Come September 25, Pune-based Rambo Circus will make a digital foray with its show ‘Life is a Circus — An Ode to the Greatest Sportsmanship.’ It is a moment that the 20-plus crew of India’s oldest circus company has been waiting for.
With television actor Vipul Roy as narrator, the 60-minute show includes eight acts; jugglers, trapeze artistes, acrobats performing stunts, interludes by a clown and a customised grand finale where artistes pay a tribute to COVID-19 warriors. The host also takes the audience through the evolution of Rambo Circus, memories of one’s childhood experience at a circus with colourful tents and lights. He will also hold forth on what the circus and its artistes teach us in the pandemic — to put up a cheerful and brave face, even when the spirits are low, to entertain us.
How it started
Clown to entertain
Laqshya Live Experiences and Production Crew Entertainment has invested in this digital show. Around 20 artistes of Rambo were in Narole in Navi Mumbai in March to set up a show, but that got cancelled due to COVID-19. A team from Laqshya had visited the set to provide food and books to their children in May. Saurabh Khurana, one of the partners at Lakshya shares, “Rambo team also travelled to Karnataka in June to set up camps. But with no shows, its artistes were in bad shape. Since we are in the events space, we looked at ideas to create something that brings their smiles back and make them perform for an audience but an online one. If people cannot come to the circus, we can take the circus to their homes”
After two months of planning, a team of professionals got on board to conceptualise the event; scriptwriters, choreographers and make-up artistes followed safety measures during 10 days of rehearsals. The shooting was completed in a three-day schedule and now it is at the post-production stage. The acts are the same as a live show, but a few twists have been packaged for an online audience. Saurabh adds, “We have interspersed dance in a juggling act to engage the audience.”
Juggling act
Sujit Dilip, owner of Rambo Circus has not seen the show but is sure the spectacle will weave its magic online too. The online transition was a new experience. He says, “When Lakshya came up with this offer, we thought it was a good chance to financially support the artistes. Doing a five-minute show for a live audience and the camera is different. We had to maintain social distancing norms while shooting. Also, the artistes were performing after months of sitting idle; they had to work hard to get the shots right.”
Rambo Circus consists of 60 artistes, of which around 40 had gone home in March and could not return with the lockdown restrictions.
“Some of them tried to sell vegetables and fish in their villages but incurred losses as they had never done so before. They do not know anything other than this art form.”
The three-day streaming begins on September 25. Streaming and tickets on: www.bookmyshow.com.
