David Straitjacket
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Registered: 06-2003
Location: Manchester - UK
Posts: 309
Karma: 4 (+4/-0)
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A story to get you started - Ouch, Broken ankle!
Hi all
I posted this ages ago at the magic cafe. It isn't sideshow related, its a circus story. But I think it fits.
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Hi all
My worst performence experience is not magical, is is from a trapeze show I did a couple of years ago at an outdoor event in the spring.
I was doing 4 solo shows a day for the public at a stately home, out on their lawn. Two sideshow & escape shows finishing with a suspended straitjacket escape and two trapeze shows. There was only one performer (me) and two people crewing (my girlfriend and one other). We had a trapeze rig consisting of two 30 foot high scaffold towers with a long truss inbetween.
Anyway, on the last day, third show of the day. I went out as usual to do my trapeze/ acro routine. It was a 20 minute show ending with 7 minutes on the trapeze. Loads of kids were there and I was dressed in this kind of alien fantasy outfit. Really cute with lots of fun fur! As I started there was rain and wind. Almost enough to call off the show but not quite. Anyway, just before I went on the trapeze I did a bit where I jumped from about 6 foot high off the scaffold. I landed on the crash mat under the trapeze and in an unseen pool of water which had formed on it. My body went one way as I rolled as intended but my foot sliped another. SNAP went my ankle!
I lay on the ground for a few moments them looked up to see lots of worried little faces staring at me. I couldn't just be carried off there and then. I had managed to make the kids really love this character and it would have hurt them I think. So, I just got up and carried on. I did the routine and the adrenaline kept the pain to one side for the next five minutes. Though one particular move which leaves you with the trapeze ropes twisted around the ankle was agony. After the show I shook some hands and said some thank yous. Then just about managed to get changed in mmy little tent before my girlfriend had to get me a wheelchair and cart me off to first aid.
I managed to do my last show of the day (sideshow) with my ankle heavily taped, though the suspended straitjacket escape was right out! After that I only had to spend two hours climbing the scaffolding to de-rig and pack. Another two hour journey home then an hour carrying the scaffolding to the garage so the van could be taken back to the hire company. I finally managed to get to hospital the next morning. I needed a lot of physio to get over that one.
It was quite a day!
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Looking back its pretty funny. My ankle still aches sometimes when its cold though
I will post a few more stories later, I have had my fair share of mishaps.
Cheers
David Straitjacket
--- Take a look at my website at:
http://www.thefreakshow.co.uk
"When life hands you a lemon, throw it at someone!" Jerry 'The King' Lawler
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8/20/2003, 2:15 am
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