By Karen Bong
KUCHING, May 30: A Sarawakian girl will be among the performers in the Great British Circus, which is coming to Kuching for the first time with daily shows from June 8 to July 14 at the Sarawak Stadium.
Lord Kiril Kirilov, one of the founders of Big Kid Entertainment (M) Sdn Bhd, which produces the Great British Circus, expressed excitement about bringing the No. 1 live circus entertainment show, as voted by Malaysian audiences, to Kuching.
“Actually, we have one performer in our show who is from Sarawak. She is a very young girl and very talented. I am not going to tell you anything else, but just come to the circus and see her,” he told a press conference at the Mulu Room of Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Perfoming Arts (MTCP) Office in Baitulmakmur Building here today.
On why Sarawak has been chosen for the circus destination, Kirilov emphasised that Sarawak is possibly the best place in the whole of Malaysia for outdoor events, being renowned for its music festivals.
“Sarawak is leading in outdoor events and we want to be part of that. We want to bring our circus to everyone, everywhere,” he said.
With the month-long circus coinciding the the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2024 slated from June 29-30, Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah emphasised that it provides great opportunity for visitors and festive-goers, including from neighbouring countries like Indonesia and Brunei, to enjoy the circus, which has broad appeal.
“Such entertainment suitable for the entire family is very good for building family bonds. In this digital age, children are glued to their gadgets, social media and gaming. This circus offers a different, immersive experience that is rarely seen in Sarawak,” he said.
Abdul Karim welcomed the staging of the circus, noting that it would also contribute to Sarawak’s economy, benefiting local businesses, entrepreneurs, the hospitality industry, food and beverage (F&B) and services sectors.
Echoing Abdul Karim, Kirilov shared his belief that the circus is an excellent way to introduce children about visual and acrobatic performances, engaging their interest in performing arts as “it will be difficult to bring children to a ballet show because it might be boring to them.”
“In the future, we really want to establish a visual arts performing academy, and Malaysia is full with talented children,” he added.
The Great Bristish Circus Sarawak Tour 2024 will kick off in Kuching before moving on to Miri from July 26 to Aug 25.
Kirilov highlighted that they are looking forward to go to Sibu if possible, with Abdul Karim assuring that the Ministry will render all necessary assistance if the circus intends to extend their show there.
The circus features a two-hour family entertainment show packed with elements of comedy, stunts, action, acrobatics and dance performances.
The show is performed by a cast of international artists from more than 10 countries including the United Kingdom, USA, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Colombia and Brazil. As a modern circus, it does not involve any animals.
There will be daily shows from Monday to Thursday at 8.30pm, and two shows from Friday to Sunday, including public and school holidays, at 5.30pm and 8.30pm. The finale will take place on July 14 at 5pm only.
Tickets are available for children aged 3 to 12 years old and adults, ranging from RM30 to RM150.
Updated show venues, showtimes and other information are available via its website, Facebook page, Instagram and TikTok. — DayakDaily
