Sideshow FAQs
Can I subscribe to Sideshow's magazine?
Nope — Sideshow produced two magazines in 2011/2012, but has no plans to produce more. Both editions can be downloaded for free, or you can buy the first in print.
Didn't you use to have a training section? What happened to that? Where can I go for skill training?
The training section got nixed because it was difficult for Sideshow's listings team (three ancient frock-coated vultures perched on the carriage of a single mechanical typewriter) to keep it up-to-date. Most masterclass-level training is run by the professional circus schools — so in the UK, we're talking about Circus Space, Circomedia and Greentop; plus Aerial Edge run some good stuff at the Briggait up in Glasgow, as do NoFit State at their own space in Cardiff. At a European level, either go to the school websites or check HorsLesMurs' listings. In Australia, ACAPTA will be your best resource. In Canada, En Piste. In the US, you're mostly totally hosed.
If it's more casual training you want then there are a bunch of places all over; let Google be your guide.
I've got a festival or training space to add to your map. How do I do that?
For festivals or training spaces e-mail the details over to map@sideshow-circusmagazine.com Editorial whimsy applies.
I'd like you to cover my festival / event / conference / project, but I'm not in the UK. How do we make it happen?
Sideshow absolutely has the intelligence / will / chutzpah / moxy to write something insightful and vivid and resonantly true about your festival or event or conference or project, but absolutely does not have the resources to self-fund international travel. If you've got a hosting budget and think it's worth spending some of it for the sake of (a) supporting Sideshow's rigorous yet accessible approach to the documentation and promotion of circus arts, and (b) getting the word out to the ravening hordes of circus artists, professionals and devotees that constitute the site's readership, then you can contact Sideshow's Head of International Freeloading on john@sideshow-circusmagazine.com
I've read all of your website — ALL OF IT — and it is not enough. Where else can I go?
If you're chad then you could buy one of the books or magazines in the market. Outside of that, Sideshow is part of the European Circus Magazines Network, a shadowy power-hungry syndicate of eight print magazines covering the circus arts; you can read more about those here (but note that unless it's specifically and only images you're after then you're going to have to speak French, Spanish, Finnish, Italian and Flemish for maximum benefit). Total Theatre Magazine is a print quarterly that covers the whole wide sector of physical and visual performance and it's a rare issue that doesn't have some hint of circus in it. King Pole has for many years been an excellent if not unparalleled source of pictures of murderously enraged tigers, long-faced white-faced clowns with nylon neck ruffs, and elephants perched on improbably small surfaces.
There are some companies that keep blogs — Gandini Juggling and Mimbre are worth keeping an eye on, particularly. Circus Geeks has a growing roster of artist contributors (plus a tagline that references the late great Interplay in a sort of doubled, cross-connective act of exceptional geekery) and looks a bit more at the day-to-day of training / performing.
If you're super into juggling and prefer it unsullied by other disciplines then there are a million sites for you. It's not really Sideshow's area, but maybe start with the International Jugglers' Association's ezine and work your way outwards from there.
Where does Sideshow stand on em dashes?
Sideshow stands behind em dashes (—) in full support of their kingly size and strength, their maverick and outstanding beauty, and their markedly superior adaptability and utility. Sideshow thanks the en dash (–) for its minor work in delineating value ranges and connecting attributive compounds and regrets that its runty horizontal inadequacy makes it unsuitable for the real business of building complex and majestic and powerful sentences.