Originating in 18th-century England, circuses are something that have been around for ages. Be it: Clowns, elepants, Knife Throwers, or Trapeze Artists, you’re probably familiar with at least one of these iconic circus acts. Circuses started in big tents, and that is what many people expect when they hear the words, ‘The circus is coming to town.” Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, however, have long since abandoned the tarps they used to perform under in favor of sports stadiums and arenas.
Not only has the self-proclaimed ‘Best Circus on Earth’ abandoned their use of tents, but ever since their reboot in 2023, they’ve been a completely animal free circus! Ever since attacks from animal rights groups, the circus has strived to reduce their use of animals in their performances. Against what it may seem, however, they do in fact have one animal in their circus: a robot dog named Bailey.
For kids, this act was received with laughter, but the older crowd could be heard spewing distaste for the lack of realism. It makes one wonder if it would be possible for them to create other robotic animals to add into the show like elephants or tigers. The ‘Bailey’ act wasn’t shown much, which felt like a waste as you only saw the robot for about five minutes. There were only mentions of the dog throughout the rest of the show.
Ringling Bros. is certainly a modern inspired circus as opposed to what the older crowd would be expecting. As a spectator, a lot of the acts left me on the edge of my seat with anxiety rather than excitement. While the acts were certainly thrilling, they were more of an acrobatic nature. The older crowd were certainly let down when expecting the typical circus experience from their memories.
The Ringling Bros. circus is definitely targeted towards a more modern and younger demographic of attendees; with their discontinuation of tents, animals, and the modernization of various rather iconic acts. Their acts have a very childish tone to them. This is especially evident with the ‘Equivokee’ Comedic Trio that starts off the performance and become relevant figures throughout the show.
Along with the typical acts you’d see, there were a few new ones that surprised the audience. A drummer along with bicyclists, a singer, and folk dance groups definitely were a surprise to see. The acts themselves were alright and lots of attendants were left at the very least satisfied with money spent. Overall, it was an interesting take on what a circus could bring to its attendees.
