Interview: Puppeteer Jess Spalis on The Magic of CIRCUS 1903

I recently had the chance to chat with Jessica Spalis, a UK-based artist who is currently traveling across the United States with CIRCUS 1903-THE GOLDEN AGE OF CIRCUS. The circus will arrive in Chicago on March 21. In preparation for the upcoming engagement, Spalis discussed her work as part of a team of six bringing two life-size elephant puppets to life in the show, as well as her background as an actor and an aerialist. Here are excerpts from the conversation.

How did you get into puppeteering?

All six of us [who work with the puppets] are trained actors from the UK, and we all do a little bit of everything. We have to have a finger in all the pies. We all act, sing, maybe play an instrument. The puppetry came for me through handheld puppets. I started doing a little bit of that in one show and fell in love with it. The puppetry world is quite small in the UK, and you...meet one person, and they'll tell you a little bit about their puppets, and everyone keeps in contact...there's a mixed background for all of us.

Talk to me generally about CIRCUS 1903. How would you describe the show?

I think the show is trying to bring back the magic of circus when it used to tour around America on the trains, and you only had one day to get it all unpacked, set up, and put on an amazing show, pack it all up, and you're on your way to your next location the next day. I think it's trying to capture the family feel and the magic of this whole family who are dedicating themselves to the circus...it shows the love and the hard work that goes into the circus and how far we've come with it really.

Can you tell me more about the puppets you work with in CIRCUS 1903?

We've got two elephants. We've got a mum whose name is Queenie, and we've got a little baby Peanut. [In the show, the concept is that] we're just trying to train [Peanut] up...the puppets were made by a company called Significant Object, primarily with two different directors, Mervyn Millar and Tracy Waller. They worked with a team of 14 or 15 artists, painters...it was nearly a year's worth of work to make these elephants.

What have you enjoyed most about working with these puppets and with this production?

For me, I'd say if we're in a venue when we can very clearly see the first few rows of audiences...it's when you meet the children and the audience, it's the moment they stop looking at you and look at the elephant's eyes. When they start looking at Peanut and forget you're there. They believe it's real. When someone comes to meet the elephants, you can see how they'd react to a real animal. It's something special. And it's such a special team with us as circus artists. Everyone comes together...it's a really magical family feel and the elephants are really part of that. The animals in traditional circus were really part of the family, and the animals are very much loved. The elephants are very loved throughout the cast.

Why do you think Chicago audiences should want to see the show?

I think they will very much enjoy a blast from the past and the nostalgic magic to the circus. There's thrills of incredible international circus acts ranging from aerialists to acrobats, contortionists, high wire. There's something for everyone. There's a lot of fun for the family. It's a really special magic that it creates.

What are you hoping to do in Chicago while you're here?

This is my first time properly in the US. I've never been to Chicago. I'll definitely do a good few days of sightseeing. I definitely want to see the Bean. There's a lot of media makers [in the company]. We want to do some dance videos. And if we get the night off, we try to see a show or some comedy in the cities we visit.

What has been your favorite part so far of touring around the US?

When we opened in LA, we opened at the Pantages, that was a very special moment for us. We realized how big of a deal we'd gotten ourselves into. That was a really lovely memory to have...the cities we're playing at are so historic. So many of the venues are world renowned. We're very lucky to be playing in these lovely houses.

I know you're an aerialist as well. Can you talk about how that background has informed your work in the show?

Through the audition process, we were all picked for various reasons and because we had skills outside the box. I do a lot of aerial, lira and silks. I know a lot of the guys [in the company] are very good acrobats. We've [also] got some excellent tumbling, stilt walkers, and jugglers. It's all part of the ensemble feel. We were all picked because we understood the history of the circus. On the day we had the first full run, when we were watching everyone else's acts, the appreciation of what they do is so much greater because we have a little knowledge of it...and everyone's skill set is nice to see before the shows. In rehearsal, everyone wants to give each other a hand...It's a real skill share and family feel. That's what circus is. It's just a big family.

CIRCUS 1903-THE GOLDEN AGE OF CIRCUS will play Broadway In Chicago's Oriental Theatre from March 21 - March 26. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit BroadwayInChicago.com.