Tomorrow, on Monday morning a diverse and highly excited bunch of individuals will meet for the first time. For tomorrow is the start of Giffords Circus 2024 rehearsals and in just three weeks, director Cal McCrystal will work tirelessly to craft this year’s show Avalon.
I can remember when I first started at Giffords Circus and how overwhelming this day was, with so many new faces, and just how amazing and intense the rehearsal period is. On day one, we all sit in a circle on the ring boxes, some sit in little groups that maybe know each other or teams that are already working together, and everyone introduces themselves. Then the artistes do their acts, one by one, so director Cal can see them in ‘real life’ as some may have only been seen on a show reel, for example.
I often just watch in awe, as over the following days a show is magically created, live music woven into the show and married to the acts, dialogue is written, and the running order sometimes changed. The myriad of set makers, costume makers, designers, lighting and sound engineers, all so talented in their own fields, coming together in such a beautifully choreographed way.
Of course, my role completely ramps up too, as head of marketing, this is a crucial time for the circus, it helps us so much to get early ticket sales to boost confidence, although I can’t share too much on social media, so walk this incredibly fine line with sharing bits here and there to build excitement, but not to give the plot away or any other surprises. A lot of the material that I film or photo’s I take at this time are parked in my mind for future use. I find the circus artistes are the most kind a patient people, and my job is to learn about them and listen to their stories, in order to create great content.
PR, however, is a completely changed beast and where ten/twenty years ago you’d be able to send out a press release and get coverage, today media outlets have been stripped of journalists and are run with so few people, who are tasked with getting a certain amount of ‘clicks’ therefore write more ‘click bait’ articles. It’s the saddest thing, and where as local newspapers used to have lots of employees and in-house photographers, now there are just a few people behind these regional publications. Back in the day, new or trainee journalists would cut their teeth at covering council meetings and court hearings, there are no longer press to cover, and therefore no reporting and no-one being held to accountability. My first job when I was 14 was writing about my village for my local paper and earning 12p/line!
Also when you are pitching a circus to national newspapers and glossy magazines, and they haven’t heard of Giffords Circus (I know but there are some out there!) you have to overcome the childhood image that people have in their heads that it might be tacky with a scary clown with big feet and a red nose. Plus the snobbery that it’s a circus and couldn’t possibly compete with a theatre production! Well guess what? This small circus, is most definitely giving theatres a run for their money, and with a capacity of 95% last year, that most producers would die for.
Anyway I am blessed in my job, as anyone who loves Giffords Circus as much as I do knows, is that you only need to see it once and you are hooked for life. I’ve been going to see shows since 2003 on Minchinhampton Common, and I still look forward to opening night and admiring the artistry involved in the show. I am always wowed by the live music, and costumes that make the acts even better, and will always have a quiet moment and tear wishing that Nell was still with us to watch and enjoy her creation and that first standing ovation.