It was probably back in caveman times, when one of the cavemen tripped over a rock and made his comrades laugh...or when he learned to balance on a teetering rock for hours and kept his comrades spellbound.
The desire to entertain must be at least as old as man. The cave paintings left behind may indeed have spiritual significance, but they are more likely to have been a way to while away the long hours in the firelight.
The word circus comes from the Latin, and for historical purposes at least, the circus is believed to have begun in Ancient Rome.
The circus buildings were actually known as "Spectaculum" but one of the most famous, the Circus Maximumus in Rome, had a circular ring from which the word circus derived.
The Circus Maximus would not be unfamiliar territory to showgoers today.
As well as the ring events, there were arcades featuring shops, restaurants and sideshows.
In the ring, the main attractions were chariot races and gladatorial contests.
But there were many acts modern patrons would find familiar...animal acts, acrobats, aerialsts, and of course, clowns.
"Make em laugh" seems to have been a circus credo since it began.
By the Middle Ages, circuses had taken to the roads of Europe, travelling from town to town, and performing at fairs, and in castles and manor houses of the time.
Cirque de Soleil seeks to recapture the enchantment of those early travelling shows, flitting into town, creating their magic and spectacle seemingly out of thin air, and moving on again.
The traveler life of Europe became established in the Middle Ages, a tradition which families follow to this day.
Most of these shows performed in the open air or in small tents known as "fit ups".
Philip Astley, horse rider and trainer, is credited with the creation of the modern circus, although his first show was held in a converted barn in the 1800s.
Later he built the Royal Amphitheatre of the Arts which enjoyed Royal patronage.
The Big Top began as a small top, the first recorded being only about 50 ft in diameter back in 1826 in America.
Part of the enduriong popularity of the circus is its ability to adapt and roll with the times.
While there are still traditional shows with animal acts on the road today, there are also new shows cosisting solely of human performers and combining modern music and dance forms as part of the spectacle, such as Circus Oz.
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