World Sideshow Festival – Pat Bath Interview

Ballarat is about to become the center of the sideshow world for one week in May. On May 11th 12th and 13th fans from around Australia will be treated to a series of theatrical shows that can only be described as the best of the best.

Sideshow is best described as extreme or unusual circus and in the last 20 years it has developed depth, theatricality and a world wide following. The best sideshow artists from Australia and around the globe are about to converge on the Ballarat Mehanics Insititute for three night of shows.

Canadian duo The Monsters of Schlock will perform in Australia for the very first time in what will be an exclusive performance for the World Sideshow Festival.

The Headmaster of the world’s longest running sideshow company Pain Solution will be arriving direct from Norway for a very special hour of sideshow stunts.

Wild Women of Sideshow  will feature artists from Germany, England and Australia. These are certainly some of the strongest and strangest women on the planet. Strong women, Simi Capelli will rip a phone book apart while dancing gracefully on roller skates.

The League of Sideshow Superstars was the outright hit of last festival and they return this year with a new cast a new stunts. They hold fourteen Guinness world records between them and some of these will be recreated or maybe even broken during the show.

For the first time The World Sideshow Festival will be putting on a children’s matinee performance. The Silly Circus Sideshow; this show is specifically tailored for primary age children and features nothing scary. It focuses on silliness and celebration. There is a flea circus and foot juggler and bubbleologist and the hit of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Ballarat local Patrick Bath with excerpts from his kids comedy, Potty Mouth.

All the artists will showcase their strange and unusal skills in a Grand Opening Night Cabaret on Thursday the 11th of May. Festival director Shep Huntly said “On Thursday people can see all the acts doing a few minutes each and decide what you’d like to see over the weekend”.

Dave Griffiths caught up with one of the performers at this year’s festival Pat Bath to talk about the festival. You can listen to the interiew right here.

Individual shows cost $30-$35 or you can get one show for free by buying a festival pass for $145. All information and tickets are available at worldsideshowfestival.com

World Sideshow Festival

11 – 13 May

Mechanics Institute

117 Sturt Street Ballarat

Tickets via www.worldsideshowfestival.com