Kiriliva poses next to the Great British Circus banner.
PETRA JAYA (June 8): The Great British Circus is set to dazzle visitors with a spectacular array of performances at the Sarawak State Stadium (Carpark A) starting today until July 14.
There will be two shows every Friday-Sunday; one at 5.30pm and 8.30pm.
According to show producer Biliana Kiriliva, the two-hour show will feature 12 acts.
“Each act will serve as an attraction to different demographics. We have different acts catered for everyone,” she told The Borneo Post when met at the circus site here today.
The Great British Circus site.
She said the circus’ organising team started setting up the circus tent on the evening of June 5.
“The tent can accommodate over 400 visitors, with a minimum capacity of around 100 to 200 people. However, seats are not assigned so visitors are encouraged to arrive 30 minutes earlier,” she said.
On the circus, Kiriliva shared that it was initially a traditional circus in the United Kingdom featuring animal acts, but it faced challenges due to stringent animal welfare laws there which the previous owner struggled to navigate.
“My husband took over the circus because we belong to a different generation and do not support the use of animals in the circus.
“We took over in 2012 and since then, we have carried on. In 2014, we arrived in Sabah for the first time and marking our debut in Malaysia. Since then, we have performed in the West Malaysia,” she explained.
She added this was their first time in Sarawak and were eager to explore the region.
Commenting on their recognition as a top circus show, Kiriliva expressed her pride and enthusiasm.
“I believe this is your number one circus and it’s the number one without animals. This is what we are trying to show everyone — that we don’t need animals in our circus to be number one,” she said.
However, she also mentioned the challenges they faced upon arriving in Sarawak.
“We encountered logistic issues and had to ensure everything met health and safety standards. Additionally, many items we brought were damaged during travel,” she lamented.
Despite these challenges, Kiriliva thanked all parties involved for their support in bringing the circus to Sarawak.
