wo hundred and fifty years after Philip Astley invented the circus it has never been more diverse and captivatingl. There are traditional family circuses for kids and arty shows for adults, circuses in tents and circuses in theatres, circuses with animals and circuses without, comedy-based circuses and cabaret-style hybrids on the burlesque circuit. What all circuses have in common are the extraordinary skills, dedication and lifestyle of those involved—a unique strain of performers who blend the discipline of sports stars with the razzmatazz of showbiz; itinerant entertainers who have often had circus blood in their families for generations; world-class gymnasts who risk death twice daily, serve on the tea stand in between shows and help take down the big top afterwards.
Circus Mania
is a journey into this unique world, each chapter an access-all-areas pass to a different circus, talking to the trapeze flyers, clowns, animal trainers and showpeople and offering insight into the development of this traditional entertainment from the earliest times.