When the flowers bloom and the weather gets to a steady temperature above minus, for most people it means that spring is coming, but for a certain group of people this means the start of the season. This group of people includes clowns, acrobats and contortionists, and the thing they have in common is the circus. Circus time is just around the corner and at Circus Arena this season is going to be even better than before with new acts and several awards in the bag.
Today the show consists of everything from acrobats on African elephants, to jugglers and a hot air balloon, but it wasn’t always like this. Back in the old days, the Circus Arena’s grand old man and founder, Arne Berdino Olsen, performed as a magician together with the strong man Abdullah and the clown Larno as the only acts in the show. Later on they got ponies, and Arne’s children started to perform as well: his daughter Jytte performed in the trapeze and as a line dancer, and his son Benny juggled.
Despite the massive success of the circus that continues today, it was never on the cards for Arne Berdino Olsen to make his living in this kind of arena. He didn’t come from an artistic family and actually started out in life working with leather, but then in 1930 he took off with a small Danish circus, Alaska, where he worked and performed for 25 years with his wife Lydia before starting his own in 1955 together with the strong man Abdullah.
The circus remains a family business. Benny Berdino Olsen taking over in 1976 when his dad died, and in 2010 his son and son’s wife, Jackie and Laura Berdino-Olsen, took over. The family has always played essential parts in the programme, but moreover Benny Berdino has always managed to get international performers to be part of the programme. The international guests this year include the Catana Troupe, the Spanish energy bomb Picasso Jr, the Chinese acrobats Puyang Acrobats and George the juggler from the Czech Republic.
Benny Berdino wanted to be the best Danish circus, and in spite of a few financial difficulties and being personally financially ruined in 1987, he has managed to make it the biggest Danish circus.
They are indeed among the best, and confidence levels are especially high this year, as Circus Arena has just returned from the prestigious Monte Carlo International Circus Festival with two of the biggest prizes: the Golden Clown and the Audience Award, which it won thanks to the elephant and horse routine performed by the Caselly and Berdino families. Involving four African elephants, four thoroughbred horses, it is performed by eight girls from the two families, and 15-year-old prodigy René Jr, who dazzles the audience with his triple somersault leaps from elephant to elephant.
Other acts worth looking out for include the extremely talented rider Patrick Berdino, clowns Jimmy Folco, and Toto Chabri, and the hot air balloon act, which the circus is reluctant to reveal any information about, so expect a really big surprise.
Circus Arena
Bellahøj, Hulgårdsvej/Borups Allé, Brønshøj;
Starts March 9, ends April 9, sold out until March 13, performances on March 14 & 15 (17:00), March 16 (18:30), March 17 & 18 (12:00 & 15:30), March 20 (18:30), March 21 & 22 (17:00), March 23 (18:30), March 24 & 25 (12:00 & 15:30), March 27 (18:30), March 28 & 29 (17:00), March 30 (18:30), March 31 & April 1 (12:00 & 15:30), April 3 (18:30), April 4 (17:00), April 5-9 (15:00);
Tickets 150-350kr, 4030 3040, circus@arena.dk ;
