Festival Cirque (From Raffaele De Ritis)

poster2008, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Because the Monte Carlo thread became unespectedly too long, with the excuse of the 2008 poster I wish to specify here some details. Monte Carlo Festival started in 1974, when a lot of circuses were closing in the five continents. It is is perhaps the best thing that happened to the circus world after WW II: a meeting point for professionals and fans of the world, to make businesses,design confortably your new tent or posters with the best dealers, meet friends dispersed in the world in a fantastic place. The fact to be officially promoted by a governement, and the most prestigious one for the jet-set , gave to the circus a worldwide dignity in years of general crisis. Circus world must be grateful forever to Prince Rainer III. Besides that, we don’t have to forget a basic thing to understand the logic of MC Festival: it was created as a sort of personal toy by the Prince himself, who asked aroud to select the acts he liked better, to have his best friends in the jury, to form for a week a daily menagerie, to give awards to the artists and to share dinners with them. JUDGES. In the first few years, the jury was formed basically by old movie stars and celebrities friends of the prince (as Cary Grant, Giulietta Masina etc.), with a couple of old circus professionals of his generation as specialists (Johnny North, Fredy Knie senior etc.). At this time, the Golden clown was only one, and conceived as a non-performer lifetime award: the first edition gold went to a certain Alfred Court, the second to a certain Charlie Rivel, etc. Slowly things changed, becoming a little less senile too: but jury became entirely composed by circus owners. Jury president was always the late Prince Rainier, and it is said that he was very influent, especially if he liked some acts better. But this is normal, if you accept the basic toy concept. Now his daughter Stephanie acts as president. CONFLICT OF INTEREST It is a real problem, I think. You happened to have in the same years members of the same family in the ring and another in the jury. Or have as a judge a director having booked some of the performers for the following season. You always have in the jury, every year, reperesentants of North Korea, China and Russian agencies having their own acts in the competition. Other aspect: families as Bouglione, Togni and Knie directed thru the years the performances and logistics. In the same years, they performed too. And won. They would have won anyway, for their outstanding presentations. But still. Everybody knows then the circus urban legend of gold awards previously assigned by contract. But nobody knows the truth. SELECTION The Prince had a good knowledge of the world circus business, and in the 70s he travelled frequently. Some friends gave him pictures or notices of other acts. Generally, he always had the final word. Today the thing works basically with a casting director, that deals with the acts around the world, showing the tapes to the Princess. The problem, at my opinion, is that the system works more as for the casting of a standard winter season, without specific criteria (and you are paid to perform) that for a real selection of “nominations”. Add the fact that most acts participated more times, and some won more times with the same presentations…A better example is the Tomorrow Circus Festival in Paris. Here you must be under 26 to participate; you are not paid to perform; your act must be preferibly unseen out of your country; and you generally represents officially a company or a circus school. And this results today to be the real Festival where to scout the really new and the surprises. Half of the circus business stopped to go to Monte Carlo preferring a visit to Paris. But still, being in MC for a performer, as Mrs.White states, is probably the best experience you can have in your circus career: after all, you performs in front of half the world’s circus business. AWARDS The problem of apples and oranges exists, but you have the same at movie festivals. But a frustration remains. I mean, if you compete there the year when Knie, Larible or Vasquez are competing, damn, your chances are reduced a lot… SPECIAL AWARDS They are not given by the jury, but by the presenters themselves. This means that if you wins the gold, you can easily walk away adding in your arms metallic offerings as the Italian Circus Club medal, the Loews Hotel plate, the Bouglione family bronze panther and the Moscow Circus cup. The largest one, far larger than the gold itself, is the RBBB award. It is really immense, five stories of small columns, horses, elephants, tigers and a globe at the top, shipped there to Tim Holst in an enormous box. But is the only one in plastic. PEOPLES WALKING AWAY WITHOUT AWARDS They were a lot in 32 years, and celebrities too. Annie Fratellini was one of them. AMERICAN CIRCUS MOGHULS AND USA PARTICIPATIONS In the first few years, the prince attempted a deal with Irvin Feld, producing a circus tv special to promote the Monte Carlo tourism in the Usa. As part of this deal, Feld was bringing great acts as Elvin Bale, etc. The thing finished when the Festival was posponed from December to late January. At the time was everybody’s a great regret that those dates were blocking the participation possibilities of Gebel, Baumann, etc. I rember that, when word was spreading around Europe of the first white tigers group, we all was hoping to see this young called Wade Burck in Monte Carlo. And I can confirm that he was contacted. American acts used to come with multiple deals to share the travels: by opening December at Krone building, January in Monte Carlo, season with Knie (Campolongo and Vasquez did that way). PRINCESS STEPHANIE Yes, she was involved here with Franco. No, she never appeared in the act but toured with circus Knie in her own trailer. The trailer is now parked by few years in a street of Monte Carlo but nobody from the town police have yet posted a bill on it. RED SCARVES Those are not given out, but everybody must pay about 40 bucks for them. I think is th most awful souvenir ever to appeared in a circus concession. And, finally: yes, camel and elephant rides have been seen in Monte Carlo too, and a the largest concession midway of Europe awaits for you in front of the big top. There’s a sideshow too: all the world’s most prominent circus directors and agents with their wives and sons on the refreshment platforms in gala attire, mostly begging to performers for free tickets.