Wet Bits Words 7--Le Cirque National Alexis Gruss presents "Gipsy".

Alexis Gruss


Gypsy Gruss
Stefan Gruss
Firmin Gruss
Maud Gruss

This is the final one of my current reports from circuses in mainland Europe, which is probably just as much a relief for you, dear reader, as it is for me (cheap writer!). Lest you're wondering how I managed to deal with the non-dry section that separates England from France, I went under it, the train from London to Paris going through the Channel Tunnel (often termed "the Chunnel"). The journey between Paris and Reims (to see Educatif) was also undertaken by train.

Anybody going to see Cirque Alexis Gruss has good reason to expect several things. A quality show. A fairly small but surprisingly versatile company, consisting mostly of members of the Gruss family. And beaucoup de chevaux. As opposed to beaucoup de cheveux. Although, of course, beaucoup de chevaux will have beaucoup de cheveux. (Translation - plenty of horses will have plenty of hair.) The production will demonstrate the versatility of the horse (as a species) within circus.

This line of the Gruss family is headed by Alexis (cousin of the late Arlette Gruss), whose wife is the former Gipsy Bouglione. They have 2 sons (Stephan and Firmin) and a daughter (Maud). Another son (Armand) died in his youth as the result of an extreme allergy to domestic cat fur.

Stephan is married to Nathalie. Their family comprises twins Charles and Alexandre, Louis and Joseph.

Firmin's wife is Laure, with whom he has a daughter, Jeanne.

Maud is unmarried.

Certainly young Jeanne has been introduced to an audience, so Joseph is sure to have been, seeing as he is older.

This year the performing company is completed by Georgia and Samuel. Plus a 12-piece orchestra.

There are 2 animal acts that don't include the horse, both being presented by Firmin on the occasion of my visit. A pastoral sequence with goats and a gaggle of geese, this being programmed with young Louis as presenter - but neither he nor his mother was present. And Firmin's established partnership with 35 year old Syndha, an Indian elephant, this act containing some teeterboard work.

I will not detail the content of the equine acts but merely tell you what and who.

High school on the double rein. (Gipsy, walking behind the horse.)

Ballet in black and white. (Liberty number presented by Alexis.)

Juggling on horseback. (A speciality of Stephan, this year offered by Charles and Alexandre.)

High School Quadrille. (Gipsy, Maud, Laure and Georgia.)

Liberty Horses. (Alexis.)

Jockey Riding. (Stephan, Firmin, Maud, Charles, Alexandre and Georgia, with Alexis keeping up the horses.)

I will say that seeing brothers Stephan and Firmin Gruss perform a double fork jump (landing astride a moving horse) is classic circus that is difficult to beat - although a few years ago it was done in triplicate by the 2 brothers plus a partner from outside of the family. With Charles and Alexandre now on the scene, I look forward to seeing the move in quadruplicate in the not too distant future.

Thus we reach the end of the tour of the Christmas/winter circuses I've seen in mainland Europe since the start of 2009. Thank you for staying with me. I hope you've found it interesting if nothing more.

In fact Gruss was not the last of the 7 shows I saw, but it was a conscious decision to submit this report as the conclusion since it's an accepted fact that modern circus began with the horsemanship of Philip Astley. At Halfpenny Hatch in London.

You may care to know that there is now a pub on the site. I have been known to pay my respects.

Cheers!!!

Courtesy of John Cooper

(Mate, laying a flower on the grave is "paying your respects." A 12 piece New Orleans Jazz band is "tearing it up." There's a difference.