JEDDAH — After a month-long wait, the famous Italian Bellucci Circus will finally open its doors to visitors in Jeddah on Thursday. According to several local newspapers, the circus was supposed to have opened in July. This was, however, delayed because the main tent could not arrive on time from Egypt. The circus has been set up on Prince Sultan Street in Jeddah's Khalidiyah District. Mohammed Redwan, site manager, said he thought of bringing the circus to the Kingdom after attending a Bellucci show in Cairo. He said that the partners of “Event Square” company eventually decided to make a deal with Bellucci to bring the circus to Saudi Arabia. “After discussing the idea with Christian Bellucci, we discovered that he had wanted to do this since 2010 when he performed in Syria. He realized that most of his viewers was from Saudi Arabia. Since that day, he has been preparing a show suitable for the Kingdom,” said Redwan. The show has been adapted to meet Saudi cultural sensitivities. “For example, he started to focus on training only men for the shows and he has also excluded animals. After providing him with the project idea, he agreed to be part of it,” Redwan added. The circus will trial in Jeddah for about a month. If successful, it will move to other cities of the Kingdom. “The Bellucci Circus is different when compared to other circuses; it is outstanding. Christian knows how to grab people's attention and he knows how to entertain them,” said Redwan. There will be two shows for families each day, one from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. and the second from midnight until 2 a.m. Tickets are available at the circus, Red Sea Mall, Andalus Mall and Heraa Mall. Prices range from SR150 to SR800. The show, which will be for around 2 hours and includes a 20-minute break, includes jugglers, a ring of death, balancing acts, Argentinean dancers, acrobats from Mongolia and other shows. The Italian circus has so far visited several Middle East countries, including Egypt, Tunisia, the UAE and Syria. This circus opened for the first time in around 1870 and has been performing in countries worldwide since then. The circus not only provides a unique show, but is also underscored by its ability to make viewers laugh.
