A ginormous canvas tent, exotic animals in the ring, and families sweating it out in the sweltering heat. A circus, making its debut in Madurai this month, is replacing that age-old scene with an air-conditioned auditorium and sans animals. It goes without saying, of course, that the families are more than cool with the new act.“We want to offer families a refreshing, real-world break from continuous screen time,” says Olympian Circus organizer Davron Roustm. “We will have about 30 artists performing. It’s a fully indoor performance. Tickets are being sold through digital platforms as well for a change.”Animals will not feature in the show. Instead, says Davron, the audience will be treated to gravity-defying acrobatics and laser shows. “We have performers from Mexico, Russia, Ethiopia, Switzerland and India.”The troupe has toured Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Salem and Erode and performed at venues in Uzbekistan and Russia. “The circus is a fading art form. We are hoping shows like this will revive interest in circus and other forms of stage entertainment across Tamil Nadu,” says Davron.The troupe is self-funded and depends on ticket revenue, but prices in Madurai have been capped at `500. The circus is scheduled to perform during the first two Fridays and weekends of Aug.
