The Rinaldo Orfei circus is with the animals
Director Tayler Martini: «Those who claim the opposite come and stay with us for a month, will notice that the elephants and parrots are treated with care». The shows in via San Paolo until 15 January
Acrobatics on the Wheel of Death and an elephant from the Rinaldo Orfei circus (Lo. Pi.)
Experience the circus is not for everyone. It takes a particular predisposition to sacrifice, being used to being away from home for a long time and you need to feel like your own a small multi-ethnic community with different traditions.
The Rinaldo Orfei Circus, for a few days in Cagliari , in via San Paolo, is all of this. With the addition of the DNA of two families in the sector, the Martinis and the Orfeis, who years ago made a pact that allows both to work around Italy without particular worries: «We set up the structures, they logistics», says Taylor Martini, who at 34 proudly defines himself as one of the youngest circus directors around. "It's not easy, nowadays, to manage such a varied community , with people often of different nationalities, who have to stay together even when moving from one city to another". All year round: "Except in June, when we go home for a month."
Italians, French, Germans, Venezuelans, Indians. Overall, 40 different professionals work in the circus, including acrobats, actors, directors, athletes, workers, animal handlers . We are a small traveling city.
The arrival of the circus, like every year, aroused the protest of animal rights activists. Martini turns up his nose: «Our animals, three elephants and parrots, are kept in excellent health, as certified by the State Forestry Corps, Asl and all the competent bodies in each city where we do the shows. Anyone who claims otherwise should come and stay with us for a month.'
To reinforce the concept come the words of Jacky Gartner, son of Joseph, descendant of a German circus family with French and Italian influences, who now works with the Rinaldo Orfei Circus. In the tent of the elephants, which he calls strictly by name, he recalls, hugging the trunk of one of them: «I was here, in this same spot, as soon as I was born », he recalls. "You can tell I grew up with these elephants."
Pachyderms and parrots are part of the great show which, until 15 January, will be staged by the Rinaldo Orfei circus. "They are certainly an attraction, but not the only one." There will also be motorcyclists and acrobats at the Wheel of Death, for a "traditional" offer which will culminate on New Year's Eve, with a New Year's Eve party and a special show.
The main protagonist of the wheel of death is a Venezuelan boy, stage name Javier, who climbs up and down a wheel that spins continuously moving upwards: «You always have to stay focused, because it takes a moment to find yourself on the ground. You need training and a lot of concentration to get on the wheel».
In other times circus performers were stars: «Fellini called Nando and Moira Orfei for his films», argues Martini. «The latter then had several collaborations with successful television programs. Today negative animal propaganda does not help us, but we continue to live from the circus and we want to continue doing so for a long time ».
The lights go out, the wheel stops turning. The 1,200-seat stalls – set up inside the marquee in via San Paolo – are ready to welcome the spectators, in view of the next show. It will be like this, in via San Paolo, until mid-January: «Then we'll be in Pisa», concludes Martini. "For the future, make sure you intervene on the transport costs to and from the Peninsula: they are becoming really prohibitive".
