CIRCUS ROSAIRE

Filmmaker Robyn Bailey’s documentary from 2007 plays witness to the sad tale of this ninth generation family of animal trainers as they struggle with the demise of traditional family circuses. British-born wheel-chair bound octogenarian Derek Rosaire Snr presides over his extended family as they scramble to practice their crafts playing any gigs that they can get for their acts.  Where once their sold-out audiences would have included royalty and US Presidents they are now hard pressed to find very small crowds in sporadic employment in state fairs and carnivals.

Each winter all the various branches of the family retire to their ‘ranch’ in Florida to hone up on their performances and lick their metaphorical wounds.  Some train bears, others tigers, one lot work with dogs and horses etc and the eldest daughter works the countries only surviving chimpanzee act.  The Rosaires come over as a charismatic and resilient bunch full of life and defiantly happy despite their financial struggles. Most importantly what Ms. Bailey has captured in the 4 years that she filmed them, is their undeniable love for the animals that they have reared or rescued and are equal, if not better, members of their own families, just like their children.

Bailey includes several of the protesters that picket every animal act these days, but she balances it with a spirited defense from the Rosaires in such a way that you fall wholeheartedly into their camp.

There can be no doubt that this is the end of an era but for such devoted caring professionals like this family, its extremely sad. I will fess to maybe being a tad over-sympathetic to their cause as the tradition of going to a really good circus (in my case 'Bertram Mills') was an annual Christmas treat that was extended even to us in the orphanage I grew up.  I have such happy memories of those shows, I just hope the animals did too.

P.S. I think that’s enough circuses for one weeK BUT if you do want more check out CIRCO an immensely  sad documentary about a charming wee family circus trying to keep itself on the road in Mexico that I blogged last summer : and still a favorite of mine.


★★★★★★★