THUNDER BAY – The Paranormal Cirque is in Thunder Bay and will have shows today through to Monday.
Benjamin Holland, general manager and contortionist at Paranormal Cirque, said this is just like a circus but with a spooky/scary twist.
“Anybody that came out these past couple of weeks got to enjoy some of the circus-type entertainment we had going over at the (Intercity Shopping Centre) with the Water Circus.
“Everybody that came out and wanted maybe something a little bit edgier . . . a little bit, you know, spooky, scarier – this is the show for you guys.”
Holland said this is the type of circus for those who love horror movies.
“Even when it's January, February, March, they're coming out. This is the kind of show for that type of person.”
It's a whole two-hour-long show, packed with the best, he said.
“We have acrobats from all across the world. We have a lady who hangs by her hair, she's suspended 30-feet up in the air and we have a motorcycle on a high wire that drives over everybody's heads with a gentleman running around on a wheel of death.
“It’s not called the wheel of death for nothing,” Holland said.
Everything is really just happening right before your eyes, he said.
“There are no safety harnesses, there are no nets.
“There's a world class magician, there's great comedy. We have a whole pre-show element to it where people jump out and try to scare you."
It's almost like a haunted house combined with the circus, he said.
“It’s a whole lot of fun and it's real live entertainment right in front of your face. It's not the kind of thing that you get the chance to go and see often."
Holland said the show is rated R and is intended for adults.
“It’s, you know, bloody and scary. There's some adult type language, adult type jokes. I recommend to leave the kids at home for this one.
“It's a nice date night out with your husband, your wife, your friends, stuff like that.”
Holland said youth can come, however anyone from the ages of 13 to 17 must be with an adult who is 21 or older with valid ID. Anyone under 13 will not be allowed in.
“We also have a haunted house area set up. For the whole 45 minutes before the performances we open up it's still entertainment the entire time – we have people running around, interacting with you, trying to scare your pants off, trying to make you scream and shout and that. If that's the kind of thing you like, come on, it's going to be a good time,” he said.
The first show is tonight at 7:30 p.m., then on Saturday at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m., and Sunday at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. The final show is Monday at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are available online. You can use code ‘5off’ for a $5 discount on their website. It is recommended to purchase tickets in advance.
“We've been selling out almost every single show on our whole tour throughout all of Canada. Get them in advance so you can get good seats and really, really enjoy it.
“Everything is recorded nowadays, everything's on Netflix and YouTube and stuff like that – and that's fine. I think it lacks the kind of real element that something like this brings - where you can come out and feel the music boom and see the lights really flashing, everything happening a couple of meters away from your face. I think there's really no replacement for that."
