I’ll agree that there has been a resurgence, but I think we’ll disagree on there being some kind of worldwide revival. I think it’s great that Australia is running some great stuff down there, we kind of do the same thing at Ren Fairs up here, but it’s less about classic circus techniques and more fire eating and slackline. Australia has, quite frankly, always been a little further ahead when it comes to treating artists with respect and been able to recognize what they bring to the universe, whether it’s comedy festivals or whatever.
That said, I literally see no place for the red and blue tours of Barnum to go, especially with the various acts from Big Apple also looking for a home. That is a lot of long-term performers fighting over what I might nicely say “second tier big tops” with smaller crowds and hazier safety records. Some are going to be able to go overseas, especially the smaller acts like juggling pairs or some tumblers, but the animal acts, anyone that spent a few hundred grand on a mobile home for touring, or has a large custom touring thing is basically stuck in North America for the next few years where the jobs just withered away.
I sincerely hope that the Bindlestiffs or someone like them can grab as many up, but I’m also betting that those same producers are relishing the state of the hiring market right now and thinking up ways to rework some existing contracts to dump talent as soon as they can, sending even more waves through the system.
