Clown around with the Great Moscow Circus

THE Great Moscow Circus comes to Durban ready to thrill audiences next month. This high-flying showcase of artistic and acrobatic acts is guaranteed to have audiences on the edge of their seats. What’s more animal lovers can relax and enjoy the circus knowing that no animals are used in the acts.

Perhaps the most anticipated of the cast are the ringmaster duo of Stanislav ‘Stas’ Knyazkov and Vasili ‘Vas’ Trifonov. Every great circus needs a captivating ringmaster that will keep the crowd entertained, informed and ecstatic between the acts and that’s exactly what these two do.

Northglen News spoke to ‘Vas’ ahead of the show that kicks off in Durban on Friday, 3 March. The legendary clown told us that he was born Yurga, a town in Kemerovo Oblast, Siberia Russia. The 38-year-old’s father was an  engineer while his mother worked as an economist. And believe it or not the man who has people literally rolling in their seats with laughter wanted to be a surgeon.

Trifonov said he instead went to the Moscow City School of Circus Arts.

“I was 15 when I went to college to study to be a clown and my parents said it’s okay I can go and do it. They said I have talent. My friends and family were very happy for me, they told me to go ahead and they would support me. When I go back to my home town now, they are all proud of me,” Trifonov said.

But its not all fun and games all the time. said the clown.

“Being a clown is tough and you have to work hard. People often forget that I am a human being and on stage I am a character. I also need time to be Vas outside the stage and if you do it right, you can have a good career,” he said.

And when he is not being a clown, Trifonov said he loved to play drums. The Great Moscow Circus kicks off at Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World on Friday, 3 March and runs until 12 March. Tickets are available through Computicket.