A few weeks ago I wrote about all the things I was looking forward to seeing at
Out Of This World, the new show from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Out Of This World is the first circus show to have a storyline; it also does away with the traditional 3-ring format, and several acts are performed on ice! Those are just a few of the fresh and exciting new things about Out Of This World -- to fully understand just how enjoyable the show is, you absolutely have to watch it.
From the moment the show started, we knew this was not the usual compilation of circus acts that everyone comes to expect. Instead of a tightrope walker we were treated to moonwalkers balancing, walking, and biking on a rotating wheel (the Simet Wheel).
The entire show was based on the story of ringmaster Jonathan and his sidekick Starseeker, traveling through space, trying to gather all the best circus acts in the galaxy before the evil Queen Tatiana does. Will they manage to save the circus? Obviously the grownups know the answer, but the little ones will enjoy the battle of good versus evil (especially since the forces of evil come in the guise of a troupe of bumbling clowns)!
A special video projection screen changes with each act; a variety of images like stars and snowflakes and terrain are also projected onto the ice to really make the scenery look great.
Yes, you heard that right, I said "ice"! Out Of This World features quite a few performers on ice skates! They turned the entire stage into an ice rink and covered up the center part, so that the skaters can glide in and out, but all the other performers can enter and exit and perform safely.
There were so so so many amazing acts! I was delighted to see my favorite motorcycle act, where 7 or 8 bikers ride inside a small metal cage. I cannot believe how skilled these riders are, riding around and around and upside down without crashing into anyone.
No elephants this time, but there were many other animal acts, including dogs, pigs, llamas, alpacas, and a kangaroo! The dogs looked like they were having so much fun, and they were so cute.
I love how affectionate the tiger trainer is with his cats, and their tricks are impressive, but to be honest I would prefer to see these tigers running wild in their natural habitat. All the other animal acts featured domesticated animals.
I was happy to see that the focus of this horse performance was actually the humans, not the horses; it was more about showcasing their skills as acrobats as opposed to horse trainers. This was actually one of my favorite acts. Just seeing a horse galloping is a majestic sight, and when you add people running and tumbling on the horses, that just adds to the excitement.
More ice skating acrobatics; this one included trampolines, aerial flips, and fire jugglers on Segway scooters!
Here are a few more photos from our Out Of This World experience! They are performing in many more cities, so make sure you check out their schedule, because this is one circus not to be missed!
Out Of This World Dates and Locations
Out Of This World will be in 4 California cities through mid-September. For more dates and locations, check out the
Ringling Bros tickets and schedules page.
- Oakland, CA August 18, 2016 - August 22, 2016
- San Jose, CA August 25, 2016 - September 05, 2016
- Bakersfield, CA September 09, 2016 - September 11, 2016
- Sacramento, CA September 15, 2016 - September 18, 2016
Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information (in italics) is provided by the featured company/product. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
