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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to find the circus incredibly depressing and wonder who is going??

33 replies

Flatearthersphere · 10/06/2018 21:02

We've had a circus turn up in our village, it's taken over our lovely park and is so hideous to look at, there's caravans everywhere and satellite tv dishes plonked about and a ticket booth. i haven't seen anyone buying tickets at all, i haven't heard anything about this circus on social media or anywhere.

Looking at it gives me the heebiejeebies and i literally have never heard of anyone since 2000 going to a circus unless it's one of the proper big shows. not a travelling creepy looking affair.

Who goes to these? Are clowns funny? i have so many questions!

OP posts:
peoplearemean · 10/06/2018 21:07

Maybe they all think the Greatest Showman has rocked up?!

MarthasGinYard · 10/06/2018 21:08

People Grin

mrsmalcolmreynolds · 10/06/2018 21:10

We've had a couple of different smallish ones visit our village in the 6 years we've been living here and have been along a few times. They were good fun - one significantly more polished than the other but both reasonable entertainment for kids.

Not creepy at all - various acrobatic/gymnastic routines, a clown routine or two - not sure what you think is going on with them! My impression is that quite a lot of the performers are eastern European, probably not making much money and caravan living no doubt not amazing but they are getting the chance to travel and make a living from performing which is not that easy to come by.

MarthaArthur · 10/06/2018 21:11

I love the circus. Even weird ones. One pitched up in the rather strange village i am from. Never had a circus before or since but it pitched up for one night only in the local woods... me and my best friend loved it. Grin

Haint · 10/06/2018 21:12

You want to get yourself to Giffords

e1y1 · 10/06/2018 21:14

Yanbu, circuses (of any kind) freak me out.

LockedOutOfMN · 10/06/2018 21:15

Agree, OP.

GerdaLovesLili · 10/06/2018 21:16

We always go to the one that visits the week of Small Son's birthday. It's small and lots of the same family do different acts (and make tea in the interval). they always seem to have an acrobatic act and a motorcycle-wall of-death act that punch above the general weight of the other acts. It's always a good way to spend an eveving. (They even have bearable clowns!)

Oddcat · 10/06/2018 21:17

I took DD to one a few years ago , it was fab ! No animals (thank goodness) just acrobats , jugglers etc.

fairislecable · 10/06/2018 21:18

If it is Giffords and you didn’t buy a ticket months ago you won’t get in.

A lovely circus and the children really enjoy it.

steff13 · 10/06/2018 21:18

Have you read Night Circus?

I'd go as long as it's all people and no animals.

Original poster
Flatearthersphere · 10/06/2018 21:18

I think it's called pinders? it's the creepy pictures of clowns that are freaking me out. it reminds me of tacky blackpool stuff. i am quite sensitive at the moment so maybe i am being a wimp! Grin

OP posts:
ShatnersBassoon · 10/06/2018 21:19

I went to a traveling circus a few months ago, and I was genuinely surprised at how good it was for such a low ticket price. Really thrilling stunts, a properly funny clown whose children were part of his act (one was a traditional Pierrot), no animals, all sorts of impressive acrobatics and aerial tricks. I know they look a bit chaotic from the outside, but they do move on quickly.

londonrach · 10/06/2018 21:19

Giffords 😍 Cant wait for this summer as dd old enough to enjoy it.

musicinthe00ssucks · 10/06/2018 21:20

Steff I love The Night Circus! I want that to pitch up in my town

Ginmakesitallok · 10/06/2018 21:21

I love the circus! Embarrassed and impressed my dds in equal measure last time when I went up and helped the clowns ( after being asked - I didn't just jump in!)

Stickywhitelovepiss · 10/06/2018 21:23

Hello Daaaaave....??

mrsdolittle · 10/06/2018 21:25

Giffords is awesome. Proper old fashioned circus. We go every year - but wouldn't touch any others with a barge pole

gabsdot · 10/06/2018 21:25

We have a good circus that comes to our area every year and we usually go.
The only animals are dogs and horses. They have really good human performers and it's fun.
The site they use is always very clean and tidy.
The only objection I have is that it's expensive

TheVampiresLife · 10/06/2018 21:25

I was just thinking that Sticky Grin

Make sure you don't get captured!

LighthouseSouth · 10/06/2018 21:28

I hated them as a child but don't know what rules they have for animals now

I hate green spaces being taken over by these things though. Here it's a funfair with a billion food stalls. So I do wonder who goes and do they pay the council etc.

LighthouseSouth · 10/06/2018 21:29

"The only objection I have is that it's expensive"

.??

AgentProvocateur · 10/06/2018 21:30

I love a travelling circus! I took the DC every year when they were younger.

CaptainMarvelDanvers · 10/06/2018 21:31

My Grandmother and her side of the family were a showmen family. It was and still is hard work, especially now that tastes have changed.

Magaggie · 10/06/2018 21:32

I can't bear circuses (that doesn't sound right). Papa Lazarou certainly didn't put a positive spin on them either, Sticky. I've always found them a bit depressing. I think that stems from crappy circus shows being in the telly on New Year's Day when all the festivities were over, my parents were hungover and there was nothing to do (80's childhood).
My mum took me to see a circus in the 80's and I remember a poor tiger in a cage pacing up and down. Me and my mum were really saddened by it.