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A treat for tots
When was the last time that Karachi witnessed an auditorium full of kids? If this writer recalls correctly, it might have been when Gripps did their last performance at the PACC of plays that were aimed at entertaining children, or was it when the Rafi Peer Theatre used to hold their puppet shows at the Alliance?
In any case, it has been a long while since the beleaguered children of Karachi have actually been treated to an entertainment designed solely for their pleasure. Well, an international circus was recently brought in for them by a private group of entertainers — Ritz Theatre — and notwithstanding the fact that it was no Barnum and Bailey with lots of exotic animals and amazing feats housed in one humongous marquee, it is at least a beginning.
Held in the spacious Bahria Auditorium, admittedly the ambience was not one of a circus. With complete shows sold out to schools, the laughter and chatter of little kids all over the place was reminiscent of the magic of the circus of yore that used to once grace Karachi’s grounds. And with artistes from countries like China, the UK, Canada and the US, it boasted a varied act. The clown, hailing from the UK arrived on stage on stilts to warm up the audience and get them into an applauding mode. The first act — of the Chinese troupe — gripped the attention of the kids with their acrobats in lion costumes doing amusing antics, and young artistes artfully balancing and swinging a top-like thingamajig on a rope. Numerous balancing acts followed with bottles, plates or balls perched on the tip of sticks.
Not as impressive as the Chinese, the US artistes performed their acrobatics with a touch of humour, which ensured the interest of the kids in the audience. Their most riveting performance was that of tight-rope walking
The ball sequence was particularly enthralling for the children as it was interactive, with the kids being made to throw it to the performers, who would deftly ‘catch’ them on their sticks. Perhaps the most impressive in this segment was the act in which the artiste performed cartwheels and rotated a table with her feet, balancing it from its side, corners and legs. The Chinese troupe reappeared a number of times through the show and was without doubt the life of the performance. Their acts included tipping bowls on top of the head while balancing on a piece of wood placed over a hollow ring, and standing on one hand while balancing plates on sticks in the other, simultaneously raising one leg up. The highlight of the entire performance though was the Chinese petite artiste convoluting her body into all kinds of unbelievable positions while holding four lit candelabras.Not as impressive as the Chinese, but nonetheless entertaining, the US artistes performed their acrobatics with a touch of humour, which ensured the interest of the kids. Their most riveting performance was that of tight-rope walking, low though the rope was. Riding a penny farthing on top of the rope, simultaneously juggling pins — though not always with success — turned out to be their most exciting feature.
Perhaps the most unimpressive were the Canadian and British acts, particularly the latter. The Canadian artiste displayed her dexterity with the hoopla — though I must admit I have seen far better display of expertise — while the British clown failed miserably to hold the attention of the kids. He needs to spruce up his act desperately, and to incorporate some interactive and hilarious antics if he wishes to make a mark.Although, other than the Chinese group it did seem like the performers that had been selected for the show were mostly amateurs, one must give credit to the organizers for taking the initiative and bringing a circus to a city starved of clean and wholesome entertainment for kids. It was a pity indeed that the fortnight-long circus did not manage to entice any sponsors.
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