JAG - Circus Flora

JAG organized discount tickets to see Circus Flora's 'Marrakesh' production. Circus Flora is run by the Circus Arts Foundation of Missouri (CAFM) whose mission is to broaden & deepen the appreciation of the performing arts in the St Louis community by producing & presenting innovative performances & educational programs through the use of classic circus skills. The circus has performed in St Louis since 1987 & has also been invited to perform in other cities throughout the US including: the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, SC, the Lincoln Center in New York, & the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Inspired by the Charlie Chan mystery series, this production featured a detective & his son, who with the help of some of the 'world’s best' circus performers, solved a crime involving 'the nine most beautiful women in the world'.

We sat in a really good location with a better view than some of the considerably more expensive seats at the ringside. The circus was generally good, with a considerably variety of performances, but it was more like a traditional UK circus from maybe 20 years ago with horses & elephants being part of the show. I'm sure that the animals are well looked after, but the elephant was made to stand on a very small platform (which looked awkward) & it also had to periodically have to raise itself up & allow one of his trainers to lay underneath. Finally, it was made to run around the ring whilst the youngest trainer showed his 'skill' at being able to stand & then jump up & down on the elephant's back whilst it was moving around. This seemed particularly cruel, since at Grant's Farm the elephant keepers noted that elephants have very sensitive skin, so having a 150lb man jumping up & down was probably quite uncomfortable.

Other than the use of animals (which didn't really seem to add much to the circus), we really enjoyed the show & the skillful feats that some of the performers demonstrated.