I heard about an underground circus of sorts at bellydance class, where a bunch of ladies get together in the backroom of Firestorm Books and rock it with their bellies out on Monday nights. Sparrow, the instructor, was a featured performer in this circus performance that was only in town for 3 nights. The name: The Glug, Glug, Glug Circus: Sunken Ship on the French Broad. The Runaway Circus and Loose Cabooses, a zany local performance troupe, teamed up with a group of volunteers, performers and artists to transform an old mill space into a gorgeous stage setting for over 200 people and present an alternative, if you will, circus. There were no elephants or tigers at this show.
And what performance it was! My friend Lydia and I followed the general crowd and a spray painted sign (that simply said “circus”) into the old mill, where they were only asking for donations for the performance. The place was alive with creative energy (not to mention free cotton candy, magic tricks for sale, some handprinted woodcuts for sale, and one of those things with the faces cut out that I cannot help but stand behind every time so I can get my picture taken-- all featured behind a ginormous sign (shown below)). Everything from a kabuki-like performance of a couple of dudes juggling their blacklit eyeball heads, to a live band to a puppet show to a trapeze performer....singing, dancing (and by far the BEST juggling I have ever seen)...it was all so diverse and funny. Lydia and I laughed the entire time at the skits and stunts, and especially the creepy janitor sketch—hilarious! This was not your average circus....this was more like that tent you pay money to go in at the fair. This was Broadway caliper. This was...absolutely brilliant.
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