Author Stewart McGill suggests that modern circuses are reaching their use-by date, while others lament the absence of familiar circus atmosphere, such as the smell of sawdust and grass.
I agree that modern circuses such as Circue de Soleil, Cirque Eloize and others, may be just a fashion that will pass, and lack the feel of a ``real" circus.
But that may be just where we are making our mistake. These shows are not circuses, they are theatre in a tent, theatre based on medieval circus traditions, but very far removed from traditional circus nonetheless.
The acts are certainly spectacular, and the lack of animals make them appealing to audiences who don't want to see animals in a circus. But the production values of these shows are highly theatrical and, as such, fall more into the category of touring tent shows such as Cats.
To have hoped, as animal liberationists no doubt did, that these shows would supplant traditional circus, was pointless, since they are so different.
Circus is ``the smell of the sawdust, the roar of the beasts" - even if those beasts are just clowns in lion suits on a non-animal circus.
There's an atmosphere on a traditional circus that is unbeatable, as you pitch in and help with everything, from putting up the tent on a small show, to replacing someone in the elephant act.
For those who truly love circus, nothing will ever replace the excitement of seeing the show magically materialise overnight on an open green spot near the town, and just as quickly move on.
Traditional circus survived because it brought not only the performers to the audience, but the venue as well. And as the continuing success of small touring circuses prove, settled people still crave that feeling of something exotic and unpredictable arriving out of the blue.
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