This magical village green circus tours England from spring to autumn.
The late Nell Gifford loved circuses - in fact, she ran away to join one, and wrote a book about it: Josser. In 2000. she was invited to Hay Literary Festival to talk about that book. Almost accidentally, as part of her talk, she described her own fantasy circus - even though it didn't actually exist. 'And, much to my surprise, secured a booking! It was quite a stupid thing to do,' she said.
Not stupid at all, as it turned out. Because that was how Giffords was born: a traditional circus that trundles onto village greens each summer, in a series of painted wagons. Every year features a different story to which the daring acts - trapeze, clowns, strong men, jugglers, beautiful horses: all the breath-taking skills you'd expect (and some you might not) - fit their performances. An in-house orchestra provides foot-stomping, atmospheric music.
Circus Sauce, the restaurant, has become known in its own right for gourmet food: a 'rustic, extravagant' three-course feast.
As Guardian arts critic Michael Billington once said of Giffords, 'The performers are no woozy hippes but formidable athletes'.