Strange what one comes across when browsing through old external hard drives…

Enjoy…

On a gentle trip up the west coast of Portugal just north of Lisbon and nearly at Perniche, I came upon the small beach town Consolasao. After parking the Opus Mobile Office by the beach, I strolled through town and in a small square saw the stage set for an outside “circus”. There was a back drop, lights and sound system together with rows of chairs all laid out in rows. The back drop was secured to the back of a medium sized, long wheel based Iveco truck (similar to the Wagon.) It had a top hat and wand motif… “This must have some magic content” I thought.

Many, many years ago I dreamt of roaming Europe in a “live in” wagon of which one side would hinge down to form a stage and you would perform a “street show” from it.

It appeared that here was some one actually doing something similar.

The show started at ten o’clock and featured a lot of magic in the first half.

As far as I could tell the “circus” featured Mum, Dad and three sons. The youngest son started the show by applying some clown make up on in view of the audience to a commentary provided by Dad. There then followed the young lad doing some standard bits of business to elicit applause from the audience. It worked a little bit.

Dad then did some general prop magic done very casually but in a manner that displayed he had done it many, many times before. I am guessing that his expressionless face and lack of eye contact with the audience was done on purpose to fit his “on stage” character. Or he was bored to death… but I think it was the former because the performance was really pretty well done.. Ok simple prop tricks but the audience were amazed and loved it.

He and his wife (?) then did the broomstick levitation which really surprised me for she was a lady of considerable size.  Despite this it was performed smoothly and effectively.

There followed a sub trunk with Dad going in and a “son” doing the “on top of the trunk” bit. Once again the economy of movement, the smooth handling of the equipment and the considerable speed of the change itself displayed a large amount of work had one into the rehearsals and regular performances had honed the piece. The people in the audience loved it. The commentary of this section of the show (with backing music) was initially provided by mum and then was taken over by older son as mum was needed on stage.

Next the young “clown” with his make up removed did a standard but polished juggling display with balls (up to four) clubs (three) and brightly coloured rings (four) and he only dropped a couple of times.

The first half now closed with the elder “son” doing doing a bit of trapeze stuff. While he was up there mum was now in a small trailer with a glass front parked by the side of the audience making the… popcorn. When the trapeze act was finished mum left the trailer and the three lads and mum, now wearing red jackets with Circus Cristal on them, went among the crowd and collected €3 euros each (I guess kids were less) and issuing “tickets” as receipts.  Dad left the music running and went into the trailer and sold the popcorn. This was truly a family affair.

I loved it. In my romantic imagination I pictured this happy family wandering from place to place making a fairly good living from performing a variety show. No family feuds,  jealousies or tantrums… just harmony.

Dreams hey?