Southeast Asia’s largest circus festival celebrates 10 years in Cambodia

Festival features Cambodian troupe and circuses from five other countries, which will put on a series of shows in three cities, with artists holding workshops to share their art

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A performer dives through the air at last year’s Tini Tinou festival. Photo: Jeremie Montessuis

Published: 12:30pm, 27 Apr 2016Updated: 11:15am, 28 Apr 2016

Southeast Asia’s largest circus festival opens in Cambodia this week, featuring a feast of jaw-dropping acrobatic displays to mark its 10th anniversary.

The Tini Tinou International Circus Festival begins on April 28, with six troupes from five countries presenting juggling, acrobatics, flame-throwing, trapeze acts and clowns.

Last year’s event attracted drew more than 4,500 people for eight nights of shows in the cities of Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Battambang.

The National Circus School of Cambodia will perform at this year’s Tini Tinou.

“Cambodia is leading the region in contemporary circus,” says Dara Huot, CEO of Phare, The Cambodian Circus, which organises the festival. “Tini Tinou is a natural extension of this and we’re pleased to bring contemporary performers from all over the world to see and participate in our vibrant arts scene.”

Performers from Cambodian circus, Phare. Photo: Scott Sharick

Troupes from Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Nepal and France will perform alongside Cambodian artistes from Phare, who will debut their show “Influence”. Australia’s national youth circus, Flying Fruit Fly Circus, will premiere its show, “Stunt Lounge”; Collectif Open Ticket from France will perform “Sans Queue Ni Tete (Nonsense)”, and Canada’s Inner Ring Circus will wow the crowd with its juggling duo Cause and Effect.