Vintercirkus i Reims

Clement og mor på vej i cirkus. Tænk, vi får to fribilletter forærende, og jeg får en introduktion til "le cirque educatif". Cirkus er en stor ting i Frankrig, og det gamle vintercirkus i Reims spiller forestilling for alle skolebørn mellem fire og 11 år hver vinter. Dertil kommer nogle forestillinger i weekender, som man kan købe billet til, hvis man altså kender traditionen. Det gør jeg så nu, så fremover skal det ikke være min uvidenhed, der hindrer Clement i at komme i cirkus hvert år.

Clement and Solveig on their way in circus. We have been given two free entries, and I have now also got an introduction to the "Cirque educatif". Circus is a big thing in France, and the old wintercircus building in Reims has a performance for all school children between four and 11 years each winter. On top of that there are some performances in the weekends, where you can buy tickets. That is if you know the tradition. Now I do and from now on it will not be my ignorance that will prevent Clement from a visit to the circus each year.


En cirkus-forestilling er en noget voldsom oplevelse. Med dramatiske lysskift, høj musik, mange mennesker og rigtig levende dyr. Clement putter sig ind til mig gennem det meste af forestillingen, og jeg tror egentlig ikke, at han har set så meget, førend jeg stiller et par checkspørgsmål i bilen bagefter. Hvilket instrument spillede f.eks. den hvide klovn på? Det var da trompet, kom det prompte. Og accordéon.

A circus-performance is a rather intense experience. With dramatic change of light, loud music, many people and big animals. Clement tuck into me through the mainpart of the performance, and I actually do not think he has seen a lot of the performance, before I do some check-questions in the car afterwards. What instrument was the white clown playing on for instance? Well, that was a trumpet of course, Clement answered with great obviousness. And accordéon too.


Elefanten kan nok få cirkusbarnet frem i mig. På sin vis er det så banalt. Den går lidt rundt, drejer lidt rundt på sin skammel og så videre. Men den gør det s'gu' lige foran øjnene på os, og det er altså uden sammenligning en anden oplevelse end at se 10 elefanter gøre det samme på tv. Jeg tror nok, at Clement havde en vis respekt for elefantens størrelse, selvom vi sad langt væk fra den. Til gengæld havde vi meget fin udsigt til musiktribunen, hvilket var stort.

The elephant can really bring out the circus child hidden within. In a way it is very banal. The elephant walks around the manege, it turns around on its stool and so on. The difference is, that it does it right in front of our eyes, I suppose, and it is without comparison another experience than to watch 10 elephants do the same thing on tv. I think though that Clement was a bit frightened about the size of the big animal though. Even we were seated far away and above it. We had a great view of the tribune with the music.


Da trapez-kunstnerne gik i gang i showets sidste del, vågnede den bette mand lidt op. Den kunne han godt kende: balancoire (gynge).

As the trapeze-artists showed their skills in the last part of the show, the little man seemed to wake up. This kind of equipment he knows very well and appreciates very much: La balancoire.


Selvom de godt nok gyngede meget højt oppe under loftet.

Even performers on this kind of equipment seem to do it from a rather high position.


Sidste nummer var en trup akrobater, der bestod af dels diminutive baglæns saltomortale-slåere dels springere og et par stærke mænd. Den lille dame nåede op i toppen af mennesketårnet ved at stå i den ene ende af vippen. Når to andre sprang ned fra stigende på vippens modsatte side, fik hun kraft nok til at katapultere sig op i toppen. Netop når man ser sådan noget "live", kan man se de små fejl, der også sker, og dermed får man i virkeligheden meget større respekt for den enorme kraft, præcision, træning og disciplin, der ligger bagved sådan et nummer.

The last act in the show was a troupe of acrobats, partly very tiny little backwards somersault makeres, jumpers and a couple of strong men. The little lady reached the top of the human tower by placing herself in one end of the springboard. As two others jumped from the tower on the other side, she would get enough speed and power to catapult herself on top of the human tower on the other side. When you see such a performance live with the little mistakes, you actually get much more respect for the skill of these people: The enormous physical strength it takes, plus great precision, discipline and traing behind an act like this one.


Efter forestillingen kommer alle kunstnere i manegen samtidig, bliver præsenteret én gang til og får applaus én gang til. Det er såmænd ikke fordi, at de er så mange. Alligevel har deres numre fyldt det meste af to timer ud, og givet os en stor oplevelse. Til næste år bliver det forhåbentlig en endnu bedre og måske lidt mindre frygtindgydende erfaring.

After the show everybody comes back in the manege for final presentation and applause of the audience. They are not that many. But still their acts have filled the major part og a two hour show and given us a great experience. Next hopefully we will be back for even more, better and maybe a little less frightening.