Their act unfolds through a series of increasingly daring throws and catches. At one point, a flyer misses his landing. A soft murmur ripples through the audience. He tries again. Another miss. The crowd leans forward as one. The live band holds steady. The flyer is launched once more into the air, suspended for a heartbeat that feels impossibly long – and he lands it. The tent erupts. It is not just applause, but release. The joy of witnessing something hard-won, live and unrepeatable.
Friday 15 May 2026
The circus family gets back on the road
Nell and Toti Gifford shared a dream: to run their own circus. Following an acrimonious succession battle after Nell’s death, the show returns for its 26th year
Photographs by Rachel Louise Brown For The Observer
The co-founder of Giffords Circus, Nell Stroud, grew up in Oxford and had a place at the university when she took a gap year to work as a drudge at Circus Flora in St Louis, Missouri; it changed the course of her life. She finished her degree but continued to work at circuses worldwide, including in China and Germany, until she met Toti Gifford, a farmer’s son. They had twins, and a shared dream to create a village green circus. They bought a round white tent from a newspaper small ad; converted a showman’s wagon to live in; and advertised for performers in the Stage.
Since then, Giffords has entertained more than a million people across southern England, showcasing talent from across the world, including France, Hungary, Romania, and Russia. Nell and Toti divorced, but the circus kept going. Nell died of cancer in 2019 and an acrimonious succession battle over the direction of the circus began when former accountant Guy James assumed control as CEO and, against Nell’s stated wishes, blocked the involvement of family and long-term performers in the running of Giffords. The dispute came to a head in May last year when James agreed to step down and Toti Gifford returned to run the show.
No comments:
Post a Comment