The Canadian International Circus, a division of Gatti Productions Inc. of California, “presented the choicest array of circus talent” to hundreds of adults and children in three performances Aug. 17 and 18 at the RECplex arena. A magical, fairy tale quality has always surrounded the circus. It is a quality that perhaps arises from a need to escape from reality for a moment and live a “never never land” existence for the specified period of time; or maybe the circus simply provides a means by which people of all ages can see wild animals and performances of daring.
For whatever reason, the circus has drawn large crowds of spectators to their performances for thousands of years, and the Canadian International Circus is no exception as they brought in approximately 1,500 people of varying ages to each of its three shows in Tisdale alone.
When events such as a circus or a midway comes to town, many feel that such events are just for kids and more much too juvenile for the average adult. However, anyone who says a circus is just for kids has not experienced the rapt expressions of many parents as they held their child’s candyfloss sticky figures, reacting with equal enthusiasm to the entertainment provide. Many of these same parents, for sure, were transported back in time, remembering when they were escorted to the circus, ate candy apples, watching the clowns, the tigers and the performers in their glittery, bright costumes and planning to someday run away and full the time-honoured dream of joining the circus.
As with all good circuses, the Canadian International Circus wowed the Tisdale audiences with incredible feats of talent, daring and strength.
The animal acts provided Tisdale audiences with a firsthand look at tigers, elephants, chimpanzees, horses and a lion.
Jacqueline Zerbini and her performing tigers and lion opened the show, displaying Zerbini’s precise control over the incredible felines.
The “Hannibalistic” herd of ponderous pachyderms [elephants] amused every member of the crowd with their dances and their balancing feats.
You can always count on a chimp act to steal the show and there was no exception this time around. The Canadian International Circus delighted the audience with their two chimps who gave a wide-ranging performance.
Balancing acts were the mainstay of the show with the Los Mayas Living Statues, The Wilson Duo, the Rosenback Riders, Princess Mafalda and her Sword Balancing act, The Zamudios and the giant wheel of death, and the Rivera Troupe, who all gave spectacular performances of balance, precision, and strength.
Finally, Jacqueline Zerbini, Queen of the Air and her heel catch act kept the audience on the edge of their seats as she lunged headfirst off the trapeze – without the insurance of a net – only to catch herself by the heels at the last possible second.
