EuroXtreme Circus closes PHL tour in Quezon City

FOR PERFORMERS of the EuroXtreme Circus, a live entertainment spectacle which has been touring the Philippines for two years, Filipinos are the best audience for a circus show.

“Everyone is generous with their applause. They’re so kind, so excited to see us, and so happy we’re there, and I’ve never experienced anything like it,” circus ring mistress Jessica Anne Eason told the media during a press conference preceding EuroXtreme’s final stop at Robinsons Novaliches starting on June 5.

“In all the countries where I’ve worked, the Philippines truly does have the best audience,” she said.

The concluding stop of their nationwide tour runs until July 12. The show includes world-class circus artistry, extreme stunt performances, and adrenaline-pumping entertainment for audiences of all ages.

EuroXtreme Circus is also the flagship show of Art Box Entertainment, a Filipino company dedicated to bringing world-class entertainment experiences to communities nationwide. It continues a family tradition that began more than three decades ago with the late Paul L. B. Lee, who introduced the internationally renowned Royal London Circus to Filipino audiences.

“It’s the first time that a circus ever attempted to tour in the Philippines, but it never did perform to as many cities as our circus has done now. Quezon City is our 16^th stop over a two-year, nonstop period,” said Art Box Entertainment executive producer and touring director Kenneth Lee, who is the late Mr. Lee’s son.

“The biggest challenge in traversing the Philippines is the island hopping,” he added. “Being a touring circus in a tent with tons of equipment and a group of people, numbering 50 performers, technical crew, and staff, means it’s a logistical challenge. We transport as many as 15 containers, with seating and tents, from island to island.”

Their airconditioned tent can accommodate up to 1,300 people, though they only fill it up to 1,000 to 1,100 people maximum for comfort and for crowd control purposes. The seats surround the ring, with a ground level, bucket seats, and bleachers.

EuroXtreme Circus combines “timeless circus artistry with modern extreme entertainment,” according to ring mistress Ms. Eason, who is also their resident trapeze artist.

“We have the Wheel of Suspense, something really exciting and dangerous which we do high above the audience, and the Globe of Terror, a steel globe with motorbike stunt riders racing around inside it,” she said.

For her, the classic flying trapeze is just as thrilling, as it showcases aerial acrobatics, while comedic interludes and extreme stunt attractions deliver nonstop excitement until the very end.

Mr. Lee said that their objective is to bring a high caliber of live shows to the entire Philippines. “We want to bring world-class family-oriented entertainment to people in provinces and not just big cities,” he said.

Their stops on this tour included General Santos, Tagum, La Union, and Urdaneta, cities which most big shows have never gone to. Despite economic disruptions and rising prices of fuel, they also never increased their ticket prices.

“We wanted to make sure that our show remains as accessible as possible to people in the Philippines,” Mr. Lee said.

He explained that, following the conclusion of their final stop in July, they will spend a few months to repair equipment and prepare for the next tour, which will have the concept of a carnival — more fiesta-oriented compared to the current stunt-oriented tour.

“We don’t have Filipinos in our show, but I plan to incorporate Philippine talent for our next season, and it will make a big difference. It will be a surprise,” he added.

To celebrate its opening in Quezon City, EuroXtreme Circus is offering limited-time ticket promotions. Tickets, priced from P650 to P1,280, can be purchased at 20% off until June 5. There is also a promo where people can buy six tickets and pay only for four, valid for shows from June 5 to 7.

The circus is set up at Parking 4, Robinsons Novaliches, Quirino Highway, Quezon City. Shows are held daily at 8 p.m. except Mondays, with 4:30 p.m. shows added on weekends.

Tickets are available at artboxentertainment.com and at the on-site ticket office at the circus venue. — Brontë H. Lacsamana