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Artistes must work very hard away from the glamour and the glitter (by Tom Sandow)
The old saying goes ‘run away and join the circus’. I strongly advise never to run away and join anything!. My advice?, give deep thought to everything that may change your life – wise after the event. But I suppose that old saying is a joke of some kind.
Of course circus life is exciting and challenging and can be great fun too at times but requires hard work and discipline of the strongest kind, and youth. What is a circus artiste? I could suggest this maxim: he is often an eccentric soul, his talent may be measured in applause, whose ego must match his talent that must hide the apparatus. His ability to carry on is measured too via knocks rather than praise. One suffers for ones art to give to an audience this unobtainable mystery of ability. Once it becomes ‘unmystical’ or ‘usual’ then it becomes less exciting for the public.
So, being a circus artiste (like any great athlete) is a very demanding business and rather like the famous native American saying ‘walk a mile in my moccasins! (Unfortunately the biggest critics do not walk in the same shoes!). There are other great physically demanding art skills that may equal like, ice skating and fine dance but the circus artiste may suffer like no other for obvious reasons. Dangerous mechanical props that must be rigged in strange places. Touring shows are far more demanding and arduous than a static building. It is within the circus performer not to show poor moods at times and must always show, to the audience, that great smile. Of course for the majority of the time things may be very good and the sun shines on green pastures but the location could also be a building plot where bricks are removed prior to building the tent!.
The tradition is that ‘the show must be favoured’ and this means loyalty to the proprietor who takes the financial risks so, thoughts of ‘stars’ within the cast is not so, although one name may feature on a playbill it does not always mean a difference on the circus. ‘The Show’ as the circus is called demands teamwork and good artistes work as a team along with the staff. ‘The show must go on’ is the other well used term but mostly with the help, meaning manual assistance, from all artistes. These may mean small tasks for some but in a crisis, like high winds, all are expected to pitch in. Colleagues in ‘Variety’ or who work theatre are not always understanding of the demands made by a circus to be a circus if you like. I mean, they are not expected to build the theatre every week!
Artistes too also take huge risks (apart from the performance). All acts or ‘speciality acts’ as they are called, are small businesses/self employed persons and each are taxed as such. Many acts are family acts but also some are parnerships and stresses are there as with any kind of business partnership. (This point was covered rather well in the old film ‘Trapeze’ starring Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis but the plot lasted two hours in real life might be over several months). Artistes are there for the public and to serve the public that is true but the public should appreciate the great investments made by individuals into props routines practice and many weeks out of work. Perhaps the general belief is that the circus owns the apperatus? It mostly belongs to the engaged performer/s, i.e., they invest in their own ability. The show may always go on but the artiste may not and the performers life-span with dangerous routines can be shortened to a few years and what to do afterwards can be a trial. I have seen some great artistes retire to poverty. There is no state funding for circus arts (and no consideration for retired artistes but, see Brinsworth House) apart from tiny bits here or there. Circus is taxed quite high – level playing fields would be good? So, what you see in the ring relies much on the heart and the dedication of performers. These are the real facts.
To me and to fellow artistes the term ‘circus artiste or performer’ means all performers across the world – no borders – one huge international understanding of great skills. Circus art is an international language! One great alliance of international skill unmatched. Circus artistes are not in competition with each other in the show (films are not that accurate!) ‘The show’ or ‘the ring’ comes first. Pay and contracts are personal and competitive. The ringmaster and his staff may place and fix the riggings but one will always see – in the semi dark, the actual performer in the ring, perhaps with a cover dressing gown, supervising. It is the artistes life that may be at risk. One joint understanding across the world.
The photographs shows the wonderful Eliza Khachatryan testing her own rigging.