Been to a circus... lately?

So when was the last time you went to a circus?

Did I just remind you of your school days? Well, that was the idea.

Call it "Luck by chance" (I am still to see the movie carrying this phrase as it's title) or the child in me, the first opportunity I got recently I made it to the "Gemini Circus" in Chennai.

Let me not be judgemental at this stage but narrate the facts as is.

Being there on the Pongal day only meant that the complete city was there. And thanks only to the fact that there is no online booking we managed to get the tickets. At Rs 60, 90 and 120 they were not any better than your theaters. And why should they be... for a 2 hour filled with non-stop live action I think it's a deserving price specially if you are used to going to the multiplexes in the city!

We went in to see the trapeeze nets all set and ready to be used. The show started on the dot at 7 and the high flying act was well timed and deserved the awe. What followed was even better. The worst march past I have seen in my life. Girls of all shapes and sizes made their ritual circles around the arena with the elephants and camels and horses. What many did not notice at that time was the lone ranger on the top of the tent, pulling up all the trapeeze wires and placing them in the neat bundle so that the acts to follow did not have any loose ends troubling them... hanging and swinging from the wires and struts... and all this after the safety nets were removed.

There was nothing special about this circus, except if you wanted to show your kids what they are not missing.

The only other thing I might wanna mention about the acts would be the lady who did her act on the two long pieces of cloth hanging the height of the tent and the girl who acted like a rubber doll. Worth the applause. The only laughable moment was actually the elephant act giving the city of drunkards the reason why not to drinnk.

So much for the jokers.

What really was missed; The effort to try and change the traditional circus to match what todays world would like to see. Hats off to them for having such a diversified group and giving at least 250 people (if not more) a livelyhood.

What could be better, the absence of the vendors trying to sell stuff and stand right in front of you. A ventilation system for all the smoke the bikes in the globe generated.

My verdict:
Tickets to the best plastic seats in circus: Rs 120 each
Cold drink vendor moving out of your view: Rs 20 to a bottle
Suffering in the smoke of the bikes : A wet handkerchif
Watching the support staff wind the trapeeze without the safety net: Priceless

Cheers!