P E L O U S E D E S A I N T - C L O U D
Cirque National Alexis Gruss: «Allegro Sportissimo»
The traffic connection is a simple catastrophe. The location itself sinks in the morass. In the puddles swim used condoms – souvenirs of the illegal street-walk of summer months. And in the middle, like a fata morgana, the shining white tents of the Cirque Alexis Gruss, the big, world-famous French national circus? In fact!
Sure, all of this appears a little bit bizarre but it is caused in the lack of possible square alternatives in Paris downtown. Always between March and September the area lies idle. And from beginning of October the manoeuvring of the powerful Gruss tractors and their trailers demand a great deal of the ground which is wet through by the autumn weather. Certainly the visitor does not recognise anything of the adverse conditions behind the scenes: He steps through parqueted, dry tents into the noble big top. Even its outside does no more show any marks of the mud-wrestling installation. The title «Cirque National» (in English: national circus) commits to a very special programme quality: Since the foundation in 1974 the show concept is a homage to the early horse circus; purebred Arabs, Akhal-Tekes, Boulonnais, Shires
Alter Reals, Friesians and Appaloosa live at the stables and they are the animal stars of almost every second act. With them the Gruss family performs exclusively.
And so the first hippologic treasures trot already after the opening through the red ring: Nine thoroughbred Arab stallions, at first in a High School, than in liberty. Together with circus boss Alexis Gruss, wife Gipsy and daughter Maud they offer a foretaste of what good entertainment means for the famous direction: Big and small creative and varied acts, always presented with a charming sense of humour. The fact that the programme magazine introduces particularly not only the biped but also the quadruped shows the high level of respect that the Gruss family feels towards its animals. This tribute is obviously also in the ring: Both man and beast seem to be pleased similarly by each trick that works. A wonderful climax of the trainings is the big horse carousel with 26 animals shortly before the finale: A ring full of horses!
«Allegro Sportissimo», the 33rd production of the Cirque National, attends to the sport. Not only the animals compete for the best places – people, too. Due to the versatility of the direction family the creation of the artistic parts is in its charge, too. Firmin, Nathalie and Stephan Gruss whirl through the cupola, perform as clowns and let fly several juggling equipments. Especially spectacular the riding act of the whole family after the intermission – for the first time also with Alexandre and Charles Gruss, the representators of the sixth generation. Suddenly Syndha, the Indian elephant lady, comes into the big top. She has just a tired smile at the a little bit kitschy plush copy of herself which leads over to Syndha’s performance. Syndha knows who the star is. Accordingly self-confident she kicks some penalties behind the goal line. Also elephants succumbs to the football fever.
Résumé: One family, one circus, one word: Compliments! Animal-conform trainings and a vertile ensemble make this family circus very special. Respect! From October 2007 the Cirque Alexis Gruss will finally be back in Paris – than with new acts and a new production.
► Cirque National Alexis Gruss (each year from the beginning of November until the middle of February in Paris): Phone 01.75.01.71.26 · www.alexis-gruss.com · Bois de Boulogne (Porte de Passy) · F 75016 Paris (16th arrondissement) · Métro: Ranelagh
Cirque National Alexis Gruss: «Allegro Sportissimo»
The traffic connection is a simple catastrophe. The location itself sinks in the morass. In the puddles swim used condoms – souvenirs of the illegal street-walk of summer months. And in the middle, like a fata morgana, the shining white tents of the Cirque Alexis Gruss, the big, world-famous French national circus? In fact!
Sure, all of this appears a little bit bizarre but it is caused in the lack of possible square alternatives in Paris downtown. Always between March and September the area lies idle. And from beginning of October the manoeuvring of the powerful Gruss tractors and their trailers demand a great deal of the ground which is wet through by the autumn weather. Certainly the visitor does not recognise anything of the adverse conditions behind the scenes: He steps through parqueted, dry tents into the noble big top. Even its outside does no more show any marks of the mud-wrestling installation. The title «Cirque National» (in English: national circus) commits to a very special programme quality: Since the foundation in 1974 the show concept is a homage to the early horse circus; purebred Arabs, Akhal-Tekes, Boulonnais, Shires
Alter Reals, Friesians and Appaloosa live at the stables and they are the animal stars of almost every second act. With them the Gruss family performs exclusively.
And so the first hippologic treasures trot already after the opening through the red ring: Nine thoroughbred Arab stallions, at first in a High School, than in liberty. Together with circus boss Alexis Gruss, wife Gipsy and daughter Maud they offer a foretaste of what good entertainment means for the famous direction: Big and small creative and varied acts, always presented with a charming sense of humour. The fact that the programme magazine introduces particularly not only the biped but also the quadruped shows the high level of respect that the Gruss family feels towards its animals. This tribute is obviously also in the ring: Both man and beast seem to be pleased similarly by each trick that works. A wonderful climax of the trainings is the big horse carousel with 26 animals shortly before the finale: A ring full of horses!
«Allegro Sportissimo», the 33rd production of the Cirque National, attends to the sport. Not only the animals compete for the best places – people, too. Due to the versatility of the direction family the creation of the artistic parts is in its charge, too. Firmin, Nathalie and Stephan Gruss whirl through the cupola, perform as clowns and let fly several juggling equipments. Especially spectacular the riding act of the whole family after the intermission – for the first time also with Alexandre and Charles Gruss, the representators of the sixth generation. Suddenly Syndha, the Indian elephant lady, comes into the big top. She has just a tired smile at the a little bit kitschy plush copy of herself which leads over to Syndha’s performance. Syndha knows who the star is. Accordingly self-confident she kicks some penalties behind the goal line. Also elephants succumbs to the football fever.
Résumé: One family, one circus, one word: Compliments! Animal-conform trainings and a vertile ensemble make this family circus very special. Respect! From October 2007 the Cirque Alexis Gruss will finally be back in Paris – than with new acts and a new production.
► Cirque National Alexis Gruss (each year from the beginning of November until the middle of February in Paris): Phone 01.75.01.71.26 · www.alexis-gruss.com · Bois de Boulogne (Porte de Passy) · F 75016 Paris (16th arrondissement) · Métro: Ranelagh
5 
breathtaking | 4 very nice | 3 entertaining | 2 disappointing | 1 bad
breathtaking | 4 very nice | 3 entertaining | 2 disappointing | 1 bad
![[paris-tourist.com] Footer](../images/footer_eng.jpg){kind=small}