Have you ever been to the circus?

[Perhaps]

what types of things did you like most? like, artists who perform stunts? acrobats? tightrope walkers, magicians? music, etc?
I'm not sure if the animals there are happy or it's kind of cruel, but I went when I was younger and actually enjoyed watching the entire animal part.

[gregarious_introvert]

I haven't been to the circus for years, as in an entire show under a big top; I have seen circus acts performing at music festivals and in theatres though. I remember, as a child, going to see the circus on Blackheath (I think it was Zippo's usually, sometimes Billy Smart's) every time it was in town and there were still animals performing in those days. The last circus I visited would have been The Circus of Horrors in the 1990s, which featured no animals.

I think I've always preferred the trapeze artists; I've never been a fan of clowns (although I don't have coulrophobia). With the Circus of Horrors, the most enjoyable part was the music by Haze vs. The X Factor.

[anxiouslondoner]

I don't think they allow animals in circuses any more here? It's just acrobatics and clown... stuff.
I think I went as a kid, can't remember much about it except that it was a bit smelly, which isn't surprising with all those animals. I may not even have gone, it almost feels like a false memory from something I dreamt or saw on TV.

[Dougella]

^ Yes i think, or atleast I hope, animals aren't allowed to perform in circuses in the UK anymore.

[gregarious_introvert]

^ & ^^ I thought that they (it only applies to "wild" animals, not horses, for instance) had been banned since the 1980s (certainly, I don't recall seeing animals in circuses since that time), but when I checked the legislation, it was introduced as recently as 2020.

[biscuits]

^ I remember going to the circus in the 90s and there were elephants and I'm not sure what else. Maybe a lion? It really upset me as a child to see an elephant and a lion in a tent and the chain. The feeling of being really upset and uncomfortable stuck with me.

Circuses with acrobats aren't my thing either.

[Perhaps]

in my opinion (and i'm someone who eats meat), In my opinion eating animals meat, which technically means participating in killing the animal for eating their meat is way worse than isolating the animal and feeding/training them. same with stealing milk that's supposed to be the food for the babies of those animals to make our tasty cheese/yogurt,etc..

also, animals like lions wouldn't be way better off in the wild since they would either prey on the weak, or (i mean it is even well known that a male lion will kill the cubs that are not theirs to start a new generation that is theirs). I do love them but they're mean mother****ers.
training such predators for such light/harmless shows is not that horrible. they also live shorter in the wild than in captivity.

[Chess&Junkfood]

I don't think I've ever been to a circus. It's possible that I might have been to one when I was knee high to a rubber chicken, but I have no recollection. Although I do have a distant memory of seeing a clown once, but that might have been Ronald McDonald. As for circuses in general, it doesn't seem my thing. It's good to hear that no animals are used in circuses over here. And I would imagine trapeze artists have safety nets as well. Which is great! Although I would imagine it was a bit more real in the olden days!


"Roll up! Roll up!"

"Bring the family and let Junior watch someone go splat!

"Send in the clowns!"

And now that I think about it, I was never a fan of Ronald McDonald. Although he does make a great milkshake!

[Perhaps]

i never liked clowns, nor their makeup, though.

[biscuits]

Clowns don't freak me out but they make me uncomfortable because it's not my sort of humour and I just want to not be there

As for animals - sometimes the training methods are very cruel.

[Merry]

I've never been (and would never go) to a circus with animals. I have been to cirque du soleil, which was good, but really expensive and I took my children to Blackpool Tower circus, when they were little, which was worth going to, even for the building. We went to a different circus there once, which was great, they were Russian and had a grande piano on wheels that someone played while it was pulled around, while acrobats used it as part of the act, think it would be classed as Vaudeville maybe? I really loved that.

[Jen.]

I've never been to one and I don't think I would, I've just never found that kind of thing entertaining at all when I've seen it on television (people swinging around, balancing things, climbing on stuff, etc, no thank you).

I did go to after-school circus skills classes for a few months when I was around 9-10 where we did juggling, unicycle, tightropes, trampolining, some things with ropes and hoops, puppetry, etc, and that was fun. They didn't make us dress as clowns though.

[Azi]

I haven't been to the circus in years The acrobatics stressed me out - the risk that they might fall and we'd see someone get really hurt jangle my nerves!

I do quite like some circus performer stuff though. We had a jester at our wedding who did stilt-walking and fire-breathing, which was very cool. I learned how to spin plates as well. I could never get the hang of juggling though! I'm much too uncoordinated

[Dougella]

Originally Posted by Perhaps

in my opinion (and i'm someone who eats meat), In my opinion eating animals meat, which technically means participating in killing the animal for eating their meat is way worse than isolating the animal and feeding/training them. same with stealing milk that's supposed to be the food for the babies of those animals to make our tasty cheese/yogurt,etc..

also, animals like lions wouldn't be way better off in the wild since they would either prey on the weak, or (i mean it is even well known that a male lion will kill the cubs that are not theirs to start a new generation that is theirs). I do love them but they're mean mother****ers.
training such predators for such light/harmless shows is not that horrible. they also live shorter in the wild than in captivity.

Even if you set aside the treatment of the animals it's also pretty dangerous for the trainers and the audience! I don't think I'd want to ever be in an environment with lions or any other wild animals like that.

[BFG_]

Every day when I go to work.

[Lee S]

Originally Posted by BFG_

Every day when I go to work.

[Lee S]

Yes, been to one when I was a kid in the seventies. Austen Brothers I think it was called.

[Mr. Nobody]

I work in the circus as a clown,... its actually a REALLY difficult job,
People probably think it's easy,
but I tell you, it'd take a pretty big guy to fill my shoes

[Lee S]

^