…

..

by Anura Guruge



Related posts:

>> The circus elephants have

>> arrived — Oct. 2, 2013.

>> Oct. 2013 circus/elephants

>> in Manchester —

>> Sep. 29, 2013.

>> Circus will play down elephant parade

>>— Aug. 15, 2013.

>> ‘Dragons’ circus is coming to town — July 6, 2013.

++++ Search ‘circus’ or ‘elephants’ for the numerous

>>>> ‘circus in town (with elephants)‘ posts. >>>>>>

Click on pictures to ENLARGE them.





Per the family tradition, as of the last 5 or 6 years, we went to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus at the Verizon Arena in Manchester — in October.

It was good. It wasn’t great, but it was, as ever, a spectacle and a lot of fun. Yes, I am a great fan of this circus and have a lot of respect for the FELD Entertainment group that produces it. They really try and in my book that is the #1 priority (and this is why I am so bummed with the ‘NH Highland Games‘).

There were no real truly amazing headliner acts this year — with the exception of the amazing, aerial plastic ball act, viz. ‘Sizzling Sirens of the Sky‘ from Ukraine. That had me and the kids mesmerized. Deanna is always harder to please when it comes to circus acts. That we had a ball more of less directly above us allowed us to really savor the skill and bravery of this act. They don’t wear a safety line nor does the ball totally lock. So if they slip up, the ball will open wide and they will fall onto the inadequate, purely symbolic pad below. The kids and I would gladly watch them again. So that was a definite ‘must see’.

Per the Dragon theme the headline act was the very large Chinese Shaolin Warriors ‘Kung Fu’ martial arts troupe with mind-over-matter and feats of strength acts. They were OK. Kids would like them, Martial arts don’t do that much for me.

The Cossack riders, this year around, were even more impressive than ever. They were GOOD.

The hair-hanging girls were kind of compelling but a bit weird and unsavory. Definite shades of sadomasochism in it and that doesn’t do much for me because seeing women in pain or being degraded has never done anything for — but then again I grew up in a different culture. [Remember, we had the world’s very first female prime minister.]

I really did take a cat nap during the big cat act! I don’t like seeing lions and tigers made to perform. Ditto with the females. I love big cats and hate to see them degraded. Add GOATS to that after this year’s circus. Yes, they had a goat act and I did not like it and I wonder how many of the Christians present realized the symbolism with the devil! I don’t like the dog acts either, but as with the elephant performance it does NOT bother me. Why. Dogs and elephants can be and have been totally domesticated. The FELD elephant act is remarkably benign — another reason I admire them. The WORST they do is to get one elephant to put its front legs on the back/side of another. Well, to be fair, elephants do do that when they mate. So it is not totally artificial behavior. And then, as with dogs, elephants love to please their master. So, as long as the elephants aren’t made to do stupid, foolish things (and FELD makes sure that they don’t) this is no different to ask teaching dogs to do tricks. But, making dogs jump out of suspended baskets or making a goat walk a ‘high rope’ is not kosher.



The elephants, by definition, were, as ever, good, refreshing and uplifting. They had 6 this year including a very cute baby elephant.

The rest of the acts we have seen before — but then again we are circus regulars.

All in all, still a good evening out.

Given my ‘skills’ (that the kids expect of me and now take for granted) at seat procurement we had VERY GOOD seats. Dead center — looking straight down the arena, one row from the arena. Since I know the layout, I handpicked these seats and we only paid $22 a seat. They were better than most of the $66 seats!