It’s all an act
Circus returns to Hampton Beach
Held for the first time in 2019, Cirque du Hampton Beach with the Boston Circus Guild returns on Saturday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m. on the Sea Shell Stage at Hampton Beach.
Organized by Hampton Beach Village District, the event begins with comedy and skill from Paris, given the nickname “The Hip Hop Juggler” by Al Roker. This performance will be followed by Boston Circus Guild’s “over-the-top spectacle” that includes everything from group acrobatics and partner aerial dance to group club passing, a “dizzying” display on a cyr wheel and more.
“It is all set to live music from our Circus Band,” said Michael “Mooch” Mucciolo, Director of Bookings and Operations for Boston Circus Guild. “There will be plenty of laughing, cheering and toe-tapping all night with us.”
Noting it is a free event, Lisa Martineau, co-director of marketing of the Hampton Beach Village District, said she hopes families make it “an exciting tradition” for Labor Day weekend.
“The Boston Circus Guild is an incredibly talented group of people,” she said. “For people to be able to come out and see something like that on the Sea Shell Stage on the beach is beyond anything you can imagine. It is very unique and something new.”
According to Mucciolo, the opportunity to provide their shows to families in the Hampton Beach community free of charge is “fantastic.”
“A huge thank you to the Hampton Beach Village District for funding the programming,” said Mucciolo, who said their shows feature many traditional elements that make the circus “amazing.”
“Teamwork, joy, and the foundation of artists pushing their physical limits in the name of inspiring wonder are all still present in modern-day circus shows,” he added. “No animals will be part of our show, but the entertainment is still perfect for all ages.”
In describing the deeper intent behind Boston Circus Guild shows, Mucciolo said they are “all about showcasing what dedicated circus artists can do with their craft.”
“We try to inspire and entertain audiences,” he said. “We look to bring our audiences a joyful experience and challenge them to re-imagine the possibilities of physical expression.”
This ability to physically express themselves was compromised during the height of the pandemic, which Mucciolo said impacted their circus artists in several ways.
“[They lost] most, if not all, of their income when live events were no longer safe and existing government financial support systems were not designed to address the income patterns of most circus artists as ‘gig workers,’” he said.
He said many people also overlooked how “emotionally draining” it was for circus artists to lose out on the “electrifying connections” made during shows.
“Nothing compares to a live performance with an audience able to participate in the joy of shared experience,” he said. “It is truly wonderful to be back on stage this September.”
Cirque du Hampton Beach with the Boston Circus Guild takes place at 7 p.m on the Sea Shell Stage at Hampton Beach.
— Rob Levey
Courtesy photo.
