Circus rolls up for family fun

A band of daredevils will risk life and limb in the name of entertainment when The Great Moscow Circus rolls into Geraldton next week.

And the jaw-dropping spectacle — featuring performances by 25 skilled professionals — is not without its heart-stopping moments.

Last weekend, two motocross riders were injured after colliding in the “globe of death” in Perth.

One suffered a dislocated elbow and the other received an ankle injury, but marketing manager Mark Edgley said both were on the mend. “Everything is fine; but the motorbikes are pretty scary,” he said. “It’s a brand new show and it’s got that wow factor to it.”

Mr Edgely said the 2 1/2 hour extravaganza featured performers from Russia, Belarus, the Ukraine, South America, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France, New Zealand and Australia.

“We’ve got the extreme acts like the high-wire walkers, the trapeze, the wheel of death, the globe of death, and the Flair Riders,” he said.

“It’s a fantastic, all-ages show, and it’s been going extremely well in Perth.”

In a sign of the times, The Great Moscow Circus no longer has exotic animals.

Mr Edgely said the only animals used in the show were miniature ponies but audiences can still expect can still expect all the elaborate attractions of a traditional circus — with a distinctly modern twist. And yes, that includes clowns.

“We’ve got 50 people travelling with six semitrailers, 22 caravans and trucks,” Mr Edgely said.

“We all do two or three different jobs. The performers will even help put the tent up and pull it down at the end of the night.”

The circus will be host 16 shows at GBSC Sports Park in Geraldton from April 17-28.

***WIN TICKETS: See the Midwest Times and The Geraldton Guardian for show times and details about how to enter the competition to win one of five family passes to the circus next weekend. Competition drawn Monday.