By Abbey Cannan
A jaw-dropping opening night featuring some of the world’s best performers had the Noosa community boasting about the Great Moscow Circus on Wednesday.
Crowd favourites at the new extreme show, which will be in Tewantin until 6 March, include; Russian clown Gagik, singer Diana Holt, Flair Riders Liam Heinzel and Marios Pol, BMX star Luis Rincon, and spectacular Russian dancers.
Spilling the tea on what it’s like to grow up in a circus is seventh-generation circus performer Tahlia Weber, 20, who performs solo trapeze in the show.
“My family has been in the circus our whole life,” she said.
“My grandparents actually owned the Moscow Circus, and Michael Edgley owns the Moscow Circus name.”
Moving to Australia from the New Zealand circus in 2009, Tahlia lives and breathes the lifestyle with her parents, three sisters, and younger brother.
“It was a really great childhood,” she said.
“When we came to Australia, my Dad got an offer to run this circus. My Dad is the big boss of the show and I’m like his assistant.
“We grew up with a lot of international performers, so we learnt a lot about different cultures and a little bit of the languages.
“It’s like you wake up and you’re in a community. If you need something, like an egg, you can just go next door. Everyone’s happy to help. When we were little kids, everyone looked out for you. It’s like a big family.”
The sisters were educated through an on-site teacher and began performance training from an early age.
“For training, my sisters and I always did stretching and strength conditioning before we actually decided on the acts we wanted to do,” she said.
“If we don’t want to be in the show, we don’t have to. But growing up you dream of being able to be in the ring when you get a bit older. So we all love training.
“My Mum and Dad got in a trainer from Mongolia to teach me trapeze when I was 12. They were only here for six months so I had a short amount of time to learn. My older sister does the Aerial Silk Act and my younger sister does a Cradle Act.”
While Tahlia says the circus life isn’t for everyone, there’s nothing she would rather be doing.
“When Covid started in 2020 I got a job at Max Brenner for about five months to get an experience of something else,” she said.
“It was really fun and I made friends but it’s nothing like the circus.
“After the 10 month break, it made me realise how much I love the circus and now I want to be a performer my whole life.
“I have my little home on wheels. I’ve done it my whole life so I’m pretty used to it. They’re not just like normal caravans, they’re very luxurious.”
Tahlia said the new extreme Great Moscow Circus production has been on the road for five years.
“This year, it is 90 per cent all new acts again. We have performers from Russia, Ukraine, Columbia, Brazil, Germany, Greece. There’s a lot of different nationalities,” she said.
“We’ve just welcomed new world champion BMX riders who have never been seen in Australia before. It’s going to be a big act. So there’s a lot of extreme stuff. It’s for everyone, not just the kids.”
Prior to the show opening in Noosa, the team had five days of non-stop rehearsals from 5am to 10pm.
“I had my first day of trapeze rehearsals yesterday, since June last year, so it was hard to get back into the swing of things but I love it,” she said.
“I’ve never, knock on wood, had an accident in the show.
“After Noosa we head to Bundaberg and we will continue touring the show until early December and then we’ll have a month off for Christmas and start again in early January next year.”
Russian clown Gagik, who has worked as a clown for 27 years, said he was loving his first visit to Australia.
“Noosa is very nice. It’s beautiful,” he said.
“I’m a bit nervous for opening night to see how the Australian public will like my act. I want everyone in Noosa to come and watch the greatest show.”
Gagik said prior to being in the circus he worked in theatre and cinema.
“After that I was invited to join the circus in Romania and I said no in the beginning. But after some time I decided to have a look and I’ve worked in the circus ever since,” he said.
The Great Moscow Circus will be entertaining audiences at the Noosa Pirates league ground at Noosa District Sports Complex, 31 Butler St, Tewantin until 6 March.
Don’t miss Australia’s top trial riders, ‘The Flair Riders’, exciting juggling, the world’s best daredevil motorcycle Cage Riders, and breathtaking aerial performances.
Book your seats online now before it sells out at greatmoscowcircus.com.au
For more information call 0497 667 269.
