Friday, January 19, 2007

Comment from circus attendee!

Circus Sarasota outshines Ringling


Last year, I attended a performance of Circus Sarasota, and this week, I was at the Ringling Gold show.

I was so disappointed in the Ringling show; it paled in every way to Pedro Reis' Circus Sarasota.

The pace of the Ringling show was slow, the ringmaster was lackluster and the costumes were not spectacular.

Act for act, Circus Sarasota outperformed Ringling.

Ringling's dog act consisted of a gal throwing a flying disc for a shepherd; Circus Sarasota had David Rosaire's entertaining Perky Pekes.

The Ringling balancing act was not as exciting as Circus Sarasota's performer balancing on piles of cylinders.

Ringling's web girl was no match for the elegant Dolly Jacobs.

The Ringling clown act was interminably long and generated few laughs. Circus Sarasota had a side-splitting act with an "old lady" trying to get on a horse.

The one fascinating act at Ringling was the couple performing upside down but, by nature of the act, it was all too short.

Circus Sarasota had an exciting elliptical hoop performance, and an unforgettable act by the Smirnovs doing rapid costume changes.

Anyone who attends the Ringling show will come away with a greater appreciation for our own Circus Sarasota.

Elizabeth Webster

Posted by Buckles at 1/19/2007 07:05:00 AM

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

I understand that the flying act on the Gold unit could not work in Sarasota due to the (lack of) height requirements.

19 January, 2007 07:47
Anonymous said...

It is interesting to note the previous article failed to mention Silvia and Patty Zerbini's magnificint performance at Ringling Gold.

19 January, 2007 08:31
Anonymous said...

Hey! don't you think it's time to stop being so petty about circus...any circus.....STOP comparing what was and look at what is.....circus has changed and you old timers have to admit it (I did) we cannot look back and keep talking HOW IT WAS....every business has downzised....not for the better, but that's how it is folks!

19 January, 2007 09:07
Anonymous said...

It is true that many businesses have downsized.
But I do not believe that to be true in the entertainment field.
Concerts-bigger & better
Movies-bigger & better
Amusement parks- bigger & better
Operas- bigger & better
Rodeos- bigger & better
I think the question is how is attendance.I hear that there are more people going to circuses in 2006 than in 1986. But then I don't have actual figures,Mr. Trumble ?

19 January, 2007 10:28
Anonymous said...

P.S. :

the Gold unit was designed to fit smaller venues than the Red & Blue extravaganzas
And also there are getting to be better touring circuses in America.I believe the Big Apple Circus has raised the bar,and there are circuses that are
striving to raise it again !

19 January, 2007 10:35
Anonymous said...

These comments seemed unusally well informed...

19 January, 2007 11:04
Anonymous said...

Great point, Larry. Don't forget Don't forget the World Wrestling Federation. It went from high school gyms to Madison Square Garden. Wade Burck

19 January, 2007 11:38
24-HOUR-MAN said...

I myself have said many times, "we have to stop looking at today's Circus, through yesterday's eyes", but the fact is, "IF YOU CLAIM TO BE THE BEST, THEN BE THE BEST"! I think this is the issue as much as yesterday vs today.

I can understand cutting the nut if it's a difference of profit or loss, but if it's a case of more profit, & more profit, as seems to be the case with management in many fields today, when is enough, enough!

19 January, 2007 12:06
B.E.Trumble said...

Larry, I haven't heard the 1986-2006 comparison before, but I suppose if you count all entertainments that describe themselves as "circus" including the various Cirque shows it might very well be true. In the mid-80's much of the country was still coming out of the recessions of the 1970's and early '80's. During good times every business wants to believe that the salad days will go on forever. Overall the 1990's were a great time for all sorts of businesses, including circuses. When bean counters look at numbers today and make comparisons, what they are often comparing are numbers ten years ago during a period of unusual prosperity. For anything we might call traditional circus it's impossible to ignore the impact of increased insurance rates and fuel prices. Costs go up, so ticket prices go up. Somehow we forget that historically circus raised ticket prices in good times, and lowered admission prices in bad times to keep the seats filled. When was the last time anybody cut ticket prices? Bookers constantly lament the decline of long time Host organizations (as their membership ages)but across the business maybe haven't been as good as we need to be at finding alternative hosts. Some of the very best sponsors I saw last season were groups set-up to raise money and oversee specific community projects -- build a bike trail, or a playground. Because a group like that is only around for a few years, they never get tired, and they're very focused. There are 300,000,000 people in the United States. Even if the percentage of people interested in traditional circus has fallen dramatically from what it was say 40 years ago, the pool of potentially circus-goers has risen enough to offset that if there's a good working marketing model. Downsizing id a fine cost cutting approach so long as it doesn't dramatically diminish the quality of the product. I would say that the Carson & Barnes move to three rings from five is a fine example of that. It may have actually made for a better show. Downsizing that leaves customers feeling like they're paying more and getting less is a disaster, and unfortunately some traditional circuses have followed that model. With luck everybody will catch a break on fuel prices in '07 since oil is down around $50 a barrel. If pump prices stay under $3.00 and we don't all rush to raise ticket prices again this year, maybe shows will catch a break.

19 January, 2007 12:21
Anonymous said...

The whole point of this BLOG is about how it used to be. If we discussed todays circus we would not have that much to talk about. Those days will never pass again so we have to talk and remember how it was. We had a blast and such a life that needs to be shared with the memories. These stories bring joy, laughter, and tears to us all who were there and can remember among friends. The new comers need a role model to try and achieve the same greatness. Few will ever be better, but they can do a whole lot worse.

19 January, 2007 12:53
Anonymous said...

In the 'letter to the editor' on today's blog...comparison is made between the Ringling clowns, and the Swenson comedy act. They are not the same. Swenson's is a 'horse' act. If we are going to compare, then let it be apples and apples.

19 January, 2007 13:07
Anonymous said...

Some misundersstanding here....I, in no way want to forget the past wonderful days....they will never come again and they will never be forgotten by my generation.
However, I agree with Mr. Muncy...let's get the schedules together and stop bickering...
Also, in my 60 years of show biz, I have never read anyone preferring one dog act to another...this is most unprofessional....we do not put our own people down, especialy not in writing....

19 January, 2007 17:59
Anonymous said...

If the gold unit is the "Circus of Dreams" I will get the oportunity to see it in a couple months. So looking forward to seeing Sylvia Zerbini's liberty act again. BTW who has the dog act on the gold?? cc

19 January, 2007 19:17
Anonymous said...

I enjoy reading the comparison of what was then and what isn't anymore, and I'm not that old...

Is Carson & Barnes really better than it was in the '90s?

19 January, 2007 23:27
Anonymous said...

Mentioning Patricia Zerbini, I got to see her present her single elephant act in her dad's show in Canada.And to anyone interested in circus or elephant acts in particular,be sure to see this !A very strong act ! Well staged,with an awsome looking animal,presented with incredible style and grace.Worth the price of admission.

20 January, 2007 00:03

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