The Circus Diaries began as a basic blog in 2013, a lonely outpost for critical comment on circus performance, calling out for companionship and conversation. In the first year, over 12000 visits from more than 100 countries suggested that loneliness was in the past, and the number of readers has continued to grow.
We cater to the growing number of people who are already engaged with circus in a more informed way than many of the established reviewers writing from theatre, dance, or general arts backgrounds.
We offer a research tool for those who follow, building a map of the world as we encounter it.
We provide a promotional window onto artists and companies who have few opportunities for public exposure.
We provide a forum for the essential dialogue that allows for development of an art form.
The circus world is small, and it is impossible not to make personal connections as we crawl amid the sawdust to shine a light on those we find. We promise that, regardless of how we feel about you as a person, we will be honest about what we like – or not – in your work.
If you have anything you would like to contribute, please feed into the comments, or get in touch directly via the social links. Growth is good!
Katharine Kavanagh (Kate). Editor
P.S. We’ve always been totally self-funded*, so any donations will be lovingly embraced (and, if it’s from our reading list, reviewed for all to see!) BUT I have just started a trial running GoogleAds to see if I can cover some of our costs (Mar 2024). If you have any feedback on how it affects your site use then please let me know as I will be reviewing this in a few months!
If you’re a regular reader, find out what your regular support could mean here:
With special thanks to #CircusHero level patron:
Orit Azaz
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The Circus Diaries is proud to be a member of INCAM 
* In case you’re wondering why we have an Arts Council England logo on our website when we have always been self-funded, it’s because they contributed some money to upgrade the website for accessibility as part of my Audio Description development project. No ongoing costs are covered, and no work or content is paid for, but their rules say this logo has to be displayed to acknowledge that one-off support. So there it is 😉
From: Ron Beadle, Professor of Organization and Business Ethics, Northumbria University.
A launch meeting of the Circus Research Network will take place at Circus Central, Newcastle on Thursday June 19. This is an attempt to facilitate research, funding bids and community involving practitioners in travelling, social, community, youth and street circus. If you would like to know more please e-mail ron.beadle@northumbria.ac.uk
Thank you for this blog – it is rather beautiful.
I wonder if you would be so kind as to include in your links or blog mention of a website I have made/been populating, it is an archive home for Archaos Circus. It allows anyone to upload content and save/archive memories of what was a great, ground breaking circus.
Many thanks
http://www.archaos.info
Mischa Eligoloff
Absolutely, thanks for sharing this Mischa. Wish I’d been around to catch them in their heyday! Your website is a great resource 🙂
Great blog. Important to see the writing about circus by informed people, and interesting to read. Well done!
What a pleasure it has been following your blog. Thank you for sharing such a true range of circus with the UK and rest of the world.
I have been watching your latest videos showing the circuses in England and was hoping you would consider including the circus I am a part of: Circus Normandie, in a future video. 🙂 A seven generation (Hoffman descendant) family circus.
We are currently in Hatton doing shows from 17th-25th February if you want to come see our show we would love to have you.
Hatton Adventure World, Dark Lane, Hatton, Warwick,
Warwickshire, CV35 8XA
Many thanks,
Circus Normandie.
https://www.circusnormandie.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/CircusNormandie/
@clown.tolly
Thanks Sanna,
It’s always great to hear from people who enjoy following my work! Circus Normandie is definitely on my radar as one of the shows I haven’t seen before, so I’ll check and see whether I can make it to Warwick next week and let you know! All best wishes, Kate xx
p.s. When I make my videos each month I check all the circus websites for upcoming dates, so if you’re able to include yours on your site it will be easier for me to share 🙂
Just discovered The Circus Diaries. Congratulations, it’s a great tool. I’ve been in the business for almost 55 years so it’s wonderful, at last, to read reviews by people who actually understand the medium. I’ll be reading more, and sending $$ when I can. Cheers.
Thanks Pixi! Glad you find the site useful 🙂
Dear lovely circus diary people! I am currently performing a solo mask/clown show at the Edinburgh fringe festival about male vulnerability and I would love to invite you to see my show! First brief intro please find here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/absolutely-reliable, more details and Press release could follow by mail. Looking forward to hearing from you! Best wishes, Ralf
Hi Ralf, thanks for getting in touch. I’m only here for two more days and my schedule is already full, but I’ll see if anyone else is able to come along. Have a great Fringe! Kate xx