Swings and Roundabouts: The Big Top

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Swings and Roundabouts: The Big Top

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Details

Location

Belfast

Year

1986

Date

Production 01/06/1986

Length

09min 56sec

Audio

sound

Format

Betacam SP

colour

Source

Digitised as part of the UTV Archive Partnership Project (ITV, Northern Ireland Screen and PRONI)

Courtesy

Department for Communities, ITV, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, UTV Archive

Rights Holder

ITV

It is illegal to download, copy, print or otherwise utilise in any other form this material, without written consent from the copyright holder.

Description

Barney and Jane are all set for another adventure. Meet people and animals performing all sorts of daring acts at Gerry Cottle’s Circus.

Jane ventures inside a big tent or ‘the big top’ as circus people would call it where she is introduced to some of the performers. Barney’s favourite is clearly a ringmaster. But what does the ringmaster do? What are his or her responsibilities? Ringmaster David tells us about his work and life with the circus and Jasmin demonstrates some of her horse exercises inside the ring. The duo also gets to meet the clown, watch acrobats rehearse their acts and eventually watch the big show.

Notes

Gerry Cottle’s Circus originally toured with a variety of animals including horses, zebras, elephants, lions, tigers, monkeys, and llamas.The 1980’s saw an increase in public opinion against animal acts. Cottle sold his last elephant and in 1993 had an animal free circus. 

The Northern Ireland Assembly previously suggested that it would follow the lead of the Republic of Ireland with regard to circus legislation. But the Assembly collapsed in January 2017 and is still in a period of suspension, so no progress has been made for animals in circuses.

Credits

Presented by Jane Cassidy

Features Gerry Cottle's Circus and its performers 

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