Last hurrah for the circus school

By jan thom

THE show is over for the Kent Circus School.

After 18 years of teaching youngsters to juggle, ride unicycles and walk tightropes, the school in Cromwell Road, Whitstable, is to close at the end of this month.

Co-director Paul Tann said the decision was taken because key staff had moved away or onto new projects. He added: "We are possibly the only circus company of our capacity in the country to have maintained ourselves without funding.

"This has only been possible through dedication and love for what we do. We are very proud to have taught so many skills to people of all backgrounds and abilities and have enjoyed and been amazed by the willingness of people to try new things."

The school's shows have been taken to schools, universities, television and theatre, private functions and corporate events.

Paul was once called on to teach circus skills to members of an amateur dramatics group for their version of the Big Top musical Barnum at the Marlowe Theatre.

He and co-director Stumpy Pearce also worked on Snappy the giant crocodile in the Marlowe Arena's pantomime Peter Pan earlier this year.

But there is good news for youngsters as the Kent Youth Circus School, also based in Cromwell Road, is to continue.

And Paul will entertain and run workshops as Circusboypaul in Canterbury.

A board of five currently runs the school. Chairman Pete Simms has moved to Cambridge for family reasons and has set up a circus school there.

Paul joined the youth circus at 14 and at 16 was walking on stilts, promoting Barnum.

After getting a first class degree in art and animation from the London College of Music and Media he returned to Whitstable to co-run the circus school.

He said: "It is an honour to carry on the legacy of the Kent Circus School. The time I have spent with them has been the most exciting, adventurous and inspiring of my life."