Tralee Circus Festival
New Rose launches Tralee Circus Festival - “It’s Circus Jim, but not as we know it!”
GET on your penny farthing to the Kingdom of Kerry and become a clown for a few days this November (18-20) at the Tralee Circus Festival which was launched by the 2011 Rose of Tralee, Tara Talbot.
Ronaldo Fanzini of Fanzini Productions, the Festival organiser, said: “There is more to a circus than meets the eye and this event is a national showcase for contemporary circus, with all the fun and excitement associated with the circus. The Festival will come as a welcome pre-Christmas boost to the local economy as it will attract and feature the talents of top national and international performers, whose skills will be displayed at a number of events throughout the weekend. The Arts Council is a strong supporter of the Circus Festival describing it as being of strategic importance to the development of circus in Ireland.”
A packed-programme of Festival events will get underway on Friday 18th November with a unique and FREE promenade style performance parade from the Circus Convention space in the Brandon Hotel to Siamsa Tire Theatre. There will be contemporary circus style performances both inside and outside the theatre featuring LUXe spectacle performance group, inflatable structures and lots more.
One of the highlights from the opening night will take place after the parade, when Tralee Circus Festival in association with Siamsa Tire present Tumble Circus: “This is what we do for a living”. It is a funny and flexible show full of comic timing and even better gymnastic timing with slapstick acrobatics, hazardous aerial tricks and flying hula hoops to a great soundtrack. The Festival Club, in the residents’ bar of the Brandon Hotel, will offer the grown-ups a chance to let their wigs down after the show, designed by artist Sandra Minchin and featuring variety performers, music and a few surprises!
On Saturday, Circus Siamsa will return with a truly unique family entertainment show with two matinees on Saturday 19th November full of slapstick antics involving the most exciting and talented performers from all over the world handpicked by The Fanzini Brothers.
There will be a host of Kids Circus Workshops on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th in the Brandon Hotel and Conference Centre.
“Tralee Circus Festival began in 2000 as a juggling convention and it acted as a platform for the diverse strands of a contemporary circus culture to meet, share ideas, fun and create an Irish expression of for this exciting artform. Over the past decade it has grown to become a spectacular weekend of circus tricks, workshops, games, shows and fun,” said Ronaldo Fanzini.
Tickets for Tumble Circus are €16/€13. Tickets for Circus Siamsa are €12 or €30 for a family of three, €40 for a family of four and admission to the Festival Club is only €5.
Tickets for all events are available from Siamsa Tire Theatre Box Office +353-66-7123055. A special accommodation rate of €35pps is also available at the Brandon Hotel when visitors mention the Circus Festival when booking for the event.
Tralee Circus Festival will take place from 18th to 20th November and it is proudly supported by Siamsa Tire Theatre, The Arts Council, Holiday Tralee, Brandon Hotel and Kerry County Council.
Full details available from www.traleecircusfestival.com, find us on Facebook and Twitter @circustralee.
