Is the circus art?

The other day, I wound up at my first ever circus – stumbling into a zebra enclosure by accident, I was allowed to pet one if I bought a ticket (which seemed a fair deal to me). This was a classic circus, full of clowns, animals and amazing stunts, and I had a great time. Why am I going on about this? Well, I write this in the knowledge that most of you reading this have never been to the circus and, in a time when we triumph fantastic performance art, it’s such a shame the circus is losing out.

The modern circus was really the originator of modern performance, and the show I saw incorporated many of the skills it had inspired – there are those who would argue that the circus does not constitute art but, in doing so, you’d be casting the same judgement on all other fields of performance, from theatre to dance. To cast doubt on the value of the circus can be nothing more than snobbishness.

It’s well worth going to the big top

Because, let’s be frank, the circus is not high-minded entertainment – the focus is on the visual, and on ensuring a performance that anyone of any age or background can enjoy. However, we should not forget the hard work that goes into the show – these people spend years learning their craft, and they master some incredibly technical skills, but always with an eye on enticing the audience. I’ll be honest – I’ve watched fancy dance shows (for example) and, whilst I appreciate the ability of the dancers, I took nothing from it. At the circus, I was on the edge of my seat as I watched the tightrope walker take to her stage.

In this, I don’t mean to pour scorn on the other arts – no, I love the theatre, the opera, etc. – and I encourage you to seek them out and enjoy them. The circus was something I was happy to leave but, having finally seen one, I can now speak to its value – if you enjoy the arts, it’s well worth going to the big top.