History of the Circus
The historic Hippodrome is Britain’s only surviving total circus building, built in 1903 by the legendary circus showman George Gilbert. The Hippodrome has been dubbed one of the seven wonders of the English seaside, and we are lucky enough to have it right on our doorstep here in Norfolk!
Famous Circus folk have always flocked to perform, Lillie Langtry sang, Little Tich clowned, Max Miller joked, Houdini escaped, and it’s likely that even Charlie Chaplin performed here as a child actor before finding fame in America.
Think The Greatest Showman but a more quaint, traditional and friendly atmosphere.
David and Lesley Pearson’s Personal Experience
“Great Yarmouth Hippodrome sounds like a throwback to a bygone age, but it is far from it. We had heard good reports about the show, and so last summer we took my family of grown up children, (and teenage granddaughter), to see for ourselves and booked ring side seats not quite knowing what to expect.
In particular, we were intrigued to see how the advertised water feature worked in a circus ring, in an old building in the middle of a town. On entering the arena we were surprised to see it was a real live circus ring, and we took our ring side seats to await the performance. We were not disappointed as we were treated to a unique experience unlike any other theatre show.
The show was an amazing combination of comedy, slapstick, acrobats, jugglers, and last but not least, trapeze artists. All very professional and of international quality, but at the halfway stage still no sign of any water.
After the break however things began to change. As if by magic the circus ring became a pool filled with bubbling water. The troupe of dancers became synchronised swimmers joined by other acts.
Overall an excellent family entertainment well worth the cost of a ticket. After the show we had the opportunity to visit the museum, which housed artefacts from past shows – a fascinating insight into the history of the Hippodrome. We would highly recommend a visit.”