The circus returns to Melbourne with an exotic twist

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Exotic animals are returning to the circus, but not in the way you might expect. After seven years touring overseas, the Australian-born show 'circus 1903' has come home to bring audiences a taste of a different era.

Transcript

00:00 It's a circus with elephants, but no animals.

00:11 Circus 1903 brings back the costumes, music and animals from the 1900s for 21st century

00:18 tastes.

00:19 It's an astounding look back to simpler times, to the early days of the circus, the golden

00:24 age of the circus.

00:25 After a global tour featuring shows in New York, Las Vegas and London, it opens tonight

00:31 in Melbourne.

00:32 I always say no Marvel movie will compare with actual superheroes of circus flying through

00:37 the air.

00:38 The first half offers a glimpse behind the curtain, showing the circus being put together.

00:44 And then act two is the whole big top circus.

00:47 Including life-size African elephants that took a year to construct.

00:53 As Queenie, the show says she's the same size as the largest elephant to ever live.

00:59 And her mischievous calf, Peanut.

01:05 It's a tough gig for those behind the tusks.

01:08 We're standing upright, we're strapped in, we've got these harnesses on, big industrial

01:11 harnesses.

01:12 I'm personally strapped into the legs, so if we do fall over, there's nothing to save

01:18 me really.

01:19 And it takes a lot of training.

01:21 I work a lot on my upper body strength, because the legs are quite heavy.

01:26 A spectacle sure to leave audiences in a spin and cheering for more.

01:31 Hey!

01:33 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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