At Christmas, traditions are a must. And going to the circus is one of them. But this spectacle is no longer limited to the emblematic tents. Now the circus, mixing tradition and modernity, tents and new formats, once again excites children of all ages. But it’s not all flowers and violets. Marcel Barrera, journalist specializing in circus, declares: “On a European scale, the current moment is compared to the crisis of the seventies, which caused many companies to close. That’s why the Monte Carlo Festival was created, to serve as the engine of the circus”. But after the pandemic, on a global scale some have been reborn, “such as the American Ringling and Big Apple, where the Catalan clown Oriolo works”.
In this crisis, the tents are the ones that have suffered the most: “Many circuses have closed due to the ban on using animals and because it is difficult to find places in the cities”. But Barrera thinks that all is not lost: “As far as Catalonia is concerned, it is a phenomenon in transformation and growth. There are many companies and projects, and it is scattered all over the territory, and that is good. There are small initiatives, but many young people opt for the circus as a career path.”
The other side of the coin is “the lack of circuit in Catalonia; through the Generalitat’s Programa.cat there are rooms that program circus, but it is a small percentage”. The current problem, according to Barrera, is that “the circus has not yet reached the theaters, which is a demand of the contemporary circus and of the young generations, who ask that the theaters open to circuses”.
“The Generalitat made a plan to promote the circus, which is now ending – continues Barrera – but another more ambitious one is being negotiated, where there is talk of a circus festival in Barcelona with the shelter of the Mercat de les Flors, the possibility of a stable circus and an increase in the budget allocation, which was 1.2 million. The sector is growing, but it does not have the tools to consolidate”, he concludes.
Next, we take a tour of some of the circus shows that can be seen these days. In l’Hospitalet de Llobregat, the VII edition of the Christmas Circus is coming (until January 7), on the Feixa Llarga esplanade with Industrial crossing. Bipol.art presents Magui’s journey, by Leandro Mendoza, cia. Cíclicus, which combines the disciplines of the circus with a message of hope.
In Barcelona, ??the Ateneu Popular 9 Barris does not miss the annual call for the 28th edition of the Winter Circus (until January 21). This year, Glatir is premiering there, which brings together circus numbers combined with folkloric traditions, such as the Valencian fallas, the aurresku or the capgrossos. The aim is to reflect on traditions in today’s society.
In Port Vell, the Raluy Historical Circus has been installed this year, which alternates every year with the Raluy Legacy Circus in Valencia. And in Can Dragó, after touring half of Europe, there is the Universal Circus, based in Catalonia. As has been the tradition since animals were banned, Universal presents holograms of the animals typical of circus numbers. Barrera also recommends the project of the Circ Pistolet, from Terrassa, “which is the seed of a bigger show, to create a large-scale company in Catalonia”.
“There is a phenomenon in Girona, with Genís Matabosch, with a lot of merit, which is in another orbit”, explains Barrera, referring to the International Festival of the Golden Elephant Circus, which will be held in February. But to get the word out, now comes the 10th edition of the Girona Christmas Circus, for the first time under a tent, with 25 international artists and a live orchestra.
The circus is also the centerpiece of Tarragona’s Christmas Park, with activities and workshops at the Palau Feral and Congress Center from December 27 to January 4.
After the holidays, more shows will come. Maria Palma Borràs, who was a synchronized swimmer, will premiere La veu submergida, at the Center de les Arts Lliures, of the Fundació Brossa in Barcelona, ??from January 11 to 21. His project brings the circus into dialogue with water, to reach the subconscious of the human being.
At the Borràs theater, the Australian company Circa Contemporary Circus will be presented, with the avant-garde show of music, choreography and acrobatics Humans 2.0, from January 17 to 27. On February 2, in Mataró, another interesting proposal will be presented, that of the Zavatta family’s Circ Smile, which has been established in Catalonia for some time. And on March 20, Cirque du Soleil returns with its renewed classic Alegría (see the interview with its executive president on the next page).
