Page 24 - The Outdoor Showman January - March 2022

CIRCUS NEWS
Circus Year 2021 will go down as spotty: some good, some excellent, and some terrible.
Insurance is still a huge hurdle (as with most Showmen), since British insurers refused to handle most entertainments at all.
The Pepe Ashton Family production ‘Infamous’ probably did best
of all Australian shows.
Its 18-years-. Stardust
Circus has been using lions in its travelling family circus for half a century but had to retire its six lions and four monkeys earlier this year after being unable to renew its insurance.
Harrington
It’s new, small and flash, with a strong program.
Circus Harrington put up its Chinese-made Big Top for the first time at the SGA Think Tank on Tuesday January 11th.
It’s shiny PVC yellow, 25 meters by 12, with two-metre red stars on the sidewalls, and can seat 200 on new chairs.
It’s the longtime dream of Kane Harrington, son of Danny and grandson of Dixie and John, 50- year veterans of the business, and partner Camilia Brown, also several generations on the grounds.
Kane was brought up on Weber’s Circus, and turned into a top clown (who can also juggle five clubs).
Camilia does aerial acts and presents the show, to a big sound system.
They can add Kobe Harrington and partner: in 2012, Kobe became Under-age Champion at the World Juggling Convention in America, and he’s better again since then: bouncing soccer-
ball on his head while juggling,
then five clubs, seven rings.
Kobe and partner were wowing ‘em in China, after the same in Europe, when COVID hit. They rushed back, only to find Australia all but cancelled.
They travel on two trucks, two trailers, two cars and two vans, offering to play ag shows and still-towning.
They presented at the Think Tank, and received instant bookings from some ag show representatives.
Silver’s Circus bridged up magnificently on Rosehill Racecourse for their joint project with America’s Disney Company.
They opened February 2nd, after
a short season at Shellharbour.
It features all the usual Silver’s favourites, plus a horde of Disney cartoon costume characters. It’s probably the most-exposed city site in Australia, with business accordingly.
By John MacDonnell
Ozzie with kangaroo
Gary Brophy, Ozzie the Clown, now in Australia and NZ, after a decade in British, Irish and European circuses.
22 THE OUTDOOR SHOWMAN