Review: Paulo’s Circus – Isabelle’s Tour – York 2021

I’d never visited a circus before, so when I was asked if I would like to be gifted tickets to Paulo’s Circus, I was excited! When some people think of the circus, they may automatically think about animals being forced to perform – this is no longer a thing in the UK! It is illegal to have animals in a travelling circus in the UK. We enjoyed the show so much I’ve decided to write a post sharing our experience (I was only asked to post on my socials, on the day of the show), but it was just so lovely to see families out enjoying themselves again after months of lockdowns. Also, I believe it is important to support those who work in the arts, such as Paulo’s Circus, after what has been a very tough year or so.

Excellent location

My boyfriend, Tom, was the one driving but I still get anxious about parking. Roko York is very easy to find, located at Clifton Moor in York. Parking is free and there are plenty of spaces available, as there is a large car park. If it is a nice day, there is space on the grass to sit and have a picnic.

Social distancing inside the circus tent

Although you can buy tickets in advance, there is no reserved seating. Due to the pandemic, social distancing is in full swing inside the tent. You will be greeted at the front, show your ticket to the person on the door and you will then be shown to your seats. If you’re worried about whether attending the circus is safe during a pandemic, I would like to assure you that Paulo’s Circus have taken every precaution to ensure that they are following the current guidelines set out by the government.

• As would be expected, there is hand sanitiser available at all necessary points including in the toilets
• You need to wear masks when entering the circus tent and when moving around inside e.g. to go to the toilet, although moving around inside the tent for other purposes is discouraged
• You can pre-book tickets with a maximum of 6 people per group
• On entering the tent, someone is there to show you to your seats according to your group size
• Working at 50% capacity – they have removed a row of chairs between each row of seats. In previous years, your knees would likely have been touching the seat in front of you. Now there is a whole row of seats missing,  giving ample space between rows of people. Even with this precautions in place, they also tried their best not to seat people directly in front of others, and went for a more staggered seating arrangement where necessary
• There are screens between the families sitting around the edge of the ring
• There is a one way systems in place; you enter the tent from the front, but have to exit from the side
• There is no intermission, so drinks and snacks are only available to purchase before the show starts
• With this in mind, the show lasts for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes

Variety of acts

Obviously, I don’t want to give too much away – I’m sure you want to be surprised! There is a variety of acts throughout the show, showcasing lots of fun entertainment. You will see performances from a unique ladder balancing act, aerial acts, a very talented quick-handed juggler, a trapeze couple and a fairy tightrope performer. The clown (they aren’t in a traditional clown costume) provides light relief between acts, which I thought was brilliant as it helps keep little ones entertained/focused on the show.

Value for money

After the performance, as we were leaving the tent, I could hear so many children telling their parents/carers how much they enjoyed the show. It was wonderful to see people enjoying things again as a family, after the tough year or so we’ve had with the pandemic. I feel the ticket price of £8 per person is very reasonable, considering how much hard work will have gone into putting together such an awesome show. Refreshments can be bought from the snack box outside, before the show. Prices appeared to range from £1.50 – £3.00 per food item.

If you are looking for a fun afternoon with the family, I’d definitely recommend Paulo’s Circus. Paulo’s Circus – Isabelle’s Tour is currently in York until the 20th June 2021, at Roko York. For more information and the latest event news, check out the Paulos Circus Facebook page here: The Paulos Circus.

YORK – The Roko from 10th – 20th June 2021.

Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 6:30pm only
Thursdays & Fridays at 5pm & 7:30pm
Saturdays & Sundays at 2pm & 4:30pm