Joe-5 The Circus

What do you get when you take a gypsy family and have them show off the talents they possess? Why a circus of course. This is not your Ringling brothers and Barnum bailey circus. There are not animals, clowns or fancy on goings. It exists entirely of different members of the family coming forward and performing a talent. While all this is going on, the head of the circus is moving things around on stage to get ready for the next part of the show. This truly was a family affair as older members who could no longer perform and children to young to sat in a row onstage behind the red mat the performs worked on. The men who were too old, were still a vital part as they played throughout the entire show. They had a violin, a standing base, a clarinet, and a trumpet in their little band. The show, entitled Rien dans les poches, lasted for about an hour and a half and was most enjoyable. Because of the circus’s policy, no photos were allowed.
The evening began at about seven in the evening or 19:00 as is displayed locally. At that time I left the apartment and walked the distance to the IMLS where I met with the rest of the group who had all arrived by seven thirty. We proceeded to get on the tram to Mosson until we arrived at Malbosc, which was twelve stops down the blue line from Gare Saint-Roch. Once we arrived there it was a decent walk uphill to the grounds of the circus. With two hours to spare we settled down onto a long picnic table. From there we went to one of the two stations they had set up for food service. I got a beef and potatoes dish that was very good. They served everything on nice plates with silverware and wine glasses. People in the group expressed the sentiment that it was exceptionally nice as we are used to the United States where we would be served barbeque of questionable goodness on paper plates and plastic flatware and either plastic cups or the can/bottle for the drink.
The beef and carrots was very well cooked with good flavor and was most enjoyable to eat. The potatoes on the other hand were bland and I am upset that I did not learn where the salt shakers where until after I was finished. I started off with just water but then went and got Cooksey to get me a Cidre, or and hard apple cider. It was a good mix of alcohol and apple taste. It was most enjoyable.
Eventually the time came to go the circus. We went in and sat on metal chairs on furthest stage left of the three sections of seats. We sat in three rows to try to all get a good view of the show. It in many ways was a family talent show. Different people would come forward and perform while the rest of the group sat and watched. Or in the case of the musicians they kept on playing, as they did throughout the entire hour and half long show. Occasionally they entire group of musicians and women who would occasionally rush forward to block the view of the mat or other limited props to be moved about for the next act. During this time, unfortunately, one of the women would sing. Of course I could not understand her, but her voice grated on me and made me miserable while it lasted.
There were two performers that were particularly fascinating. One was a red haired woman who performed flying acrobatic moves while on a swing in the air. While her performance started out mundane enough. Then she really began to let go, making the entire crowd believe that she might fall on the audience before she caught the swing with her shoulders a split second later. It was by far the most exciting part of the circus. The other was a man who had the entire crowd laughing. The first time we saw him was when he displayed the no phones, cameras, and so forth signs. He came out with them under coat and proceeded to act as if he was flashing the crown. Later he performed a hat routine that had the crowd laughing when he would turn or place the hat on his head with a note from the standing base. Later he had an act involving balls that was amazing and hilarious.
Here is an absolutely horrible picture of me while at the circus.