Blackpool Tower Circus 1979

One day in 1979 we visited the Tower Circus and I phoned them up beforehand to ask if I could take photos. "There is no video or flash photography allowed." was the answer. So I pushed my film to 800 ASA and took these.

What I didn't do, was to note down the names of the performers. However thanks to the wonders of Google I can now say with confidence that the lady with the horses was Mary Chippenfield, from the famous circus family. She also presented a mixed cage of lions and tigers and for good measure also presented her elephants.

Judy Allen was the fire eater. I'm not keen on food that hot myself...

The Valla Bertini Troupe did trick cycling and a nifty line in catapulting their ladies from a springboard to the top of a human tower.

Finally, here are the Trio Victoria performing a balancing act on the small platform in the centre of the flooded ring as the finale to the show.

The circus ring has been flooded at the end of every performance ever since the Tower opened. The water is sea water and finale acts have included co-ordinated swimming acts in the water as well as acrobatic acts above the water.

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Ocean Village Two Decktop Show

Tuesday, 5 May 2009. We were back onboard Ocean Village Two as she made her way down the Adriatic from Croatia towards Greece. Zakinthos is our port for tomorrow.

That night there was a show on the main pool deck with the acrobats and show team. The show opened with singer/guitarist Chris O'Leary - a lad after my own heart!

We were up there early to get a good spot against the rail on the top deck and there was a stiff breeze blowing which soon chilled us right down. "Don't worry, the captain will steer the ship round for the show so the wind won't be felt." He must have forgotten...

Laser beams were shooting out, writing "PLANET" - the name of the show - against the chimney stack of the ship. I always think lasers are more spectacular if you ignore what they are writing or drawing. It's the beam itself that's more spectacular. Then whilst the showteam sang their hearts out and danced about in futuristic costumes, the acrobats gave their performances on trapeze, cloth, swinging hoops and other apparatus way up there in the night sky on the 40 foot framework on top of the deck.

One wrong move and splash!... It was very spectacular - the acrobats were mainly from Colombia and they definitely have more nerve than I do!

By the end of the show my teeth were in danger of chattering and I had to wonder how the acrobats had managed in skimpy costumes and trying desperately to hang onto each other whilst dangling from a trapeze by their feet. "Sorry, love, I was cold..." wouldn't quite have cut it had one of them been catapulted over the side in the dark...

The acrobats deserved every bit of applause they got. I'd have been down from that iron framework like a shot, looking for a woolly jumper and a mug of mulled wine or something...

After the show there was an opportunity to have your photo taken with the cast. Ever the cheapskate, I took my own. I've no idea who the people in the middle are, but they looked to be enjoying themselves anyway!

We went down below and ended up in the casino. Fran loves playing the slot machines. It doesn't do a lot for me so I usually just sit and watch our money disappear! Anyway she was down to her last 10 tokens and the woman from the next machine moved. Fran gave me half the coins and I promptly won 72 pounds much to the disgust of the woman who had simply moved behind us... Sorry, dear, if you snooze, you lose...

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