Almost everyone I spoke to about the circus said the same thing: “The circus is so sad…”
And I even heard this from people who live in the circus.
There’s some truth to this. It is a life of hard work, a nomadic existence in which family destiny plays an important role, far greater than in the lives of the rest of us.
It is a place populated by sensitive souls, and for this reason, like all human endeavors, it has its dose of sadness, but also of happiness, silence, boredom, labor, fun, danger, and solitude. It is also a complex universe, filled with poetry and magic, composed of exceptional artists, extraordinary people, superb athletes: a strange mix of talent and a simplicity which is sometimes overwhelming.True art.
It is a microcosm that swings back and forth between two poles: a dream made of seemingly impossible ambitions that challenge all human capabilities, intensified by stage lights and music and the ingratiating words of the circus master, which evokes an imaginary world; and then, suddenly, the revelation of humanity, of an existence even more difficult than that of most people. This reality reappears insistently – like an awakening from a dream- as soon as the curtain is opened on this world marked by the unforgettable smell of sawdust, hay, animals, and diesel fuel.