After WW II, the publics interest in circus deteriorated, mainly because of increased competition from other forms of entertainment, such as radio, TV and the film-industry.In the 1960s and 70s, animal protection organizations started complaining about circuses. They claimed that circuses were not treating animals good, something which was in rare occasions also true. Then, in the early 1970s, something remarkable happened in France. The responsibility for circuses was transferred to the department of culture. After 4,000 years of circus history, the circuses had become acknowledged as culture again.

If you dont know the language, it is not easy to do research in France. Finni discovered that Cirqe du Grand Celeste was the circus he wanted to experience. The name means “Circus of the great, starspangled sky”. After three different tube lines, hidden in an industrial zone on the outskirts of the city, I found the circus. Three blue tents, with a very friendly atmosphere on the inside. After the performance, and after having seen it twice, I had a little chat with the maestro and the composer of the circus, Ben Boyce, in the café tent. They serve dinner, cakes, snacks and of course wine. Ben, together with Bruno West, established the circus around 10 years ago. Today it has 15 people on the payroll. All the artists, with the exception of one, are from France. In Norwegian circuses it is a sensation if one artist is from Norway. As opposed to traditional circuses, Cirque du Grand Céleste is a stationary circus, they don’t go on tours. It does happen that festivals and other events hire them to go to other cities, though, says Ben.
- We have performances four days a week, and we also have a circus academy. We have students from the ages of six to mid-twenties. The students also organize their own performances from time to time. The "Drôle de Monde"-performance I saw, was with the professional artists. I think the title means “big world”. It was a very benign and neutral performance. No provocations or any strong political messages, nor any moralisation. A soft and friendly atmosphere, with a lot of humour and poetry in it. Easy to digest for anybody. Ben says that they have let themselves inspire by all forms of circus. I cannot help myself, but ask him: “What about animals”? Ben goes a bit tense and says: “-Animals! Circus is culture!”

# The word circus comes from the Greek word circus, that meant circle. It was also used as a name for race tracks. In Greek race tracks, artists, jugglers and athletes were also introduces. Among them wrestlers, who conducted their sport in the nude. Therefore circus was for men only back then. Women were not admitted.

# Around year 0, the Romans had adopted the Greek circus and modified it slightly in order to make it more exciting. Instead of harmless wrestling, the Romans introduced gladiators killing each other, and instead of people taming the animals, they arranged for feeding of wild animals with living humans.

# The circus of Anticque times luckily disappeared along with the Roman Empire. Partly because of the demise of the empire, partly because Christianity was introduced.

# Philip Astley was a British cavalryman who had been kicked out of the Army. In 1768 he and some colleagues put together a horse show and called it circus. Later on, other artists were also introduced. This was the start the traditional circus as we know it today.

# During the 19th century circuses proliferated all over Europe, parts of Asia and North America. Traditional circuses had their heyday in the time leading up to the 1st world war.

# In the 1970s, the first socalled new-circuses started establishing themselves, without animals, and with a greater focus on theatrical expressions instead of dangerous and risky performances

# The most famous of these circuses is the Canadian Cirque du Solei, currently consisting of 6 mobile circuses and a musical, as well as 6 non-mobile circus-shows around the world.

# Cirkus Circör is the most famous Scandinavian new-circus. They are based just outside Stockholm.

(Sources: Norsk Sirkusforum, www.cirquedusoleil.com, www.cirkor.se)