ITV1′s The Circus Reviewed – The Darnells are no Big Fat Gypsy family!
I feel that the modern circus community is something of which we know very little, with our knowledge of these travellers heavily based on old-fashioned films such as The Greatest Show on Earth or Water for Elephants. I feel people’s perceptions would be that they aren’t that much different to the families featured on Big Fat Gypsy Weddings but ITV1′s documentary The Circus dispels these myths by focusing on a modern circus clan.
The Darnell family, who run Paolo’s All American Circus, are one of the last original circus families left and as the documentary shows in these tough economic times it’s becoming harder to get an audience than ever before. The Darnells are headed up by Kenny Senior, known as Big Kenny, the patriarch who is involved in all of the finances while in addition he is always ready to muck-in and step into the clown shoes of his youngest son if illness strikes.
