Posts

Image
   by Mariska Gandey   This week myself and Carol Gandey travelled to Girona for The 11th edition of the International Circus Festival Gold Elephant .   Circusland Museum, Besalu   We arrived on Monday morning and headed straight to visit the Circusland museum in the town of BesalĂș , and what a better location for it! The small town of BesalĂș is beautiful and one of Catalonia ’ s most stunning medieval sites. Famous for its impressive Romanesque bridge and the vestiges of its Jewish past. The circus museum is just as quaint as the town. Circusland is the only European patrimonial institution dedicated exclusively to the history and the present activity of the circus world.  It is a non-profit private institution which is in charge of creating, conserving, researching, disseminating and exhibiting a permanent collection of cultural assets related with the circus arts. Set over three floors you are able to explore the world of circus costumes, posters, props and photographs

The Salieri International Circus Awards

Image
The Salieri International Circus Awards THE COMBINATION OF CLASSICAL MUSIC AND CIRCUS ARTS The Salieri International Circus Awards  is a prestigious circus festival where more than 50 international artists compete against each other accompanied by a live symphony orchestra. The festival is dedicated to the musician Antonio Salieri who was born in Legnago and to whom the city has dedicated its theatre  The Salieri Theatre .  The history of the Salieri Theatre begins in the early twentieth century. It was finally inaugurated in1956 and for over thirty years its programme has always been full of theatrical performances, as well as being used as a cinema. It was then refurbished in 1999 and used as a theatre ever since. Carol Gandey was invited for the second time to be a member of an international all female jury for The Salieri Circus Festival based in Legnago (near Verona) which is also the birthplace of Salieri, a well-known composer.  Artists were judged and awarded for technical abil

Our Homecoming!

Image
Our homecoming in Scotland!    AYE, it’s good to be back! It’s already been a great summer in the UK, with the England’s Lioness’ winning the Women’s Euros 2022 , and a successful week at the Common Wealth Games , it’s time for the return of one of the Uk’s biggest events… The Fringe Festival Edinburgh! After a tough couple of years gambling with Covid, The Ladyboys are thrilled to be returning to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year on 6 th August, with their newest show: Summer of Fun! 1998 was the year it all began for The Ladyboys, with their first ever performance in Edinburgh, it’s definitely a proud moment as they return for the 24 th year consecutively, and to still be such a hit in Scotland! How did ‘The Fringe’ Festival get its name in Edinburgh? The story of the Fringe Festival dates back to 1947 where 8 theatre groups turned up uninvited to perform at ‘Edinburgh International Festival’ which was originally created to celebrate European cultural live fo

A Spectacular Afternoon at Gandeys Circus

Image
What better way to spend a Saturday afternoon with family than going to the circus! We were lucky enough to be invited to Europe’s largest touring show – Gandeys Circus on the Forest Recreation Ground . This was our first indoor show since Covid and so I was a little bit nervous before and during the show. It was strange to be sitting so close to people you don’t know in an indoor setting but the amazing show took my mind off it and I really enjoyed it. We were met and shown to our seats by Ringmaster Ryan who was an active participant in the show and announced all the acts. The atmosphere inside the Big Top was great. You could buy popcorn, candy floss, other food and also hand held light-up toys. The show started with a musical number to get the crowd going and some acrobatics to wow the audience. I have to say that some of the acts really made me nervous, especially the motorbikes in the Thunderdrome cage and the neck spin of the roller-skating Duo Eclipse. There were also lots o
Image
SCOTLAND IS OUR HOME AYE. YOU'VE HEARD RIGHT... The Lady Boys are extremely excited to be performing at home once again x Edingburgh (1998) was the first-ever ladyboys performance, and still remains a hit around Scotland.  This year we have shows lined up for you all from  Friday 6th to 30th August When the Glamourous Lady Boys are not busy performing for you, these are some of their favourite things to do up in Edinburgh... Edinburgh Gin The Lady Boys love to visit The Edinburgh Gin Distillery tours who are ranked in the top 20 of Edinburgh Visitor Attractions on Tripadvisor. On the Lady Boys last tour they had tasted a bottle of Gin  Exclusively created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, this rare release will never be repeated is what they told us! Designed personally by Phoebe, EG have said that it is limited-edition Edinburgh Gin Classic release. Filled with hidden details, the bottle tells the inside story of Fleabag and its connection to our home city of Edinburgh, from Phoebe's

An Incredible Night at Gandeys Circus

Image
An Incredible Night at Gandeys Circus, Knutsford By Jenny Schippers     With heart-in-your-mouth moments from start to finish, a huge dose of jeopardy, and a thrill-seeking round the world adventure; Gandeys Circus made a rip-roaring return to Knutsford yesterday evening and we were there to watch the magic.   After an enforced period of closure due to the pandemic, the family-run Gandeys Circus made a triumphant return and marked the first live circus show to reopen in the UK following the easing of restrictions on 17th May 2021.   We visited Gandeys Circus last summer and I was so excited to receive an invite to revisit for their opening night in Knutsford with my two girls, 4 and 7 years old. We absolutely loved our previous visit so I allowed them a midweek treat, a chance to stay up late and experience the magic of the circus one again.     GANDEYS CIRCUS POST-COVID I was curious to see how Gandeys Circus had adapted to comply with covid restrictions and I am delighted to
Image
Interview with Camila Palma Aguirre Trapeze Artist   What have you been doing in the past year while the industry has been stagnant?   Well, first of all, I was able to spend time with my family.  It has been many years since we were all together and it was a good time to be with them and bond.  I chili, in my family's circus and we sold sweet things that are sold in the circus-like Cotton, popcorn, etc.    What did you miss the most about not being able to perform with us?  I missed my friends and above all, I missed being an artist.  Seeing the audience have fun and impress them with the show.  I love the public in England.  How did you feel about isolating yourself in your hotel, what did you do to keep yourself busy? The hotel was very comfortable but being alone was still difficult. I had a lot of time to think, exercise, and prepare my costumes for the show.  The truth is that the days passed very quickly.  I'm getting used to quarantines haha!    Do