Circus Spectacular packed houses!

What a picture! 

Bippo the clown celebrates a full house on the opening night of Circus Spectacular, a theatre show touring the UK until the end of February.

  View the dates here.

And that packed crowd was no fluke. Here are some more

from subsequent venues on the tour:

Read the story of how Bippo ran away with the circus as a child in Circus Mania, my backstage journey through the world of the big top, talking to circus owners, jugglers, trapeze artists, sword-swallowers and tiger tamers.

Click here to read the reviews on Amazon. 

 

GERRY COTTLE 1945 - 2021

Gerry Cottle, Douglas McPherson, Dr Haze

It was sad to hear of the passing yesterday, January 13, of the great British circus showman Gerry Cottle.

Gerry, who ran away with the circus at the age of 15, and established his eponymous show in the 1970s and 80s, was probably the most widely known name in the UK circus industry for the past 40 years.

A life-long circus enthusiast, Gerry was immensely helpful to me when I was writing my book Circus Mania. He introduced me to interviewees including his former business partner Brian Austen, provided a quote for the cover and graced the book launch with his starry presence.

He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed.

Gerry Cottle at the Circus Mania
book launch
as reported in The Stage.

 For the story of Gerry Cottle's remarkable life in the circus, click here.

 And for the story of Gerry Cottle and Brian Austen click here

...and in the updated edition of Circus Mania
marking 250 years of the circus.