The Circus Funtasia Story

From knife-thrower's assistant to ringmaster, Tracy Jones reveals how she ran away with the circus as a teenager and set up her own Big Top.

There aren’t many jobs in which the new girl gets knives thrown at her by the boss. But standing in front of a target while circus owner Phillip Gandey threw blades that hammered home within inches of her was Tracy Jones’ baptism of fire into life in the big top.

“I trusted him completely,” says Tracy, who ran away with the circus as a 16-year-old and today is ringmaster of her own show, Circus Funtasia. “I think because I was young, I didn’t have much fear. I’d try anything.”

Growing up in a tiny Welsh village, Tracy had no idea that a life of spotlights and sequins awaited her.

When she was 15, she took a weekend job looking after the horses of local stunt rider Gerard Naprous, who went on to work on films such as Rob Roy and TV series Game of Thrones. 

One summer, Gerard announced that he was joining Gandey’s Circus for a short engagement and Tracy went with him as horse groom.

“I didn’t even know what a circus was!” she laughs. “We were meant to be there for four weeks, but I loved it so much that I went home and said, ‘Mum, I’m going to join the circus.’ Mum was mortified. She tried to talk me out of it, but my heart was set. I packed my bag, they put me on a train and off I went. Later on, once my parents had visited the show and seen what it was about, they loved it.”

One of Tracy’s first jobs was parading around the ring with a snake draped around her shoulders.

“I was a little bit scared of snakes,” Tracy confesses. “But you get used to it. Then people start to teach you things. I learned a bit of trapeze, and trick riding on horses.”

Her speciality became twirling and throwing poses on a vertical rope called the corde lisse.

“Now I'm a ringmistress and stay firmly on the ground,” Tracy adds.

As well as travelling all over the UK, Tracy performed across the globe in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Dubai.

In 2000, Tracy was touring with Gandey’s sister show, Circus Starr, a non-profit organisation that gives all its tickets away to ill or disadvantaged children as well as raising money for hospices and women’s refuges.

It was there that she met her partner Julio, a member of a visiting Bulgarian acrobatic troupe.

The danger with circus romances is that couples will be separated at the end of the season as work takes them to different shows and different countries. Tracy and Julio decided that wasn’t going to happen to them.

“As soon as we got together, I knew that wherever he was going to go, I was going to go and vice versa,” Tracy says.

At the end of the season, Julio joined the circus full time as a tent master, so they could stay together.

Julio’s skill at building and moving the big top came in handy when he and Tracy decided to start Circus Funtasia 10 years ago.

“We said if we can get a loan from the bank we’ll open a circus and if we can’t, we’ll carry on working for other people,” Tracy recalls. “We got the loan, and that money went very quickly, buying seats and a few vehicles.”

Their first show was in the Staffordshire village of Penkridge and was a box office disaster.

“We died!” Tracy laughs. “We didn’t do very much business because we didn’t do the postering right, we didn’t do the publicity right. We were very naive, but we learned as we went along and it gradually picked up.”

Tracy’s daughter, Nia, has been part of the show since she was four.

“She’d go in the ring with her dad’s troupe and dance with them. Then he’d pick her up and do a jump with her. She loved it,” says her proud mum.

Now 19, Nia is the show’s juggler. She also edits the show’s music and programs the lighting effects.

Nia’s most daring feat is standing inside the Globe of Death while a motorbike loops the loop all around her, missing her by inches. 

Travelling from town to town with a circus is unlike any other branch of show business, says Tracy, who lives beside her big top in a 52-foot-long wagon that she likens to an apartment on wheels.

“We all do everything. We’re in the ring one minute, selling popcorn the next, then pulling down the tent in wellies and overalls after that. The worst things are the rain and mud. The best thing is the audience. You can’t beat the feeling they give you at the end of the show.

“It’s a way of life, but it’s a wonderful and exciting way of life. It’s very sociable, like one big family. Especially in the summer. Everyone sits outside together. We have barbecues. It’s lovely.”

Her plans for the next 10 years? “Just to keep going and enjoy every minute of it.”

For more tales of life in the big top, read Circus Mania - The Ultimate Book for Anyone Who Dreamed of Running Away With The Circus.

Click here to buy from Amazon.

 

Who will fill their circus shoes? RIP Phillip Gandey, John Haze, Gerry Cottle and Nell Gifford

It was a shock this week to hear of the death of Phillip Gandey (pictured above with the cast of Gandeys Circus) at the tragically young age of 67.

When I interviewed Gandey for The Stage in 2020, he was a man full of life. Having just reopened three big tops in Butlins holiday centres, after lockdown restrictions were lifted, his one regret was that he didn't have his usual "five or six" shows simultaneously running in locations from the Edinburgh Festival to the Far and Middle East.

Gandey was born into the circus world. A clown aged three, and a knife-thrower at 11, he inherited his father's circus and became the world's youngest circus director at 17.

With his wife, Carol, he established Gandey World Class Productions as the UK's premier exporter of circus shows. When Gandeys Circus stopped using animals in the early 1990s, Gandey became one of the industry's great innovators, seeking fresh ideas to fill the gap left by big cats and elephants.

He brought a Chinese troupe of acrobats to the UK and created the Chinese State Circus, which became one of the country's most successful touring shows. He also created the cabaret-style Lady Boys of Bangkok, Cirque Surreal, Spirit of the Horse and the fundraising Circus Starr (which you can read about here).

One of his newest creations, the circus-on-ice show Snow Storm 3 is currently delighting audiences at the Trafford Centre in Manchester. His Great Circus of Europe, meanwhile, has toured Hong Kong, Singapore, and is currently in the Arab Emirates.

Gandey's passing leaves a huge hole in the circus world, and follows the loss of another great British showman, John Haze, who died in April this year at almost exactly the same young age.

Haze, like Gandey, was both artistic director and businessman, creating the long-running success story the Circus of Horrors and currently the UK's biggest big top show, Circus Extreme (read my review here).

Sadly, it was only a couple of years ago that both Haze and Gandey were paying tribute to another great showman, and a collaborator with both of them, Gerry Cottle, probably the best-known name in UK circus since the 1970s, who died in January 2021, aged 75.

Circus Mania author Douglas McPherson
with Gerry Cottle (left) and John Haze.

It was not long before that, that the circus world was shocked by the loss to cancer of Nell Gifford, aged just 46. (Read her story here)

Nell Gifford

In the space of four years, Britain has lost four of the most important circus impresarios of modern times. Each was an innovator and energiser, breathing new life into a world of big top and circus ring that was created in London by Philip Astley more than 250 years ago. 

They formed a generation of circus-producing talent fit to be remembered alongside their predecessors in earlier eras: Billy Smart, the Chipperfields, Bertram Mills, Lord Sanger and Astley himself. 

Like four king poles, Gandey, Haze, Cottle and Gifford lifted the tent of British circus high. But with their departure, the big top will not fall.

Although all four were driving forces and figureheads, they were not one-person companies. Each left behind a creative team and/or family members to carry on their legacy. Giffords Circus, the Circus of Horrors and Circus Extreme continue to tour without their creators and the many shows of Phillip Gandey will doubtless do likewise, capably overseen by Carol Gandey and their daughters.

We still have another of our greatest showmen, Martin 'Zippo' Burton, whose twin shows in Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland this Christmas reveal the Zippos brand to be at the top of its game.

And a new generation of circus blood is rising, inspired by the generation that came before. People like Tracy Jones who ran away with the circus when she was 15 and learned her craft having knives thrown at her by Phillip Gandey himself. Jones travelled the world with Gandeys Circus, an apprenticeship that stood her in good stead to start her own show, Circus Funtasia, which is this year celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Also on the ascent are Paul and Irina Archer who spent many years working with Haze in behind-the-scenes roles on the Moscow State Circus and Circus Extreme before launching their own colourful and contemporary-styled big top show Circus Cortex two years ago. The show is currently starring at the indoor Kingdom of Winter attraction at ExCel London. 

Around the country, Planet Circus, Circus Zyair and Big Kid Circus are providing top drawer circus entertainment to big audiences in what feels like a thriving scene.

It's easy to see the passing of giants like Phillip Gandey, Haze, Cottle and Gifford as the end of an era. But in the circus, there are no ends. The show will always go on. And as much as they will be missed, I'm sure that Gandey, Haze, Cottle and Gifford would want it no other way.

 

The Great Circus of Europe in Al Ain

An enchanting shot of Gandeys Circus' overseas unit The Great Circus of Europe in Al Ain in the Arab Emirates.

Meanwhile, back in the UK, Gandeys is presenting the circus-on-ice-show Snowstorm 3 over Christmas.

 

35 Years of Circus Starr - The Circus with a Purpose

Happy 35th birthday to Circus Starr, the circus that gives away all its seats to deserving children and their families, thanks to the generosity of the businesses that support it.

Above is a picture of the office team that make it possible.

And here, in an article that originally appeared in The Stage, is the story of how Britain's most charitable circus came into being.

There’s nothing like the atmosphere of a circus tent filled to capacity with excited kids. In the ring is a high calibre cast of international acrobats and clowns. But the 500-seat Circus Starr big top wasn’t sold-out by the traditional methods of a poster campaign or parade. In each of the towns on its annual 75-date tour, the tickets were bought by local businesses then donated to disadvantaged children and their families.

According to director Neville Wilson, “There are a lot of fundraising events where the event is a long way removed from the kids they help. The idea behind Circus Starr was to let the kids have something tangible; to say, ‘Here’s a couple of tickets, come out and enjoy yourself.’”
It’s not just children but whole families that benefit, Wilson continues.

The Valencius Troupe
- part of an international cast

“Our audience is made up kids facing all sorts of challenges from autism to life-threatening illnesses. We’ve even had children come to the show in beds. There are very few places their parents can take them as a family, because they might be worried that the child will make a lot of noise and be disruptive. But when they come to Circus Starr that doesn’t matter, because everybody’s in the same boat.”

As to the timeless ability of a traditional circus to help children forget their troubles, Wilson says, “A lot of kids these days grow up sitting in their bedrooms with computer games and there’s not much interaction with other people. Suddenly they come to this strange place where there’s loads of people around them; something funny happening; something serious; music, colour, life. You can see the effect in their faces: it’s like a light switch going on.”

The philanthropic circus was born 26 years ago, when Gandey’s Circus was approached to put on a fundraising event for a school.

“We did a gala evening and it was so successful that word got around to other charities that wanted to do the same thing,” says Wilson. “So we set up Circus Starr to help low profile local charities like hospices that didn’t have the resources to raise funds for themselves. The original deal was that we would handle the publicity, sell the tickets and split the profits with the charity.”

Initially, Starr used a telesales team to sell tickets to local businesses for their own use. “But over time people started saying, ‘Would you donate these tickets? We’d like them to go to this school...’

"It made me realise how many kids there are out there facing really big challenges,” says Wilson.
Today, all tickets are distributed through a variety of hospices, community groups and women’s refuges, researched by Starr from its base in Congelton, Cheshire. 100% of the show’s profits is then donated to a particular charity, such as the air ambulance service, that the circus partners with in each town it visits.

The Circus Starr big top

“We donate over £1 million worth of tickets each year, and every single ticket is used. Then there are a lot of hospices and baby care units that get a nice cheque at the end of the show, too, so everybody wins,” says Wilson.

Circus Starr is a not-for-profit CIC (Community Interest Company) but it benefits financially and artistically from being part of the Gandey Organisation, which produces commercial shows such as the Chinese State Circus and The Ladyboys of Bangkok.

“Philip Gandey produces a new show for us each year and spends a lot of time looking for the acts,” says Wilson. “It’s a proper touring circus, moved on six articulated units, that could be sold commercially, no problem.”

Wilson fell in love with big tops and sawdust at an early age.

“My mum and dad took me to Boswell Wilkie’s Circus in South Africa when I was 5-years-old, and I can remember some of that performance to this day,” the director grins.

The Great Yarmouth Hippodrome
Britain's oldest circus building, where
Neville Wilson ran away with a
Russian Swing act.
(A picture from Circus Mania)

Many years later, when he was travelling through Europe as a young man, Wilson found himself with a summer job at Britain’s oldest circus building, the Great Yarmouth Hippodrome.

“There was an acrobatic troupe called the Casteinos. One of the catchers in their Russian swing act decided to leave and they asked me if I’d like to try it. I was pretty agile in those days - so I ran away with the circus!”

Retiring from performance when the Casteinos broke up, Wilson joined the publicity team of Boswell Wilkie in South Africa and rose to assistant manager. He moved to England in 1986 and worked with several circuses, including the Moscow State Circus, before meeting third generation showman Phillip Gandey, with whom he has worked ever since.

“I’m so proud of what we’ve done with Circus Starr, over the past ten years especially,” says Wilson. “I live and breathe it and love every second that I’m at work.”

Every night's a full house at
Circus Starr

Wilson admits the economic downturn has affected Circus Starr - but not because people have become more reluctant to give.

“A lot of the businesses we were dealing with ceased trading. That’s made it harder for our telesales team and harder for us to expand. If the recession hadn’t happened we’d probably be visiting another 15 towns by now.

“But the businesses that have remained and the new businesses that have opened have been as generous as ever. Some of the bigger corporations have been phenomenal.”

In fact, even after so many years with Circus Starr, Wilson says, “The generosity of the British business community never ceases to amaze me. The people who buy tickets don’t get anything out of this except a thank you letter from the kids they sent to the circus. But the letters are phenomenal - and the next year when we phone up, they’ll buy two more tickets!”

So far, none of the kids who have visited Circus Starr have gone on to become circus stars themselves. But one did grow up to join the telesales team. Wilson, meanwhile, recalls a meeting he describes as one of the best things that ever happened to him.

“A guy came up to me at a show and said, ‘Many years ago, when I was a kid, my family had a real bust up. My mum and I, and my brother and sister were living in a New Start place. I was so low. We were given tickets to the circus and I’ve never forgotten that. I now have a business in Carlisle and I always make sure we support you.’

“To me,” says Wilson, “That sums up what Circus Starr is about.”

For more on the fundraising team behind Circus Starr, click here.

FIVE FACTS ABOUT CIRCUS STARR

1 - Artistic director Philip Gandey’s commercial enterprises include international big top hire and productions ranging from the Chinese State Circus to the Dubai-based Krystal Dinner Show.

2 - Gandey is a third generation showman and became Britain’s youngest circus proprietor at the age of 17.

3 - The circus has 150 performances a year to an annual audience of 75,000.

4 - The circus has an app to enhance the experience of autistic children at arts events. 

5 - Circus Starr’s patron is actress Sarah Gordy, who made her name as Lady Pamela Holland in the 2010 series Upstairs Downstairs.

For Circus Starr tour dates, go to www.circus-starr.org.uk

Have you ever dreamed of running away with the circus? Find out what it's like in Circus Mania, my backstage journey through the circus world, talking to showmen, sword-swallowers, tiger trainers, trapeze flyers and clowns about their unique lives, history, traditions, secrets and superstitions. Click here to read half a dozen customer reviews on Amazon.  

 

Circus Starr - the circus that helps kids

I love this picture of Circus Starr at the end of its spring tour.

Started by Phillip Gandey - whose company Gandey World Class Productions is the UK's largest producer of international circus work, with shows including Gandey's Circus, Spirit of the Horse and the Chinese State Circus - Circus Starr has a unique business model. All its tickets are sold by telesales to businesses in the towns where the show appears. The tickets are then given away to ill and disadvantaged children and their families, giving them a top quality big top night out completely free of charge.  

Circus Starr star Chico Rico

For the story of Circus Starr click here.

 

For a behind-the-scenes journey through the contemporary circus scene, with reviews of circuses of all types, both traditional and modern, plus interviews with big top owners and performers from clowns and sword-swallowers to trapeze artists and tiger trainers, read Circus Mania - The Ultimate Book for Anyone Who Dreamed of Running Away with the Circus!

Gandeys Circus ROAR into 2022

 

A great image from Gandeys Circus for its new show, Roar!, which opens at Half Term at Trentham, Staffordshire on 18 February.

Oh, and don't be misled by the name. Roar features no animals. It's the crowd that will be roaring!

Find full tour dates and booking info HERE.

Gandey's Circus in the 1960s

Today, Gandey World Class Productions is one of the biggest producers of big top entertainment in the world. This charming, nostalgic documentary takes us back to its origins as a small family circus in the 1960s. Spot current MD Phillip Gandey when he was in short trousers!

Chinese State Circus back on the road

One of my favourite circus shows, the Chinese State Circus, is back in UK theatres this winter, with its trademark lion dance, plate spinning, contortionists and jaw-dropping tricks with huge earthenware pots that have to be seen to be believed.

The Chinese State Circus founder Phillip Gandey said: “We have returned to the pure and honest perfection in acrobatics upon which our reputation is based.”

For the inside story on the Chinese State Circus, read Circus Mania - The Ultimate Book for Anyone Who Dreamed of Running Away with the Circus.

And click here to read how the Chinese State Circus moves around. 

30 Years of Circus Starr - the big top with a big heart

In this article, which first appeared in the world's oldest women's magazine, the People's Friend, I talk to the backstage stars behind a circus that exists only to help sick and disadvantaged children through the magic of the big top.


A couple of years ago, Simone Unett joined a circus, her mission to make kids happy. She doesn’t swing on the trapeze in sparkly tights, walk a tightrope or wear a red nose, multi-coloured wig and enormous shoes - not at work, anyway.

Simone is a fundraiser - or perhaps that should be fun raiser - for Circus Starr, a unique show that gives away all its tickets to vulnerable, disadvantaged and disabled children and their families.

Her job is to phone businesses in the 75 towns a year that the circus visits and ask them to help children in their area by donating the price of tickets. The tickets are then distributed to local hospitals, hospices, foster homes, special needs schools and women’s refuges.

“A lot of families who have a child with a physical disability or autism can’t get out to events because they’re afraid people will stare or that their child will make a lot of noise,” Simone explains.

“They don’t feel they can be themselves and enjoy quality family time, so we’ve created an environment for them where they can be as loud as they want and have a really good time in a relaxed environment with people who are dealing with the same issues that they are. Sometimes it’s the only event they get to as a whole family in an entire year,” Simone adds. “That really means a lot to them.”

The flexible seating inside the blue and yellow big top means they’ve even accommodated children in hospital beds.

Circus Starr was the brainchild of Philip Gandey, a third-generation circus showman who also runs such shows as the Chinese State Circus and Spirit Of The Horse. His philanthropic big top was born 30 years ago when Gandey’s Circus was asked to stage a fundraising event for a school.

According to director Neville Wilson, “That first show was so successful that word got around to other charities that wanted to do the same thing, so we set up Circus Starr to help low profile local charities like hospices that didn’t have the resources to raise funds for themselves.”

As well as providing an afternoon or evening out for hundreds of children and their families, the show’s profits are given to a charity that it partners with in each town.

“We donate over £1 million worth of tickets each year,” says Neville. “Then there are a lot of hospices and baby care units that get a nice cheque at the end of the show, so everybody wins.”

Circus Starr is an independent not-for-profit Community Interest Company. But Philip Gandey continues to produce the circus to the high standards of his other shows and books top quality performers from all over the world. It’s a family show with as much for parents and carers as the children.

According to Neville, a former acrobat who has worked in the circus business all his life, “It’s a proper touring circus, moved on six articulated lorries that could compete as a commercial circus, no problem.”

The day-to-day running of the show falls to Robert Price. In the spotlight, he’s the dashing ringmaster in a scarlet coat. Backstage, he cracks the whip (metaphorically speaking!) as show manager.

“We do everything we can to ensure every child enjoys the show, whether they need ringside seats or a bit of time out,” says Robert. “We don’t want to scare them with big flashing lights. We make it nice and gentle for them.”

The circus is in Robert’s blood. His mother was a foot-juggler and he’s now started a circus family of his own.

As soon as he joined Circus Starr, Robert fell in love with his wife Oana, who worked in the box office. Today, the couple travel around the country with the show and their two children, the youngest born this summer.

Also responsible for the troupe, the sound, the lights, the transport and just about everything else, Robert says, “There’s never a dull moment, but life is good!”

For the performers, living in caravans alongside the big blue and yellow circus tent, life is very different to that of the fundraisers, who are based in an office in Congelton, Cheshire. But one of the perks of Simone’s job is visiting the circus, so she and her team can describe the show to potential donors - and also so they can see the result of all their hard work on the phones.

Romy Bauer

One of Simone’s favourite acts is contortionist Romy Bauer who performs in a crystal globe suspended high above the ring.

“She’s dressed as a fairy and snow falls all around her while she’s performing. It’s absolutely beautiful, and the gasps from the children are amazing.

“Cold calling companies is difficult, because a lot of people say ‘No.’” Simone admits, “So to see the smile on a child’s face and to know you did that is very motivating.”

Pinned to the walls of the fundraising office are countless thank you cards and letters from families that have been given tickets.

Simone proudly reads one out: “Tonight we came to the show with our two daughters. Due to our elder daughter’s special needs we generally stay away from outings that involve confined spaces and crowds, but tonight was a magical experience for us all - the chance to be a family and see an amazing show that captivated the children and us from start to finish.”

Simone is especially proud of an award-winning app the circus has developed to prime children for their visit to the big top.

“A lot of children with autism struggle with anything outside of their normal routine,” Simone explains. “So they can download the app to their iPad and it takes them through their day at the circus. It has pictures of the entrance, the seating and the acts, so the child can get used to it and feel confident enough to go on the day.

“The feedback we’ve had has been brilliant. Families have said they’ve been playing dress-up circus in the garden before the show. They’ve sent pictures of children with a blanket tied around them like the ringmaster’s cape. It’s lovely.”

On the day, everyone is assured of a warm welcome. Even those - and there are a few adults among them - who are afraid of clowns.

“We’ve had some of those!” Simone admits with a laugh. “But Chico Rico, our clown, has such a warm, welcoming smile that those barriers are soon broken down. The children love him and they have time at the end to get their face painted if they want to.

“There’s always the chance to get their picture taken with some of the acts. It’s a magical day for them and we want to make it as special as we can.”

For Simone, meanwhile, every day is a circus day.

“I’ve been doing phone work for a long time, but this job is really special. I’ve got two kids of my own, so to be able to talk about something that benefits children, and just the fact that the circus is such a fun subject to talk about, is really lovely.”

With a grin, she concludes, “You can tell I love my job, can’t you?”

If you’d like to make a donation to Circus Starr or nominate a family deserving of tickets, visit www.circus-starr.org.uk

Circus Starr - the Circus that helps kids

Miss Lara
-one of the stars of
Circus Starr
which began its latest tour
this week

In an expanded version of an article that originally appeared in The Stage, Circus Starr’s managing director Neville Wilson tells me the story of a circus that helps those in need.

There’s nothing like the atmosphere of a circus tent filled to capacity with excited kids. In the ring is a high calibre cast of international acrobats and clowns. But the 500-seat Circus Starr big top wasn’t sold-out by the traditional methods of a poster campaign or parade. In each of the towns on its annual 75-date tour, the tickets were bought by local businesses then donated to disadvantaged children and their families.

According to director Neville Wilson, “There are a lot of fundraising events where the event is a long way removed from the kids they help. The idea behind Circus Starr was to let the kids have something tangible; to say, ‘Here’s a couple of tickets, come out and enjoy yourself.’”
It’s not just children but whole families that benefit, Wilson continues.

The Valencius Troupe
- part of an international cast

“Our audience is made up kids facing all sorts of challenges from autism to life-threatening illnesses. We’ve even had children come to the show in beds. There are very few places their parents can take them as a family, because they might be worried that the child will make a lot of noise and be disruptive. But when they come to Circus Starr that doesn’t matter, because everybody’s in the same boat.”

As to the timeless ability of a traditional circus to help children forget their troubles, Wilson says, “A lot of kids these days grow up sitting in their bedrooms with computer games and there’s not much interaction with other people. Suddenly they come to this strange place where there’s loads of people around them; something funny happening; something serious; music, colour, life. You can see the effect in their faces: it’s like a light switch going on.”

The philanthropic circus was born 26 years ago, when Gandey’s Circus was approached to put on a fundraising event for a school.

“We did a gala evening and it was so successful that word got around to other charities that wanted to do the same thing,” says Wilson. “So we set up Circus Starr to help low profile local charities like hospices that didn’t have the resources to raise funds for themselves. The original deal was that we would handle the publicity, sell the tickets and split the profits with the charity.”

Initially, Starr used a telesales team to sell tickets to local businesses for their own use. “But over time people started saying, ‘Would you donate these tickets? We’d like them to go to this school...’

It made me realise how many kids there are out there facing really big challenges,” says Wilson.
Today, all tickets are distributed through a variety of hospices, community groups and women’s refuges, researched by Starr from its base in Congelton, Cheshire. 100% of the show’s profits is then donated to a particular charity, such as the air ambulance service, that the circus partners with in each town it visits.

The Circus Starr big top

“We donate over £1 million worth of tickets each year, and every single ticket is used. Then there are a lot of hospices and baby care units that get a nice cheque at the end of the show, too, so everybody wins,” says Wilson.

Circus Starr is a not-for-profit CIC (Community Interest Company) but it benefits financially and artistically from being part of the Gandey Organisation, which produces commercial shows such as the Chinese State Circus and The Ladyboys of Bangkok.

“Philip Gandey produces a new show for us each year and spends a lot of time looking for the acts,” says Wilson. “It’s a proper touring circus, moved on six articulated units, that could be sold commercially, no problem.”

Wilson fell in love with big tops and sawdust at an early age.

“My mum and dad took me to Boswell Wilkie’s Circus in South Africa when I was 5-years-old, and I can remember some of that performance to this day,” the director grins.

The Great Yarmouth Hippodrome
Britain's oldest circus building, where
Neville Wilson ran away with a
Russian Swing act.
(A picture from Circus Mania)

Many years later, when he was travelling through Europe as a young man, Wilson found himself with a summer job at Britain’s oldest circus building, the Great Yarmouth Hippodrome.

“There was an acrobatic troupe called the Casteinos. One of the catchers in their Russian swing act decided to leave and they asked me if I’d like to try it. I was pretty agile in those days - so I ran away with the circus!”

Retiring from performance when the Casteinos broke up, Wilson joined the publicity team of Boswell Wilkie in South Africa and rose to assistant manager. He moved to England in 1986 and worked with several circuses, including the Moscow State Circus, before meeting third generation showman Phillip Gandey, with whom he has worked ever since.

“I’m so proud of what we’ve done with Circus Starr, over the past ten years especially,” says Wilson. “I live and breathe it and love every second that I’m at work.”

Every night's a full house at
Circus Starr

Wilson admits the economic downturn has affected Circus Starr - but not because people have become more reluctant to give.

“A lot of the businesses we were dealing with ceased trading. That’s made it harder for our telesales team and harder for us to expand. If the recession hadn’t happened we’d probably be visiting another 15 towns by now.

“But the businesses that have remained and the new businesses that have opened have been as generous as ever. Some of the bigger corporations have been phenomenal.”

In fact, even after so many years with Circus Starr, Wilson says, “The generosity of the British business community never ceases to amaze me. The people who buy tickets don’t get anything out of this except a thank you letter from the kids they sent to the circus. But the letters are phenomenal - and the next year when we phone up, they’ll buy two more tickets!”

So far, none of the kids who have visited Circus Starr have gone on to become circus stars themselves. But one did grow up to join the telesales team. Wilson, meanwhile, recalls a meeting he describes as one of the best things that ever happened to him.

“A guy came up to me at a show and said, ‘Many years ago, when I was a kid, my family had a real bust up. My mum and I, and my brother and sister were living in a New Start place. I was so low. We were given tickets to the circus and I’ve never forgotten that. I now have a business in Carlisle and I always make sure we support you.’

“To me,” says Wilson, “That sums up what Circus Starr is about.”

FIVE FACTS ABOUT CIRCUS STARR

1 - Artistic director Philip Gandey’s commercial enterprises include international big top hire and productions ranging from the Chinese State Circus to the Dubai-based Krystal Dinner Show.

2 - Gandey is a third generation showman and became Britain’s youngest circus proprietor at the age of 17.

3 - The circus has 150 performances a year to an annual audience of 75,000.

4 - The circus is developing an app to enhance the experience of autistic children at arts events. It will be available as a free download from September.

5 - Circus Starr’s patron is actress Sarah Gordy, who made her name as Lady Pamela Holland in the 2010 series Upstairs Downstairs.

For Circus Starr tour dates, go to www.circus-starr.org.uk

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