While Saturday night was high culture night, Friday night was fun night out with the kids, and I experienced another Moscow tradition — the circus.
I went with two of my American friends, and I was a little hesitant, the circus, did I really want to go to the circus. But, I know I have to give everything a try, and was super glad I did.
We had no idea if we were going to have tickets or not. M, my Russian speaking friend called the box office, and in typical Russian style, they have him the ambiguous reply of yes we have tickets, no you can’t reserve, so we figured that if we couldn’t find seats, we could figure out something to do. We weren’t exactly sure where we were going, but it quickly became apparent that the answer was follow the kids. We did, and easily got seats, and entered the circus, which is a permanent building here in Moscow. We went to the Old Moscow Circus, which is actually in a new building.
As soon as we entered the building you, could feel the excitement. Hundreds of little kids running around in a carnival like atmosphere. Yes, there was cotton candy, and light up toys, and as many kinds of sugar as you could imagine. But for the adults, there was gin & tonic or cognac in a can. H and I had been hoping for vodka in a can , which she remembered from an earlier trip, and we decided to pass on a G&T. It just didn’t really go with the weather.
Russian kids seem to dress up for the circus and we saw quite a few little girls in princess dresses posing for pictures with lions and tigers and bears. Well, at least lions and tigers.
Unlike American circuses, the Russian circus had a story. This was a New Years themed show with Ded Moroz (Father Frost), accompanied by Sneg Gurochka (Snow Maiden), with some sort of confusion of Baba Yaga and some other Russian Fairy tale villian stealing time so that the Russians can’t celebrate the New Year. I’m not sure if the story could be followed better by Russian speakers, or if it was just that vague.
The show was incredible. Cirque de Soleil like performers (including the Snow Maiden). Animal acts including a dancing and bicycle riding bear, synchronized white horses, tigers and panthers and my favorite, five dancing dachsund.
The clowns engaged the crowd, there was live music and sparkling lights and all and all, it was just plain fun.
