The Circus Of Horrors return to Victoria Hall in Hanley with new show

Jan 12 2011 by Will Harris, Crewe Chronicle

WITH a lion tamer for a dad, it was almost inevitable that John Haze would spend his life as a circus performer, and he’s even ended up as ringmaster.

The quirky entertainer brings the Circus Of Horrors’ new tour, Four Chapters Of Hell, to the Victoria Hall in Hanley later this month.

Born in Porthmadog, he’s travelled around the UK with shows, with his performing parents, who had a troubled marriage. Brought up mostly in Preston, Lancashire, he was just 11 when he began training in circus skills – learning to eat fire in just one day.

He’s now back in ring as Dr Haze, the Undead Ring Master.

The Circus Of Horrors formed 15 years ago at Glastonbury Festival and their show has now toured the world, from Japan to Holland, Hong Kong to Argentina appearing with Ant & Dec and Robbie Williams.

The latest show, which follows the successes of The Asylum, and The Day of the Dead, promises some shocking acts, warns Dr Haze, who performs with Interceptors From Hell.

“It’s an amazing show,” he says. “We have put together all the acts that we have performed over the years.

“We have a woman trapeze artist who we suspend by just her hair. We have sword swallowers, one of which can swallow a revolving electric drill.

“And there’s a female contortionist who fires a bow and arrow from her feet. The artists are amazing and come from all over the world.”

The show begins in a French asylum where the inmates are liberated. After killing their leader, filled with remorse they move across to Mexico to try and revive him in the ‘Day of the Dead’ celebrations.

The show moves into Victorian London and a young girl, born in the asylum, who wakes from a deep sleep to join the circus before she is sacrificed by the evil and undead Dr Haze, and fed to the vampires.

But vampires never die and the final twist to the story takes audiences into the future and into 2020, a futuristic vision of mad max style civilisation inhabited by vampires, zombies and the undead.

Theatre spokesman Dave Bradbury said: “The show contains some of the greatest, most bizarre and beautiful circus acts on Earth.

“From daredevil flying trapeze to a vampiric crow woman suspended only by her hair, and from whirlwind roller skaters to sword swallowers, the show brings pickled and bendy people, voodoo warriors, knife throwers and an almighty cast of the wildest, weirdest but greatest performers around.”

The show is not suitable for children and they will only be admitted if accompanied by an adult who understands the content of the show.

The Circus Of Horrors hit town on Saturday, January 29. The show starts at 7.30pm and tickets are priced £23.50-£27.50. To book, phone the box office on 0844 871 7649 or visit www.ambassadortickets.com/Victoria-Hall