The greatest show ever in the UK?
THOUGH not quite going as far as to promise "the greatest show on earth", Paul Archer believes the greatest show ever seen in Britain is coming to Inverness.
Archer is the general manager of the Great Moscow State Circus which returns to the Highland Capital next week after a two-year absence.
"It’s not just a brand new show," he said.
"It’s possibly the best show ever seen in the UK."
One of the main reasons for such high praise is high wire act the Stalkions, who Archer regards as one of the finest acts to be seen anywhere, and not just the Moscow State Circus.
"It’s at least 40 years since an act of this quality has been seen anywhere in the UK and it may be another 40 years before we see it again," he said.
The Stalkions’ act includes a breathtaking moment when one of the female acrobats performs the splits — on the heads of two of her male colleagues, themselves perched precariously on the high wire 30 feet above the ground.
Then there are The Alikanovs, whose pole-balancing act comes to Britain for the first time, and The Peruskins, whose bouncing bamboo act was a winner at the Monte Carlo International Circus Festival.
"I’m very, very proud of this show," Archer said.
"People’s perception of circus in England and Scotland is a place to take the kids, but it’s not with this circus. We get a lot of students, lots of grandparents, but it really is a circus for all ages and all tastes."
The key to this, Archer believes, is the professionalism of the performers.
"With the Moscow State Circus, every artist has to have a four year apprenticeship before they are allowed to perform in public," he said.
"For something like this show, people always know the quality is there. Sometimes, with smaller circus shows, you are paying quite big money not to see the quality of acts that we have. There’s a danger that people’s perception of circus can get diluted by poor quality performances.
"We don’t have a problem with getting people to enjoy themselves once they are here — the problem is in getting them here in the first place. That’s why we offer a range of tickets."
Other acts appearing with the Moscow State Circus include Yana Alievia on her revolving aerial chandelier, the Whirlwind Rubsovsm troupe who catapult themselves high across the Big Top, the juggling Sherbakovs with their unique custom-made equipment and the flying Doktrovs.
"When we come to Inverness, the people of Inverness will be seeing things which at that moment, they cannot see anywhere else in the world," Archer added.
Of course, any circus needs clowns and the Moscow State Circus’s resident jesters Valik and Valerik are the only performers who have already appeared in Inverness, though they return as new characters in a completely new story based on the classic Russian comic novel "The 12 Chairs".
The book has inspired over 20 films from Cuba to Iran — including an early movie from "Blazing Saddles" director Mel Brooks and other versions starring George Formby, Jack Benny and Sharon Tate. Set in post-revolutionary Russia, the story follows a former noble as he attempts to track down a cache of family jewels hidden in one of a dozen chairs taken by the Bolsheviks.
"We’re basing the show around the search for this hidden treasure," Archer added.
"There’s a moral behind the story at the end, but intertwined with a lot of humour."
This may be a first visit to Scotland for most of the performers, but Archer has assured them of a warm welcome on the Scottish leg of their tour.
"Scottish people love live entertainment and tend to be a bit more forthcoming with their applause," he said.
"Some places in the south east, we call it a television audience — they think they don’t have to clap.
"None of the performers apart from the clowns have been to Inverness before and they are looking forward to it. The last time we were up we took them out on a dolphin cruise. Two of the artists were ill on the day of the cruise and couldn’t go, but that day it was flat calm and they didn’t see anything. The ones who were ill were able to go out a day or so later and they ended up as the only ones to see any dolphins. Perhaps we’ll have better luck this time!"
The Great Moscow State Circus Competition is at the Canal Pitches, Bught Park, Inverness, from Wednesday 6th to Tuesday 12th July. Show times: Wednesday 7.30pm, Thursday to Saturday and Monday 3pm and 7.30pm, Sunday 3pm, Tuesday 2pm and 5pm.
