THE BALLOON MAN

Circus act's smoking raises health and safety alarm (but the fire-eating is fine)

Circus of Horrors says officials had concerns over performer who fires bow and arrow with her feet – because of her smoking

Handy with her feet ... the Corn Exchange said the circus performers were not banned from smoking. Photograph: Circus of Horrors
Mark Brown, arts correspondent guardian.co.uk, Thursday 6 January 2011 Fire-eating is fine. As is walking barefoot up a ladder of swords and swallowing a revolving electric drill. And – while it may not be to everyone's taste – there should be no problems with a dwarf dragging a genitally attached vacuum cleaner round the stage.
But a contorted performer smoking a cigarette while firing a bow and arrow with her feet is causing something of a headache for a touring circus company.
The Circus of Horrors, which began life at Glastonbury 15 years ago, said today it was locked in a battle with officials at the Corn Exhange, in King's Lynn, after being asked to provide a risk assessment for performers smoking on stage in order that an exemption could be sought from the council's health and safety and licensing departments.
read more at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2011/jan/06/circus-horrors-smoking-corn-exchange