Page 22 - The Outdoor Showman April-June 2024

CIRCUS NEWS
Triple triumph
They said it couldn’t be done. But it has been.
Shane and Nancy Lennon are running three shows - two marketed as Hudson’s Circus, and cabaret-circus “Scandalous.”
The cabaret show, now run by Warren and Danielle Lennon (Shane’s brother and sister- in-law) was first to kick off at Doomben Racecourse, Ipswich, Queensland, on February 8.
It features choreography from their Springfield dance studio, and son Jordan, who has danced in New Zealand and Korea.
On a two-trailer floor and light food and licenced table setup, it opened for an eight-week season (far too long!) but survived financially the worst ticket-sales part of the year.
Then it did multi-week stands at Loganholm and the Sunshine Coast, and is now doing
huge jumps to play six-week stands at Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton and Gladstone.
Carlos and Dini Urban feature, as does a two-man knockabout, Carlos and Ollie. Plenty of aerials, good dance chorus and production numbers, plenty of comedy and a dose of nudity. Sells well, now that the first-term spending drought is over.
Hudson’s red unit
Hudson’s circus red unit has two new stage trailers that form one massive performance area. The new stages are 8.5m long and create a 500m2
Triple Triumph
area for the arena and backstage. They both fold up individually and carry the carpets, stage lighting
and ringboxes for the show. They were built by Daniel Williams from Dreamland Trailers in Crows Nest Qld. Hudson’s Red Unit headed off on
the North Queensland run, just a fortnight after “Scandalous” made its debut, with no opposition on what is regularly Australia’s best winter run.
The circus is now an official sponsor of Ronald McDonald House Charity, which means packed opening nights and big donations to help families with children in hospital.
Chantal Rodriguez and Jefferson have joined the show: descent rope, comedy and
bike in the Globe of Death.
Big Globe act, and South American flying trapeze act does the
triple every performance. Disco dogs, five-horse liberty ponies and camels all go over well.
And you don’t have to doubt that Goldie the clown (Matt de Goldi) is a big hit with the kids! And Jane, his Ringmistress wife as feed, highlights the comedy car.
They were singing “Happy times are here again”, after cracking it for a four-week Townsville season in May.
Shane says they had strong mid- weeks and 95% sold-out weekends, and now they’ve moved on to Ingham, Innisfail, Mareeba and Cairns.
Hudson’s gold unit
Brought up watching the best Australian Ringmasters, it came naturally to Danny Harrington
to step into the role.
His daughter, Taylor, was intended to Ringmaster the new Hudson’s gold unit.
But her timing was out. She had a baby shortly after the show opened, Danny’s and Michelle’s first grandchild.
Danny, managing the show but not intending to appear in it, borrowed a tail-coat and clobber, and went in.
And surprised everyone.
He’s a big man, and carries an authority that younger Ringmasters and Ringmistresses don’t. He’s
clear on the mike, and everyone hears exactly what he says.
The show itself hangs together well.
It opened at Robina, Gold Coast, then braved the February-
March “blahs” (plus rain) played Capalaba and Springfield (Ipswich), with much better houses.
In June, they big-moved into New South Wales’s mid-winter New England: Glen Innes, Armidale, Tamworth.
Sole Bros’ Circus’s Joe Perry always reckoned he didn’t make any money in the New England unless there was sleet on the tent. The gold unit is finding out if history repeats.
Stages without trailers
20 THE OUTDOOR SHOWMAN
Setting up Scandolous