Craziest circuses around the world

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Welcome, welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the most amazing, bizarre and hair-raising sights you’ll ever see. Fearsome tamed beasts, flying acrobats, mesmerizing magic acts and more! That’s what you get at the world-famous circuses you’re about to get acquainted with.

Circuses have such a long traditions and are so enveloped in mystery and lore that it would be a huge mistake not to go to at least one representation, if you get the chance. It’s probably not educational, but who cares? Circuses represent fun in its purest, craziest form. So here are the most mind-blowing circuses of them all.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, US

There have been some controversies regarding the Ringling’s treatment of animals, but nowadays they make efforts to increase the public’s awareness of animal rights and preservation .

The circus operates two train-based shows, the Red Tour and the Blue Tour, which present a full three-ring production in major cities across America, and there’s also the Gold Tour, a scaled down version of the other two tours, adapted to smaller towns.  The Red Tour focuses on illusion acts, and one of the most spectacular ones includes the disappearance of an adult elephant.

Circus Oz, Australia

Circus Oz is among the first troupes in the wave of the nouveau cirque, or contemporary circus, which shies away rom the precepts of traditional circus acts. Circus Oz does not have any animal acts, and the show centers around the performers rather than props and special effects.

The troupe has only about a dozen member who are talented in a variety of fields and perform multiple acts, from acrobatics and aerial work to clowning and music. Circus Oz has performed in twenty-six countries across five continents, so keep an eye out for their next tours.

Le Cirque Invisible

One of the co-founders of this troupe is Victoria Chaplin, the daughter of Charlie Chaplin, so as you can imagine, this circus has a flair for the dramatic. Chaplin and Jean-Baptiste Thiérrée, who founded the circus back in 1971, are very elusive and refuse to speak to the press, but when it comes to the circus, they put up amazing performances. Le Cirque Invisible is a mix of magic, circus and whimsical theatrical performances by Chaplin and Thiérrée, who are fantastic entertainers.

Jim Rose Circus

Jim Rose Circus’s fame spread through word of mouth at the 1992 Lollapalooza music festival,  and it offers a fresh and interesting take on the sideshow. The founder of the circus, Jim Rose himself, performs some rather masochistic acts like stapling currency to his forhead, but then again, this is a sideshow, and a crazy one at that. The rest of the performances are just as cringe-inducing: Matt “The Tube” Crowley who swallows seven feet of tubes, the Amazing Mr. Lifto who hangs weight from various tender parts of his body and many others.

Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil is one of those amazingly famous circuses that cannot be absent from any list of crazy circuses. The circus was founded in the 80’s by two street entertainers, and although it grew from one show to 19, performed on every continent except Africa, Cirque du Soleil retained its original mix of street entertainment and circus arts.

The performances feature a synthesis of circus styles from around the world, live music, next to no props and no animals, focusing instead of stories and characters.

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