stage.

The first number is cube-juggling, performed at a breathtaking speed by Nedyalko Vaskov. Then introduces Baldoni and the lion Leonardo the Igen family's wonderful dog act with 9 happy dogs. An act that offers everything you would expect of a good dog act.

Josephine Again with her dogs Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

Then Kapitanski enters the stage with a handcart with a package. It turns out to contain DanilaZen (Thessa Daniella Moenster) seeking job in Circus Baldoni. But the director says no: there are no jobs available.

Next comes Veselka Metodieve on the stage and presents to the tune of Frank Sinatra's "My Way" a fine act where she with a chair as trinka combine handstand with contortion.

Veselka is followed by Duo Kapitanski with a run-in, where they swap hats and all of a sudden are locked to each other (see photo).

Duo Kapitanski

Now comes another package is hands over to Baldoni. Again, it was DanilaZen who plead for a job. But no: Baldoni can’t use her.

Then came a spectacular sword balancing performed by Miss Melina.

And then the director got another package! At first it seemed to be empty (René Moenster is an old magician!). But later it turned out to contain the job seeking DanilaZen. This time Baldoni gave up and offered her making popcorn for the break.

The last act before the break was Duo Kapitanski with a fine and original entrée with a laying hen.

After the break Duo Kapitanski presented their cheerful bullfighter entrée. They were replaced by Clorinda Varricchio with a hula hoop act. DanilaZen then tried to do a hula hoop act together with a gentleman from the audience. Sergei Scerbina is best known as one of Baldoni two ring boys. But he has also had acrobat entrées. This year we see him as the man who climbs into the giant balloon.

Then we met Vesalka and Nedyalko, this time as a duo with a beautiful and spectacular acrobatic act.

Vesalka and Nedyalko

Then followed a classic illusion act where René climbs into the large basket that Thessa pierces with long spears with fire in the lead.

Now it was time for Duo Kapitanskis last run-in with two buckets of water. The audience screamed with laughter - and Mr Kapitanski got pretty wet!

The performance's last act was the Igen family's African mountain goats which is one of the best such acts in the market.

Despite the weather the audience at the opening performance enjoyed the show. Hopefully the weather will soon become better and tempt the Danish audience to a circus visit.

From the grand finale.  Click here to see more photos from this year Baldoni-performance

21 March 2013

No clowns at ’Bakken’. ‘Bakken’ north of Copenhagen is said to be the world’s oldest amusement part, established more than 400 years ago. Since 1996 ‘Bakken’ has every year presented an international clown festival or an international clown show at the open air stage. Apart from 2007 the festivals / shows have been produced by Benny Schumann. But now the end has come: at least in 2013 there will be no clown performances at ‘Bakken’. Sad news for everyone who like clowns and other artists. My best advice will be: visit a circus instead of a visit to ‘Bakken’.

20 March 2013

Circus Mascot 2013.The Deleuran family’s dog and pony show will this year present the following artists:

Rola bola: Antal Veres.

Hula Hoop: the award-winning young hula hoop star Husik Gulyamov in just 12 years old. He impressed everyone at the youth circus festival in Wiesbaden last year and received the Kirche price.

Dog Show: 12 frisky doggies of all sizes presented by Marianne and Andreas Deleuran.

Bouncing Balls: Juggling both up and down at a high level – the young Hungarian juggler Henrik Veres bouncing nothing less than 9 juggling balls on his little podium. Henrik Veres was among the performers at the circus festival in Budapest in February 2011. In my review from the festival I wrote: “Henrik Veres made an impressive juggling act, where he "bounced" with his juggling balls. He has great charm and I would offer him a contract if I were a circus owner!”

The young juggler Henrik Veres. All photos by courtesy of Circus Mascot

Vertical rope: From Ukraine Circus Mascot presents Tatyana Prymachenko - graceful and charming she is climbing up at the rope hanging from the tent top …

Modern liberty dressage: Beautiful liberty horses presented by Katja Schumann. She has trained and presented horses for more than 40 years.

Illusion: Magic and magic. The Veres Family. Anything can happen!

Hand-to-hand balancing act: The Deleuran Brothers have put together this new partner acrobatics act.

The brothers Daniel and Andreas Deleuran.

Clown Gulio: is the red thread who on comical way binds the show together.

Gulio

Aerial straps: Air acrobatics second to none. Daniel Deleuran combines grace and agility with strength and seriousness. He tests the limits of the human body.

Ringmaster: Circus owner Jess Deleuran takes care of the presentation of this year's program.

20 March 2013

March in Denmark should be the first spring month. But this year the winter continues with snow, temperatures below zero and strong winds what certainly not makes the season start easy for the Danish circuses. Here is Per "Mr. Sputnik "Krogh Petersen photo of Benneweis tent in Hillerod. Photo shot 19 March.

It is rather unusual that we I Denmark get heavy snowfall with strong winds after mid-March. It will cost the Danish circus a lot of diesel to heat the tents up under such weather conditions. And it becomes a challenge when tents have to be moved to new lots where the ground is frozen and there maybe is 10-20 centimeters of snow. Circus Baldoni has its opening night in Lyngby on Wednesday 20th March and will after that tear down the tent and put it up at the circus lot in Birkerod, where performances are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Circus Dannebrog has season opening in Vojens 21st March and will then move to Fredericia, where there are performance Saturday. Circus Benneweis will start the season in Hillerod on 22nd March and following performances 24th March the will tear down the tent and move tent end equipment to Frederikssund where there is performance on 26th March. Circus Arli has the season’s first performance Saturday 23rd March in Fløng. After the performance 24th March they will move tent and wagons to Taastrup where they have performance on 26th March.

There is no business like snow business ... Circus Baldoni during snowfall at the circus lot on Firskovvej in Lyngby, just before the season opening performance on 20th March. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

DMI meteorological services’s forecast for the coming week does not suggest much change: The winter will maintain its grip on Denmark in the rest of March. And not even in the first weeks of April warm and spring weather seems to be likely.

18 March 2013

Jimmy Enoch Production Manager for Flying Superkids. For many years you have meet Jimmy Enoch in Circus Dannebrog. Both as an extremely talented bike acrobat and as the one who controlled light and sound and took care of a number of other practical tasks.

But this year Jimmy has decided to try something different: He will be Production Manager at Flying Superkids during their summer / tent tour and will also be responsible for their German bookings. Flying Superkids have for the upcoming season bought a brand new tent. "I look very much forward to trying something new, and I am sure that we will be good for me," Jimmy says, adding: "But I will visit my father and Circus Dannebrog as often as possible and has also promised to step by and help then when there is a need for it.”

Jimmy is grandson of the late Circus owner Haddy Enoch. His father Dennie was in his young days an excellent bike acrobat. Now he technical manager for Circus Dannebrog and responsible for equipment, tent etc.

Flying Superkids is a show from the Kingdom of Denmark. An elite team of performers from the gymnastic club and non-profit organization “Gymnastikgården” (aka “The gymnastic farm”). 

Founded in 1967, it started out with a traditional gymnastics-sports team, but through the years Flying Superkids has evolved into an internationally renowned show ensemble.

The show has now visited 35 countries and is seen by over 100.000 people live yearly.

The show is a high tempo mix of acrobatics, gymnastics, dancing, singing, comedy, tumbling and of course twists, double & triple summersaults on trampolines and other crazy equipment.

Sunday 17th March Jimmy Enoch was in Vojens to help putting up Circus Dannebrog’s tent. It was quite a challenge to build up a tent under the cold and stormy weather conditions. After heavy snowfall you had to sweep the snow away from the tent and turn up the heat, because the snow simply was too heavy for the fabric. Photo: Jimmy Enoch

18 March 2013

Federation Welcomes Rambo Circus as first “Supporting Circus”. Press release from Fédération Mondiale du Cirque

Rambo Circus of India has become the first to be recognized as one of the Fédération Mondiale du Cirque’s “Supporting Circus and Festivals”. This new category of supporters has been created due to the increasing demand by individual circuses and festivals to contribute to the Federation’s goals and work.

“Our dream is to keep the Indian Circus alive by catching up with modern time and providing modern facilities to the audiences in India, local and visiting artists and our performing animals,” explained Rambo Circus co-owner and director Sujit Dililp. “We seek to improve Indian circus arts and help our artists to participate in international festivals. We are happy to support the Federation and its work for the future of the Circus.”

Rambo Circus was founded in 1991 when P.T. Dilip consolidated three Indian circuses. The circus has operated successfully for twenty years, including a two year tour to the Middle East. Rambo Circus operates year round, playing 45 days in each city, with breaks between cities, moving with a convey of 60 trucks and two trailers. It is the first circus in India to feature three rings and is known for its colorful, air-conditioned Big Top tent. Rambo Circus is now run by Sujit Dilip and Sumit Dilip, the founder’s sons.

The Federation continues to urge all circuses and festivals to join and actively work together through national and regional circus organisations. Recognising the desire of circuses and festivals also to promote and preserve Circus arts and culture at the global level, however, this new category will help to support the Federation’s work. The annual contribution for Supporting Circuses and Festivals is 100 EUR/125 USD.

17 March 2013

Eddy Carello and Josephine Kasselowsky at Billy Smart's Circus (Tony Hopkins). The juggler Eddy Carello and his girlfriend Josephine 'Josie' Kasselowsky tours in the upcoming season with the English Billy Smart's Circus. Billy Smart circus today has nothing to do with the legendary British circus family. The family have just leases out the title to the experienced circus producer Tony Hopkins. The Danish circus audience remembers Eddy Carellos great juggler entrée from Circus Dannebrog 2006 and 2011. It was during those seasons that Eddy met Josephine, who is the daughter of elephant trainer Bernhard Kasselovsky. In the English circus Eddy will present his juggling acts and Josie will perform her silk act. In other circuses Josie has often presented animnals. But not with Billy Smart's Circus, which as several other British circuses does not have animals in the performance.

Eddy Carello. Photo from Circus Dannebrog 2011

17 March 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS  --  over and over again -- THEATRE TREVISE, direction LULLY SAGAGUCHI continues producing interesting programs in traditional variety and circus-style:

now:  the magic entertainer REMI LARROUSSE featuring a theatrical MAGIC SHOW, where he suddenly finds a dummy/puppet that inspires him to perform various and stunning magical effects. The show is called  ALTER EGO, which is latin and refers to the ressemblance of the dummy and the artist, this leads us into many surprising situations.

REMI LARROUSSE makes good use of many classical effects, we saw the manipulation of a  round piece of felt, having a likewise round hole in the middle, a skillful artist can produce a number of hats, the origin is, so it is said, a French artist TABARIN, the French call it le chapeau de Tabarin /chapeau=hat/.

The feature reminds us of TROUBLEWIT,  a folded paper that can be made to represent a number of items. We saw, as well, an old and dear acqaintance: a borrowed ring or a coin disappears and is found in the inner part of a ball of wool - an immortal classic and still popular as people are happy to get their belonging back.

An excellent stage setting enhanced the professional performance of predictions, mind-reading and illusions, big and small, and together with miming and acting the show proves a real success.

One needs to understand some French, although most of the effects are clear and visual.

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS !!!

Theatre Trevise  also produces other plays, in French, under a different direction.

Length of show: one hour.

Venue:Theatre Trevise, 14 rue de Trevise, 75009  Paris.  Metro: Grands Boulevards.

See more: www.remilarrousse.com

---------------------------------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

14 March 2013

Circus Arena 2013. Jorgen Lorenzen writes (my translation):

Can Arena again this year live up to expectations to a major circus in the European elite division? The answer is yes! This year's show is big and strong and it is bursting of power and will and desire to make excellent circus.

There are four highlights in the performance:

Cai Yong – acrobat of another world. It is probably no coincidence that his choice of costume makes him look like a Greek god who recently descended from Mount Olympus. In almost dreamlike sequences, he changes between dynamic, powerful movements and static, slow postures. Almost completely celestial it is when he gets up from splits to a standing position without using his hands. That is for everyone else impossible to do.

19 year old Cai Yong end his formidable act by rotations balancing on his head. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press.

The Mongolian Acrobats are five female artists on high mono bikes. They are juggling with plates, which they throw with their feet up on their heads and throwing plates from one artist to another – with the bikes in full speed. It is so nice, partly because it must be insanely difficult, and partly because they use the circle form of the circus ring optimally. The latter is, incidentally, also the case later in the show with the large animal acts.

3 of the girls from Mongolian Acrobats. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

The Four Navas is working on the high wire which looks like a power line. The act is filled with excitement with appeal to thrill the audience. They work in two "levels" on two wires. And they're doing all the hardest tricks that can be done on a high wire: an artist climbs to the shoulders of another artist, two artists carries on their shoulders a pole on which the third artist sitting in a chair, balancing on this pole. And they do leapfrog at the wire where the one, later two artists sit while the jump is performed over them. Finally all four goes down an ascent wire at 45 degree angle. The thrill and excitement in the act triggered standing ovations.

Navas on the high wire leapfrogging two artists. Photos: Ole Simonsen

Finally, there are two acts that will appeal especially to a younger audience. But we old recalled with delight our childhood fairground where Franz Krüger and Gurli Gabel on motorbikes roamed up and down the wall of death. In Circus Arena the wall of death is sophisticated and turned into a globe where Diorios swarm around like angry wasps – in the end of the acts with six riders inside the globe at the same time. There was once a movie called The Cannonball Run. It must have been Diorios!

Diorios – this year with 6 riders in the globe of death. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

And from the globe of death to the wheel of death. For the show begins with a strong act instead of one of the more humble numbers, which often opens a circus performance: after a spectacular Gangnam style opening with the entire cast the Navas Brothers present a fine version of the wheel of death where they move inside and outside of the wheel. Finally one of the brothers does seven forward somersaults in row at the outside of the wheel. It created a great circus atmosphere.

Naves brothers - formidable leap on the wheel of death. Photo: Ole Simonsen

But there is so much else to enjoy in the performance. The Casselly family's impressive entrée with horses and elephants in aesthetic colors is a thing of beauty and a joy. And every year this family creates a new entrée and each year it looks easy. Benny Berdino has reason to be proud having the family with Circus Arena year after year.

Patrick Berdino presents camels, zebras an alpacas. Laura Berdino comes as a gypsy princess into the ring with beautiful Frisian stallions in liberty dressage. We met Sharon Berousek with a juggling act, and there is a teeterboard act done by the Puyang Troupe, where the catcher use a trinka. It is a combination act where springboard is combined with Risley acrobatics.

Jimmi Folco is again this year the clown in the performance in cooperation with the clown Augusto. This name was chosen by the Danish actor Morten Eisner, who has chosen a costume that falls somewhere between the tramp and a mythological adventure figure.

Is there nothing that you could wish to be different? Yes! The 4 piece orchestra's sound picture is quite similar: the same instrumentation and an often with the same bar - four fourths. What would happen if you heard a flute or a violin, so more lyrical strings could be added? Or maybe a guitar - with and without electicity? For as a spectator said, good music is very important in a circus performance. You are just not aware of it.

But it is quite clear that Arena stakes a lot in order to make circus not only for the traditional circus-visitors (which there fortunately are many of) but also for others. The aim is to show the world that the circus is important part of the entertainment world. For this Circus Arena is a shining example.

Fully understandable is was a proud Benny Berdino who presented this year’s great Arena performance. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

13 March 2013

Freddi Steckel performance director in Circus Dannebrog. For the upcoming season, the Danish Circus Dannebrog has employed the artist and knockabout table acrobat Freddi Steckel as performance director. Freddi is son of the late clown Frederick "Gugele" Schmidt, who until 1951 was co-owner of Circus Schmidt Brothers. For many years Freddi and his siblings presented their acrobat act called 4 Steckels. In recent years, Freddi has along with various partners done his own knockabout table acrobat entrée which is one of the best such entrées. In Circus Dannebrog’s upcoming season we will however not see him as an artist, but as performance director (what Germans calls Regisseur or Spielleiter). The Dannebrog performance will at usual be put on stage by Isabella Enoch.

12 March 2013

More clowns in Circus Scott. The Swedish Circus Scott writes (my translation):

Now we have agreed with the comedians Caveagna that they will be part of our performance this summer. After working for 2 years with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in the United States, they are now back in Europe. Along with Fumagalli, Darix and Robert Bronett they will ensure that you will use your laughter muscles a lot during the Scott performances.

The 3 Caveagna-clowns: a father and two sons, toured in the 2006 season first with Danish Circus Baldoni and later with Circus Dannebrog. The two sons, Steve and Jones Caveagna, was part of the Christmas circus, which Circus Scott presented in Stockholm in December 2012. It is those two brothers that you can meet in Circus Scott in the upcoming season. Their sister Jessica Caveagna can in the coming season be seen in Swedish Circus Brazil Jack together with her partner and boyfriend, the magician Kim Kenneth.

Circus Scott has its opening night in Malmö, Sweden, on Thursday 25 April.

12 March 2013

Special guest star at Circus Brazil Jack’s opening night. The Swedish Circus Brazil Jack has its opening night on 21 March at Jägersro in Malmö. At the opening night they will apart from Kim Kenneth, Jessica and many other star performers present a special guest star who never before has worked in a Scandinavian Circus Ring.

Can you guess the name of the guests star? He is Italian and was awarded a golden clown in Monte Carlo in 1999. For several years he toured with the American Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. In recent seasons he has appeared in his brother in law Bernhard Paul's circus in Germany. Many other artists have copied some of his entrées. But never with approximately the same talent, charm and charisma as a guest artist himself. It is unique that we on 21 March for the first time ever can see this world star in a Scandinavian circus. And he will only be part of the Brazil Jack performance this one night!

11 March 2013

Circus Wictoria 2013. The Swedish Circus Wictoria begins their 2013 season on 22 March in Heby, Sweden.

In the performance you will meet the Tarantini Family on the high wire (Anthony Tarantini, Sarah Tarantini-Kaiser and Veronica).

The Tarantini Family. All photos by courtesy of Circus Wictoria

From China comes the versatile Gao Chen troupe, known by the Danes from several seasons with Circus Baldoni. The 4-person troupe consists of two couple if twins who are married to each other: the two Gao-sisters and the two Chen brothers.

The clowns in the performance are Mr. Kuba & Anabel.

Mr. Kuba & Anabel

Ramon Maatz & Ebba Frank will present ponies and camels from Circus Maximum’s stables. Veronica from Czech Republic does an act in aerial rope. From Hungary comes the Varadis with their fine dog act. Under the name Diana O Mihaly they will also present a comic plate juggling act. The Danish audience knows Varadis from Circus Krone 2007 and Circus Baldoni 2008 and 2010. Finally you in Circus Wictoria meet The Pirates with balance of rotating ladder.

11 March 2013

Circus Education in Denmark – Nordic Focus Seminar. AFUK and the Danish Artis5’s Union invites to a seminar Friday the 22nd of March at AFUK, Enghavevej 82 B, 2450 Copenhagen  SV.

PROGRAMME:

 9:00 – 9:30

Come early, say good morning to each other and have a cup of coffee.

 9:30 – 10:30

Welcome and opening by Pia Allerslev, Copenhagen’s Mayor of Culture and Leisure, followed by short presentations from:

Tim Roberts, director, Circus Space, London, UK and president of the FEDEC

Marc Lalonde, executive director, National Circus School, Montréal, CA

Donald Lehn, director Escuela de Circo Carampa, Madrid, ES

10:30 – 10:50

Break

10:50 – 11:30

Questions from the invited panel of experts working in Denmark.

11:30 – 12:00

Open Q&A-session.

Registration: send an e-mail to afuk@afuk.dk

AFUK – The Academy for Untamed Creativity – is an untraditional training and community work environment concentrating on commitment, play, mindfulness and lots of life. Their basic idea is to allow each individual to evolve in a community devoid of preconceived notions. Amateurs and professionals work side by side with such different activities as new circus, performance, theatre, writing, visual arts, design, cooking and the noble art of making a beautiful life for oneself

AFUK is a philosophical forum with a clear focus on creative processes. It aims to develop training activities that will both challenge and stimulate the participants in their search for creative expressions and the sheer art of living. AFUK embraces a number of different training centres and artistic associations.

AFUK has widespread cooperation with a series of institutions and companies, such as The KaosPilots, The Circus Pilots, The National Circus School of Kyyiv, Change the Game, and various event planners.

Why Untamed? Why Academy??

 - Untamed because wild animals find their own feed unlike the tame ones who wait patiently to be served.

 - Academy from the Greek word akademeia: “The garden or gymnasium where philosophers, artists and athletes meet to exchange ideas and movements.”.

10 March 2013

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS --  an appealing and original show, proudly presented by ESPACE PARIS-PLAINE /espace=space/, a theatre managed by the local Municipality, specialized in programs for the young public, although adults are welcome as well, the limit is arbitrary.

This show, called CIRQUE, BATELEURS, BANQUISTES /the latter denominations refer to artists who perform in popular and often primitive surroundings/.

The performers call themselves LA LANTERNE MAGIQUE, under the knowledgeable guidance of Director FRANK DESMAROUX, they feature hand-stance-acrobatics, dancing, and aerial acts: textile, vertical rope, straps, and juggling Indian clubs.

Photos by courtesy of Frank Desmaroux

Furthermore a fakir-stunt using a nail-bed, magic effects: the head that turns completely around in a box fitted with a front window, a big illusion where an artist enters a kind of cabinet and thereafter he pops his head up through the floor of the podium where the cabinet is standing - indeed original !! The female partner acts as a traditional cabaret singer, crooning in the microphone, the whole scenery is sustained by lots of comedy and hilarious acting.

A very successful show combining all the best from circus and cabaret traditions.

Length of show: 90 minutes.

Venue: Espace Paris-Plaine, 13 rue du General Guillaumat, 75015  Paris.  Metro: Porte de Versailles, then a 15 minutes' walk.

See more: www.la-lanterne-magique.fr

IT ALL HAPPENS IN PARIS !!!

---------------------------------------------  reported by ZARRO ZARRO.

8 March 2013

New tent for Circus Arena. When Circus Arena as the first Danish circus has its season opening on Tuesday 12 March it happens in a brand new tent with room for 1,750 persons. Already at the first dress rehearsal on 9 March, the spectators will be seated in the new tent.

7 March 2013

Circus Arli 2013. "This summer's funniest circus experience," Circus Arli writes on their website, adding: "Charming Dog revue, Tense knife throwing, Super funny clowns, Amazing foot jugglers, Incredible Diabolo juggler, Poetic Pierette in the Moon, Oriental mystical magic, Hula hoop sensation, Elegant Tissue artistry, the wonder horse Carlo and much much more."

Martin Arli tells that this year's performance is called The Journey to end of the rainbow.  Circus Arli has this year booked 2 teams of foreign artists: Liudmila Sergeva, who presents a dog act and performs in aerial silk, and Anton & Catherine Tarbeev who does hula hoop, foot juggling and diabolo.

Anton & Catherine Tarbeev. All photos by courtesy of Circus Arli

Martin Arli’s son Alexander Arli and his girlfriend Ditte Lill will this year present a cowboy and Indian act with whip, lasso and knife throwing. Ditte Lill has during winter been in sharp training and makes an act in aerial ring as a solo entrée.

Alexander and Ditte Lill

As usual, Martin Arlis wife Bettina Arli is ringmistress. Martin Arli is the reprise clown, however with one entrée together with Alexander as white-faced clown. Martin Arli can this year celebrate his 40 years anniversary as a clown.

Circus Arli has its opening night in Floeng on 24 March with dress rehearsal the day before.

Martin and Alexander Arli aka Martino & co.

6 March 2013

Circus Brazil Jack 2013. Swedish Cirkus Brazil Jack writes:

According to tradition, Circus Brazil Jack has its season opening on Thursday 21 March at 19:00 at the circus lot at Jägersro Centre in Malmö.

The circus offers as previous seasons a classic and family-friendly performance that is appreciated by children and adults of all ages. This year, with among others the Danish illusionist Kim Kenneth and his partner Jessica Caveagna in the program. At the end of March Kim Kenneth can celebrate his 25th year’s anniversary as an illusionist. An example of Kim Kenneth's magic act can be seen on www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UkNJioPCus

Welcome to Circus Brazil Jack - the oldest circus in Sweden established in 1899!

Kim Kenneth and Jessica. All photos by courtesy of Circus Brazil Jack

Circus owner and General Manager Carmen Rhodin tells that the performers apart from Kim Kenneth and Jessica are Gabi Donnert with his horses, Sandor Donnert juggling on horseback, Fratelli Rossi Icarien act (Risley act), Shirley Larible straps, David Jr. Larible juggling, Fatime’s  cats, Pazco trampoline and the clowns Francesco et Nadine.

The Danish audience knows Fatime's fine cat act from Circus Baldoni 2011. Also the terrific trampoline comedian Pazco aka Peytchev Plamen Metodiev was with Circus Baldoni in 2011.

To the left: Shirley Larible. To the right:  the poetic clown Francesco. The Danish audiences know him from Circus Benneweis 1995, 1996, 2004 and 2005. The Swedes have met him in Circus Scott in 2000 and in Circus Brazil Jack in 2010.

In addition to the opening performance 21st March you can see Circus Brazil Jack in Malmö on Saturday 23 March and Sunday 24th March, both days at 13 & 16. It’s easy to go from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Malmö, Sweden: The Øresund Bridge is an approximately 16 km long road and rail link between Copenhagen and Malmö.

5 March 2013

Circus Olympia 2013. In the 2013 performance the Swedish Circus Olympia will present the following performers:  

8-piece circus band under the direction of Valentin Smirnov

Abraham Gebre - Bouncy Ball Juggler from Ethiopia

Wolf Brothers - Comic trapeze, from the Czech Republic

Clowns Balder - Funny clown brothers from Portugal

Henrika Bengtsson - Circus Olympia's charming dogs

Sirle Saba – Foot juggler from France

Niklas Bengtsson - Circus Olympia’s exotic animals in liberty dressage

Wolf Brothers – Knockabout table acrobatics, from the Czech Republic

Anna Leon - Aerial Silks, from Germany

Natascha Jarz - joyful dressage with alpacas, ducks and goats

Alex Michael Campos - Trapeze Artist from Brazil

Jessica Bengtsson – Liberty horses - Circus Olympia's beautiful Tinker Horses and Friesians

David Confal - Diabolo Champion from Germany

Grand Finale

The two Balder brothers. Press photo from Circus Olympia. Photographer Linda Himsel

Jessica Bengtsson with Circus Olympia’s camels. Press photo from Circus Olympia. Photographer Linda Himsel

The two Balder brothers were also with Circus Olympia in 2012 and performed this year during week 8 at Enoch’s Circus Show in Odense. Together with a third brother, Peter, they toured with Danish Circus Dannebrog in 2008 and 2009. The Wolf brothers toured with Danish Circus Arli in 2011.

The Wolf Brothers in Circus Arli 2011

4 March 2013

Circus Arnardo 2013. The press release from Norway's oldest circus, Circus Arnardo writes (my translation):

Laughter and excitement in the Arnardo World of Adventure

Norwegian Cirkus Arnardo meets once again a country and people ready for spring. In our 65^th season we present the fairytale with laughter and joy, strength, agility, quickness and elegance. For circus owner Arild Arnardo has also this year put together a program of high quality, and has underlined two important concepts in the circus world, "joy and laughter."

It is a responsibility to be the oldest travelling cultural institution in Norway and the Norwegian tradition bearing circus. A responsibility which circus director Arild Arnardo takes utmost serious also this year when Cirkus Arnardo has is season no 65. This year's performance is influenced by his experience as both a tradition supporting and visionary circus director, where he humbly is merging tradition with innovation. All to the delight of an audience that deserves the very best.

A modern circus

For years Cirkus Arnardo has used modern technology to reach their audience. Social media such as Facebook and a website is an important platform where the public can read about circus history and performance, or watch photos and videos, or book tickets.

Now there is a new season and new show they can read about.

Expectant glance

-I am convinced that this year's show is in good Arnardo tradition. An adventurous and magical world where the public is meetings joy, fascination and excitement during the approximately two hours where they are our guests. And we know how to take good care of our guests, Arild Arnardo says. He has seen numerous children of all ages walking into into the circus tent with expectations in their eyes. They have opened up their senses and given Arild and the artists the opportunity to fill their world with sound, light, smell, excitement, fascination and especially laughter.

A magical dream world

-An empty open lot becomes a dream world; Are Arnardo said when three generations Arnardo were guests at Anne Lindmo on Norwegian TV channel NRK1 this winter. And he's so right.

When the Cirkus Arnardo colorful small armada of vehicles occupies an empty lot it is with more than hundred people, animals, and artists from several continents. Rumours of our presence spread fast in urban and rural areas, a voltage builds up in line with this our little dream world. We are ready to spread joy.

Clowns of rank

They are clumsy, funny, smart, sad, athletic, agile, acrobatic and musical. This year the clowns put their extra touch to the show. Sure there is something to laugh off!

Davis Vassallo has by many been named as Chaplin's successor with his silent body language, combined with line acrobatics at a high level.

Davis Vassallo. All pictures by courtesy of Circus Arnardo

Classic comedy with music and pie-throwing will also give reason to a good laugh when Rivelino clowns present their gags and surprises but in their own entrée and in run ins, Arild Arnardo says.

Animals in Circus Arnardo

Cirkus Arnardo is in academic circles widely known to require animal welfare, which is reflected in all the final reports for checks and inspections by the Norwegian authorities. It is important for Arild Arnardo.

-So is has to be. That we, after very frequent visits and checks can sit back and be assured that the animals has good conditions and are treated well are something that means a lot to us. Without that, no interaction in ring between man and animal will work, he said.

This year's show has also birds in the performance.

- Andrejs Fjodorov and his pigeons is something we've never seen before. An incredible pigeon ballet reminiscent of the movie "The Horse Whisperer," Arild Arnardo says.

Generations in the ring

Arild Arnardo has children and grandchildren in the ring. Cirkus Arnardo fairytale performance is opened by Princess Helen Arnardo (Arild’s daughter) on her white stallion.

Last year's debut, Arild’s grandson Arne Otto Luigi Folco Arnardo (13 years old) presents a charming number with his little pony.

Arne Otto Luigi Folco Arnardo this year Arnardo poster

Luigi's mother and father, Paolina and Are Arnardo present as the late circus king Arne Arnardo inexplicable illusions, performed with the audience on all sides.

Speed, strength and charm

Devid Tsytko is an internationally noted artist with blazing technique and winning smile as he juggles with his diabolos in an advanced trick-order. Diabolo is a modern form of circus entertainment, and has gained a foothold in an entire circus world.

Duo Rivolis poodle-cabaret is delight to watch. Monika Rivoli was educated as a horse trainer and has extensive experience in training the stately breed thoroughbred Arabians. As with horses Monika has also found the perfect tone with her poodles. Wagging, lively, playful. That’s how we will see them.

Duo Rebels "live trapeze" is a good example of how a traditional circus acts are taken into a new era and to new heights. Adrienn and Otilia have replaced the usual trapeze bar with their own bodies in their exceptional aerial act.

Duo Rebel

Tsytko Family are raising stars with their unique form of foot juggling. They have not made it easier for themselves when the combine the act with Risley acts and ladder balance.

Andreas Quaiser brings a breath of wind from the Gobi desert rider into the ring when a group of graceful camels enters the ring as a mirage. When camels and Circus Arnardo heaviest performer, an elephant are together in the ring it is an aesthetic interaction.

We are on the way

With its new and modern circus show Arild Arnardo and his circus family takes us into a magical universe with leading artists in a grand fireworks display of energy, power, pleasure and fun. In a frame with unique proximity to the performers and animals, guided by modern technology, folds an entertaining world of wonder out of an empty and open lot near you.

Season opening for Circus Arnardo will be in Arendal on 16 and 17 March.

4 March 2013

Newsletter from Fédération Mondiale du Cirque. A newsletter Issue 1, March 2013 is

featuring:

Sarasota Meetings a Great Success!

Federation participates in first World Digital Library meeting

Kenneth Feld named Ambassador

Save the Date!

“World Circus” invited to Three Film Festivals

2013 Photo Contest Opens 20 April

Welcome to our New Members

Circuses and Festivals Invited!

New Publicity Opportunities

Federation Honours Ukranian Clowns

Annual General Assembly in Monaco: Focus on WCD

Federation gives Special Award to Ron Morris and Roberto Fazzini

Silent Auction Raises more than 3,000 EUR

Monte Carlo Festival featured in The Indian Express

World Circus Day: Help us reach our goal of 50 countries!

You can join the newsletter at http://www.circusfederation.org/

2 March 2013

Circus Merano 2013. As the first of the Nordic circuses Norwegian Circus Merano had its season opening on 1 March. Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo has sent me the following photos from this year's performance.