During the 20th century, the name of Russia became almost synonymous with that of the circus: Soviet trapeze artists, clowns and acrobats were renowned for their skill and artistry, and numerous circus acts toured the United States under the name “The Moscow Circus,” bringing Russian circus to global prominence.
Yet the history of the enduring love affair between Russia and the circus goes back almost a thousand years, to the appearance in the 11th century of the skomorokh, a kind of wandering minstrel-cum-clown: They sang, danced, did conjuring tricks and performed comical scenes.
Before the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, all circuses in Russia were private, but afterwards they all became state-owned. On the one hand, it meant that the government took revenues generated by circus performances under its control; and on the other, that the circus was given a strong support and began to develop not just as part of the entertainment industry but as an art form.
However, inside the country the most popular clown was the “talking clown” Yury Nikulin. The image of a lovable simpleton that he created soon migrated to the best Soviet-era comedies. A successful cinema career did not prevent Nikulin from spending 50 years running the Moscow Circus on Tsvetnoi Boulevard, perhaps Russia’s best-known circus, which now bears his name.
Also top russian circuces are: Great Moscow State Circus on Vernadskogo and Cinizelli circus in Saint Petersburg.
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