I went to my first circus at Madison Square Garden when I was 6 years old. I still have vivid memories (Gunther Gebel-Williams, terrifying clowns, and awesome souvenir flashlights, which I was not allowed to get.) Last week took Nate to the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey’s Circus at MSG. All in all, it was fun. Nate definitely enjoyed it, as did his parents and grandma!

Pre-show was fun. Up close to clowns and elephants. But it is really crowded, so I ended up carrying Nate the whole pre-show.

The theme “Funnundrum” seems really tacked on, as did the songs (Cirque du Soleil this is not.) But the spectacle of most of the performers was great!

The high-wire act was disappointing, and slow, especially for a toddler (or a 40 year old with an attention span of a 4 year old.) And the tiger tamer was lame.  I’m sure being in a cage with 10 tigers is something, but just making them occasionally stand on their hind legs, and not eat you…I’ll just say I was rooting for the tigers.

The trapeze artists were going for a quadruple sommersault…they missed…they missed the quad at my 1976 circus as well!!!

But the acrobats made up for everything. The “Asadullin Troupe” of acrobats dressed as pirates jumping from the “Russian Bar” was mesmerising. And the Trupe Fantasy teeter-board act were very exciting. The Barnum bouncers trampoline troupe was a surprising highlight, I kept trying to expain to Nate thet there were just like Q-Bert! I’m not sure why a 2 1/2 year old would get a Q-Bet refference.

Clowns were nothing to write home about, but they weren’t nightmare inducing, so I chalk that up as a win.

Torres Family Motorcycles spinning in steel sphere with black lights- psychedelicly- awesome!

Johnathan Lee Iverson was a good ringmaster, but did we really need a “little person” sidekick? Really?

But what did Nate like the best? The flashlight that his grandmother bought him!

It broke as soon as we got home. But to their credit, they claimed it had a 2 year warranty, and I called them on it and called their 800 number. 2 weeks later, we got a new flashlight!