This article is from page 3 of the 2006-09-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
THE show must go on for the 35 shocked staff of the Royal Russian Circus as they prepare for their first performance since the tragic death of their colleague in Scariff last week.
Vitaly Kharapavitski fell to his death as he performed the last trick in a comic air balloon act with his wife Sasha. More than 300 people, the majority of whom were children, witnessed the accident.
A spokesperson for the circus, Wayne Courtney, told The Clare People that performers risked their lives every time they stepped into the Big Top on show night.
The circus folk have not slept for nights as they have been coming to terms with the horrific death of the quiet and friendly performer, he added.
The tragic Belarusian joined the circus last April with his wife of just one year. The couple were making plans to take a year out to have a baby but, instead, on Sunday, Sasha along with grief-stricken family members, buried 26-year-old Vitaly in Minsk.
Back in Ennis, the late performer’s colleagues were setting up in the Showgrounds in Ennis and researching their acts in an attempt to overcome the trauma of the previous week.
“I would hate people to think that we didn’t care,” said General Manager and spokesperson for the circus, Mr Courtney, “But we have so many staff and we have all the animals to feed and care for.”
“It is the same as a factory or shop or any other business, you have to open up again.”
The Royal Russian Circus postponed the weekend shows scheduled for Ennis and are now preparing to open the Ennis performance on Thursday.
“The last few days have been like coming out of a haze. Nobody could sleep,” said Mr. Courtney.
“This is the first time they (circus staff) have experienced something like this. It has never happened in the living memory of any of the people here.”
“In my recollection, there have been broken bones but no fatalities.
“This is amazing when you take into account the number of dangerous acts.”
Mr Courtney said had the young performer fallen three or four seconds later he “would have been out of the position” and probably got away with a few broken bones.
The circus spokesperson said while no one was talking about their fears for the next performance, he was sure that the accident is playing on the minds of the other trapeze artists.