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Original poster

Off Work with Zippo's Circus Audience Particpation Injury!!

103 replies

Blu · 25/09/2006 10:20

I have done my knee in and can only hobble!

All I can say is that if you go to Zippo's Circus, DO NOT volunteer at the point where they ask for "someone over 18 to sit on a horse". Actually, to be fair, they might have said "someone quite agile and over 18..." and I should have had more sense!

I got to the ringside and a helpful clown briefed me:
"Walk straight over to the Ringmaster - he will introduce you, then run across the ring and jump on to that horse"
The horse was about 15.2 hand high - i.e it's back came up to my nose
"the horse will start moving, then when we say 'kneel up', kneel up on the back of the horse. Then when we say 'let go' just let go - don't worry, you will be on the rope".

I thought he was joking, so didn't take this seriously at all.

So there I was , after an undignified scrabble with the help of clowns, on this horse with a belt round my waist attached to a rope which went up to the top of the tent, cantering round the ring - no saddle, just a blanket, nothing to hold onto, and then attempting to kneel up! They shouted 'let go' and I was swinging wildly in mid air, very fast, in big circles above the heads of the clowns. DP said I swung right round the ring 3 times. Eventually the clowns kept bumping into me and brought me to a halt - but I still hit the ground very fast.

I was literally weak-kneed walking back to my seat, but put that down to adrenalin - I was actually shaking.

By last night I couldn't walk, bith knees are swollen and agonised, and one is all black down one side . Am still hobbling this morning, can't drive, DP had to take DS to school on the bus.

I feel such an idiot!

But that is quite extreme audience particpation, isn't it?

OP posts:
FioFio · 29/09/2006 15:47

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TenaLady · 29/09/2006 15:48

oh think of the delight on all those childrens faces seeing you perform your piece, never mind your own kids thinking you were cool.

Hope you feel better soon though.

Saturn74 · 29/09/2006 15:53

OMG - it was just a rope???

I thought it was a proper harness! No wonder it was so painful.

The circus is taking a disregard of health and safety issues way too far by not even providing the correct basic equipment.

FioFio · 29/09/2006 16:17

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Message withdrawn

Original poster
Blu · 29/09/2006 16:32

There was a leather belt around my middle, just below the ribs, and that was attached to the rope. Not quite as bad as a rope, but not really enough to support an inexperienced person.

OP posts:
FrankenZooey · 04/10/2006 21:52

Blimey, Blu, we saw the act tonight and, well, respect to you for having anything to do with it. That was a completely mad stunt and I am glad you came out of it in one piece.

We thought the circus as a whole was great, trained budgies and all. Was not too sure about any of the horse bits - not much dignity in running round and round a ring, is there? but overall, it was a great show

Original poster
Blu · 04/10/2006 21:59

They still have it in the show?
I had a response saying Zippo himself would be in touch with me - but he hasn't yet.

Glad you enjoyed it, anyway.

You weren't even a tiny bit tempted to volunteer?

My knees are still sore!

OP posts:
FrankenZooey · 04/10/2006 22:06

Oh yes, they had 2 volunteers and a clown doing it. The first volunteer got off fairly lightly and just swung across the ring - the second span around wildly two or three times before being caught by a clown.

Funnily enough I did not feel remotely tempted, no. I sat feeling very spprehensive watching it and was tempted to shout "STOP!"

Your poor knees

Original poster
Blu · 04/10/2006 22:08

oooh, I'm getting flashbacks! that second volunteer, swinging wildly, was me...it's all coming back to me!

OP posts:
FrankenZooey · 04/10/2006 22:09

Oh, and you know the odd biker / juggling woman?

She was lying on her back, on a huge motorbike, wearing leather and shiny tights, with her legs in the air, spinning an enormous cross of fire with her feet.

DS turned to me with a look of utter wonder and joy on his face and said "Mummy! THAT'S what I want to do"

Original poster
Blu · 04/10/2006 22:15

So did my DS!!!!

He has been practicing at home.

Not with real fire, obviously.

She was very good.

OP posts:
FrankenZooey · 04/10/2006 22:17

Ruddy hell. I thought she was cack. What was the bike for? I was most disappointed - she rode a great big eff off bike into the ring and then lay on it to juggle things with her feet. V poor show

crunchie · 04/10/2006 23:26

FZ I have just booked tickets for Sat pm. I ahve read this thread to DH so he is looking forward to it Performing budgies and all

Actually it will be a huge treat as the last little circus we went to DH was working and I wouldn't ;et teh kids go to Funderworld

HumphreyPETERCUSHINGCushion · 04/10/2006 23:32

F&Z, I opened this thread again with trepidation, wondering if you'd changed your mind and volunteered at the last minute.

Still intermittently chucking at Blu's 'collision with clowns' reason for being off work.

Hope you're much recovered, Blu?

FrankenZooey · 05/10/2006 08:06

I must say it is probably not very PC but I hugely enjoyed the performing budgies, especially when one budgie pulled another in a sort of carriage

harpsichordcarrion · 05/10/2006 08:09

lol at "collision with clowns"
I can't help think that horses running around in circles is a tad more dignified than Blu's stunt

TwigTwoolett · 05/10/2006 08:12

we went on sunday

the clowns made me feel quite violent tbh

the volunteer acts were totally ott

but I wanted to adopt the youngest moroccon boy in the extremely skilled athlete family .. he had such a smile on him

FrankenZooey · 05/10/2006 08:13

Yes possibly

Blu had at least in theory agreed to it, though.

I am quite proud of ds, he was horrified by the clowns and kept saying "They are not going to come up here, are they Mummy? They are not going to shake my hand." I thought "That's my boy"

FrankenZooey · 05/10/2006 08:14

I was fairly fond of the next oldest boy as well, Twig, till dp pointed out he was probably about 15 and no we couldn't take him home

TwigTwoolett · 05/10/2006 08:15

didn't see them sign a waiver for personal injury

you could tell that the 2nd volunteer was going to be in much pain with the whole swinging round and collision with clown

the circus performer who "volunteered" was interestingly wearing a proper harness

belgianBONES · 05/10/2006 08:34

Bloody awful for you but BEST thread title ever! I would sue!

Original poster
Blu · 05/10/2006 13:02

Twig - is that true? That the clown had a proper harness? I was too shell-shocked to notice as I was staggering back to my seat as the clown was doing the same stunt.
That does make me think they are taking liberties with the public.

F&Z - I thought the bike aspect was nothing short of soft porn - but I thought the foot-juggling with fire was good.

OP posts:
Original poster
Blu · 05/10/2006 13:05

I had not anticipated, from the descripton given rapidly at the ringside from the helpful clown, that I would swing wildly round the ring. I thought I would just dangle momentarily before being gently lowered to the ground. I thought the horse would be walking.

OP posts:
FrankenZooey · 05/10/2006 13:22

No, there was no way, when they asked for volunteers, that you would expect to end up flying round the ring at speed suspended from a rope.

I thought a large proportion of the show amounted to soft porn if you were that way inclined. Dp seemed happy anyway.

doggiesayswoof · 05/10/2006 14:16

I've just seen this and LOL - getting funny looks across the office - but echoing what others have said, I can't believe they have this in the show - they're on a countdown to getting sued/someone getting really hurt (not that you weren't really hurt Blu, YKWIM)

PMSL at Cof-sted too.