5th Issue

The Berlin Zirkus: An Evening at a Traditional Circus

I attended the early performance of the Berlin Zirkus on November 28, 2009 in Benalmadena, Spain. I sat in the front row and with popcorn in hand excitedly awaited the show. The ring was enclosed with bars as the first act was the Bengal tigers. Frank Bügler is the patriarch of the family and he trains the animals with the exception of the horses and ponies who are trained by Patricia Bügler. After the tigers, the bars were removed and the audience was treated to an impressive display of juggling by Maikel, a prepubescent boy who is following in the footsteps of his teenage brother Anthony, a consummate showman who really plays to the crowd. Their younger sister acts as assistant to Anthony´s plate spinning display and is mastering the hoops. She doesn´t have her own act yet. There are two different clown acts and a tightrope display by Miguel Ferreri that had me on the edge of my seat. The non-human performers include camels, long-horned cattle, the aforementioned tigers, horses and ponies and my favourite, the elephants. I had my picture taken with Miss Esmeralda. The finale brings all the performers and their children into the ring and the smallest children get a chance to show their skills and get a taste for the limelight.

The term circus is commonly used to describe a travelling company of performers that may include acrobats,clowns, trained animals,and other stunt-oriented artists. The Latin word circus comes from the Greek word kirkos meaning circle or ring. The circus of Rome is thought to have been influenced by the Greeks, with chariot racing and the exhibition of animals as traditional attractions. For some time after the fall of Rome, itinerant showmen travelled the fair grounds of Europe. Animal trainers and performers are thought to have exploited the nostalgia for the Roman circus, travelling between towns and performing at local fairs.

The first true animals acts in the circus were equestrian acts. Soon elephants and big cats were displayed as well. Isaac A. Van Amburgh entered a cage with several big cats in 1833, and is generally considered to be the first wild animal trainer in American circus history. The use of animals in the circus has been a matter of controversy, as animal-welfare groups have documented many cases of cruelty in the training of performing animals. The modern circus, like the Cirque de Soleil, uses only human performers. The traditional circus may soon become a thing of the past.