Simon Darling

Published Friday 21 April 2006 at 10:50

Tight-wire artist Simon Darling has spent his whole life in the circus. “I’m fourth generation,” he explains. “My nan used to do tight-wire in her mum and dad’s circus. It was an old-fashioned travelling show with a one-pole tent that went round villages and towns. She taught me tight-wire.”

But that is just one of Simon’s many skills. His first performance when he was six was as Bonko the Clown but these days he combines corde lisse, silks and various clever things with fire with his other speciality, knife throwing.

His great, great uncle was a knife thrower who performed with his grandmother but it was Simon’s fearless mother who stood as his first guinea pig. “I said, ‘I’m not throwing knives at you, mum’, and she said, ‘You’re ready but if you hit me, just run!”. He has since thrown knives with the great cowboy, Lou Hondo.

Until last year, when Simon was with No Fit State Circus, he had always worked in traditional sawdust rings. Touring with them again this season, he says: “It’s fun and definitely nice to have a change. It’s a promenade show and I’m on stage all the time. My wire is 12ft high and 60ft long.” True to type, he’s up there with nothing to break his fall.

Recently he performed in the Insect Circus, throwing knives at a butterfly, and will be in Barry with NoFit State from April 19-22.