ZIPPO'S CIRCUS Back in town Aug 14-20th: Any good?

[Tyranna]

Hi, folks,

Just a quickie to tell everyone that Zippo's Circus is on at Endcliffe Park from Weds Aug 14th to Aug. 20th and they have some cheap seats offer with a voucher.

As a cabaret performer myself, who has attended the odd session at Greentop, I have a soft spot for circuses and admire the clowns, acrobats and other performers who, as always make it look like a fairytale lifestyle in front of the audience despite the gruelling work and long hours; these traditional forms of entertainment are far superiour to sitting at home and watching the TV and it is great to see them still going strong.

 

Anyway, how well do any of you out there find Zippos? they seem to return to Sheffield every year, but i have never been to see them; the last circus I went to was the Moscow state Circus a couple years back at Meadowhall.

Also, I know a lot of people out there are not too keen on a circus with animals; most circuses don't have performing animals any more, although from the posters for Zippos I notice they have acrobatic horseriders, so some people may not be keen on the show; I for one find horses in shows/parades OK because they are intelligent and tough animals and easy to stable and exercise, and standards of care are a lot higher these days.

 

BTW, staying on the subject of animals and the 'good' old days, do circuses ever, anywhere in the country, do parades any more? At one time it was a given that any visiting circus woudl do a parade through the town centre, although that was a lot to do with showing off the exotic animals, but even with just horses or no animals at all a parade would be a great attraction; presumably the cost of doing this is too high, and other kinds of parades (including the ever-popular Gay Prides many of which I participate in, in my best clown costume -Sorry, Drag outfit and wig-) have taken over.

another type of parade you never see nowadays is the STUDENT RAG PARADE which every major city (Even places like Bradford) had years ago, with light-up floats and all sorts.

[lauradrury]

How do you go about getting the voucher and get tickets?

[jamesogt]

I morally object to animals being used for entertainment purposes.

[TeddyTwoHead]

I took my grandson yesterday and it was BRILLIANT. A stunning Cuban acrobatics team, trapeze artist, Ukranian strongman who juggled with tyres and had a transit van driven over him and a motorcycle globe of death. I expected it to be tacky but both me and my grandson were blown away

 

The only animals were three obviously very well cared for horses. I morally object to people who don't know what they're talking about - does anybody oppose show jumping or equestrians, let alone horse racing.

 

Zippo's is the best value for money show in Sheffield for years - and I went expecting it to be tacky. It was great

[AdamSmith]

i wish for the good old days of proper circus acts, lion taming, balancing elephants, prancing horses and the good old chimps, a shame the circuses today are so bland!

[TeddyTwoHead]

You're a bit bestial Adam lad. Get along to Zippo's. You won't be disappointed

[Tyranna]

I took my grandson yesterday and it was BRILLIANT. A stunning Cuban acrobatics team, trapeze artist, Ukranian strongman who juggled with tyres and had a transit van driven over him and a motorcycle globe of death. I expected it to be tacky but both me and my grandson were blown away

 

The only animals were three obviously very well cared for horses. I morally object to people who don't know what they're talking about - does anybody oppose show jumping or equestrians, let alone horse racing.

 

Zippo's is the best value for money show in Sheffield for years - and I went expecting it to be tacky. It was great

 

Well, I went along on the opening night and wasnt disappointed; the amazing finale of up to FOUR motorcyclists whizzing around in the Globe of Death was worth the £5.99 special ticket price alone, although the acrobats looked well fit, and the two clowns didnt disappoint; as I generally like watching the clowns most of all, I watch closely to learn from their technique.

Finally, as for the animals, the horse stunts were daring but quite tame in comparison to the large-scale affairs I remember from circuses in my childhood; my main concern was that the size of the circus ring is a very tight-looking circle for two and even three horses to run round, although the actual stunt rides were very short and the horses indeed look well cared for. They probably have an easier life and rapport with their owners and riders than many 'weekend gymkhana ponies', never mind racehorses in the Derby! The other animal in the show were the troupe of budgerigars; my heart sank when they came on, because I thought the set-up for them was for a 'sawing the lady in half' magic show or something. Again, the budgies look well cared for, but I wouldnt be keen on including such an act, as the birds looked like they may be distressed by the noise and light of the circus ring and crowds, but again the actual 'tricks' they did were a lot tamer than ones I remember from my childhood and did not last very long; no jumps through flaming hoops or carrying things in their beaks, just going up and down slides, pushing a toy car off the table, turning a hamster-wheel type thing, and 'bowing' as the ringmaster moved their hinged perch up and down. Ultimately, I would find more clowns, a magician or other human performers far more exciting than this, which was more just a space-filler. It almost appears that Zippo's is what you would call a circus in transition between the traditional show with lots of animals and a 'post-animal circus', with the greatest cheers for the more modern mechanical additions such as the motorcyclists and the strongman with his van driving over him. As the ringmaster proudly proclaims each night, Zippo's Circus is over 200 years old, and circuses do continually evolve their style and acts on offer.