Yes..i did a two year stint on a travelling circus when i was nineteen,my life was abit messy then so joined when it was in Swindon..had two eventfull years traveling the UK with it..starting off as a rigger puting the big top up this was the days when animals were ok to be with the circus.
One night i vividly remember is when the elephants were doing there routine the lights went out...chaos ensued and i had been promoted to ring masters assistant by then(yippee)..basicly meant dogsbody while the acts were on...i ran out to try and put the generator on and tripped smacking my head..i didnt think it was funny but cocoa the bleeding clown couldnt stop laughing..so much in fact his face paint was running!...after what seemed an eternity the generator started and we got some light...what i saw next will always be implanted in my memory...one of the elephants was sitting on all fours eating a hot dog!..the lady in the front row was in shock....another night a prop that was stood up in the ring fell over,muggins here had to dodge a camel,two palimino horses and a shetland to try ans stand the prop up so they could continue the act...the Shetland took a dislike to me and barged me over and as i got up started to pursue me round the ring...the crowd thaught it part of the act and the management wanted me to do it every show after that cos it went down so well,needless to say i hate shetlands these days.
Another funny incident occured when a brute of a man called Jacko who worked as a rigger was called upon by the local news to swing his sledgehammer one handed(he was massive) to knock a stake i nto the ground that held the ropes on the top...as the director a gay man shouted cut Jacko braught the sledge down on the poor mans foot breaking two toes...that didnt stop him hopping around shouting oh my lordy you beast to the unfortuanate Jacko...i wet myself...was hard work for sure but saw some funny things and the traveling gave me the Gee up to get my lorry license years later.....i wont forget my stint on the circus ever.
One night i vividly remember is when the elephants were doing there routine the lights went out...chaos ensued and i had been promoted to ring masters assistant by then(yippee)..basicly meant dogsbody while the acts were on...i ran out to try and put the generator on and tripped smacking my head..i didnt think it was funny but cocoa the bleeding clown couldnt stop laughing..so much in fact his face paint was running!...after what seemed an eternity the generator started and we got some light...what i saw next will always be implanted in my memory...one of the elephants was sitting on all fours eating a hot dog!..the lady in the front row was in shock....another night a prop that was stood up in the ring fell over,muggins here had to dodge a camel,two palimino horses and a shetland to try ans stand the prop up so they could continue the act...the Shetland took a dislike to me and barged me over and as i got up started to pursue me round the ring...the crowd thaught it part of the act and the management wanted me to do it every show after that cos it went down so well,needless to say i hate shetlands these days.
Another funny incident occured when a brute of a man called Jacko who worked as a rigger was called upon by the local news to swing his sledgehammer one handed(he was massive) to knock a stake i nto the ground that held the ropes on the top...as the director a gay man shouted cut Jacko braught the sledge down on the poor mans foot breaking two toes...that didnt stop him hopping around shouting oh my lordy you beast to the unfortuanate Jacko...i wet myself...was hard work for sure but saw some funny things and the traveling gave me the Gee up to get my lorry license years later.....i wont forget my stint on the circus ever.
