The last time I saw Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey Circus was when I was 11 years young. I took my family to see it in Hartford, CT for Mother's Day 2013. That's 46 years later! I could not believe the transformation. Much of it has to do with safety issues and streamlining the show. At first, I couldn't help comparing it to what was the Greatest Show on Earth. The preshow in the 60's in Madison Square Garden had fire eaters, sword swallow-ers, the elephants were at an arm's length, and we bought bags of peanuts and were able to touch and feed the elephants. The excitement was palpable. I had to stop comparing in order to stay in the present and enjoy the immense about of talent, animals, glitz, showmanship, and strength. 46 years later the skill and strength of the performers on the high wire and trapeze still took our breath away. But the show has a lot more glitz now. Lots of dancing, cheerleading stuff. But the energy and the performers were on spot and connected to the original shows 40, 50 years ago. There are two performers. A man and a woman who act like the ring leaders / entertainers. The woman's style was VERY much like what one would expect at the Greatest Show on Earth. She "got it!" She had the flair, the presence, of vaudeville, from which the Circus's clown / slap stick acts were born. Her presence boosted the Circus. I think for me, I was so close to the floor that I could see the details of her face and gesticulations. It was as if she studied Lucille Ball, Judy Garland, and other great comedic stage performers. She embodied the flare of Ringling Bros. The clowns were the best ever in costumes and acts.The clowns on stilts were the best. My young children loved the animals. 16 tigers we counted! Amazing. The horses were shiny beautiful, glitzt. They all appeared to be well groomed and healthily fed, and loved. I loved to see the tame tigers. My kids were amazed at that. The elephants are probably the most well kept elephants in any on the road circus. It is after all the Greatest Show on Earth and to be fair to the Circus' restructuring... they feel they have to compete with the times and the glitz is part of it. The showmanship... the 50 or so cheerleader like dancers... I loved being up front... 5 rows from the stage where the performers all come out. I wouldn't sit anywhere else! We sat to the right of the $100 seats. I would not like to sit there. The performers make them all come out and sit in tea cups (think Disney tea cup ride), hooked together like a train and bring them out to the floor. So that 30% of them, depending where they sat in the tea cup,once it stopped for a show (trapeze) had to twist their bodies / necks to see the act. I would have hated that. I loved my seats. We were approached by a clown... I was amazed at the attention to detail... every strap, every inch of makeup, she like the others was amazing and the kids loved her. I just love that Ringling Bros. has an attentive eye on every small detail. And from our seats we could see the little hairs on the back of the baby elephant as she strolled by on her big soft cushion feet.
XL Center @
- Hartford @
, CT @
- Sun, May 12, 2013 @
Favorite moment: The Trapeze, tumblers, tigers, rotating wish bone thingy, the ringleaders acts. @