Circus Vegas, which has landed in Inverness, is determined to keep prices low to make the circus accessible to everyone during the cost-of-living crisis – even if it squeezes their margins tighter than ever.
The award-winning show features daring acts, including tightrope, high-wire, and acrobatic swing, while also featuring circus staples like a clown and showgirls.
The show runs for six days at the Caledonian Stadium, with tickets beginning at £10 to appeal to those eager to see a circus show for the first time.
It is the first circus show in Inverness since 2019, and the troupe are keen to impress with their skills, but there have been challenges due to the cost-of-living crisis.
General manager, David Fitzgerald, said the team were delighted to be back in Inverness after so many years.
“It’s great to have this type of live entertainment back in Inverness, we are really excited to be back in town.
Make the circus more affordable for everyone.
“Covid was hard for everybody and as a company overnight we were out of work, so the government decided to reduce the VAT rate to 5% for a period of time, then back up to 12% and then up to 20%.
“When that happened, we adjusted our prices to reflect that and pass on the savings to our customers.”
However, Mr Fitzgerald says due to the cost-of-living crisis, there are additional costs, including fuel, travel and equipment.
He added: “We have adapted to the price squeeze by staying for longer in each town to help reduce the travelling costs, but on a week where we move to the next location we spend about £10,000 on diesel, add that to the cost of running the generators and climate control for the Big Top performances, we are looking at a combined cost of around £100,000 per month.”
‘It’s like one big family’
“I’ve always described circus as the ‘Theatre of the People’. This is probably most people’s first introduction to this kind of art form and we want to be accessible for all, so we have to keep our prices at an affordable level so people can feel they can come and see the circus.”
Low-wire performer, Veera Kaijanen, was wowed by the Highlands after arriving in Inverness to perform in Circus Vegas.
She said: “It’s beautiful and it reminds me of my home country of Finland because it is up north and very similar with the nature, the temperature and the people as well.
“I am very happy on this tour, it’s like one big family. Because I am a freelancer and do a lot of shows in a year, it’s always a bit of a lottery with who you end up working with.
“You don’t feel left alone, and especially in this tent and with this show I feel I can perform at my best.”
Ms Kaijanen is excited for the next stop on the tour, Aberdeen as her partner is from the Granite City and is looking forward to being shown around and meeting his family.
Circus Vegas opens tonight at 7pm at the Caledonian Stadium and runs until Tuesday before heading east to Aberdeen where it will run for 18 days.
