Preston man brings own circus to Moor Park
Circus owner: John Hayes, who has brought his Moscow State Circus to Moor Park, Preston
from: lep.co.uk
(Laconshire Evening Post)
13/04/2013
A former Preston schoolboy set up his own circus on the city’s Moor Park this week – and told how seeing a Big Top show there as a child inspired his love of the ring.
Ingol-raised John Hayes is these days better known as Dr Haze, the undead ringmaster of travelling freakshow, The Circus of Horrors.
But, after a lifetime in the ring, he and two pals bought the world famous Moscow State Circus two and a half years ago.
As the iconic circus set up on Moor Park, in the shadow of PNE’s Deepdale Stadium, it was an emotional moment for the lifelong North End fan.
He said: “It has got to be Moor Park for me because this is where, as a kid, I would come to watch the circus.
“The memories are so vivid. I remember standing on the street in Preston and seeing 20 elephants walking past – 20 elephants!
“And then we followed them all the way to Moor Park to see this fantastic show. It was like magic when I was a kid. So to bring this, my own circus, back to Moor Park and my home town is a very proud moment.”
John Hayes was born into the circus life as his father worked on the travelling shows. But, after his dad abandoned him and his mother when he was just months old, he grew up in Preston.
His parents briefly reunited when he was 11 and, within two weeks, his father had found both himself and his son jobs as fire eaters with an Irish circus.
John recalls: “My mum wouldn’t even let me light a match, let alone fire eat! But now I was a fire eater.”
Aged 14, he ran away to join the circus himself and, after a period performing in rock bands and rubbing shoulders with the stars, he founded the Circus of Horrors, moving away from traditional shows and adapting the medium to a new format.
The opportunity to buy the Moscow State Circus came as he had been doing marketing for the show when the owner decided he wanted to sell up.
So, with two others, Paul Archer and Anthony Anderson, who also worked on the show, they pooled resources and bought him out.
Hayes said: “We knew we could buy it and put together an amazing show – because you expect an amazing show from the Moscow State Circus.
This visit to Preston is part of the Moscow State Circus’s first European tour with their new show, Park Gorkogo, known here as Gorky Park, which runs until tomorrow.
But, for John Hayes, the park he is currently camped in is his own cultural heart.
A lifelong PNE fan, he is overjoyed to set up his Big Top mere feet from the hallowed Deepdale Stadium
Circus owner: John Hayes, who has brought his Moscow State Circus to Moor Park, Preston
from: lep.co.uk
(Laconshire Evening Post)
13/04/2013
A former Preston schoolboy set up his own circus on the city’s Moor Park this week – and told how seeing a Big Top show there as a child inspired his love of the ring.
Ingol-raised John Hayes is these days better known as Dr Haze, the undead ringmaster of travelling freakshow, The Circus of Horrors.
But, after a lifetime in the ring, he and two pals bought the world famous Moscow State Circus two and a half years ago.
As the iconic circus set up on Moor Park, in the shadow of PNE’s Deepdale Stadium, it was an emotional moment for the lifelong North End fan.
He said: “It has got to be Moor Park for me because this is where, as a kid, I would come to watch the circus.
“The memories are so vivid. I remember standing on the street in Preston and seeing 20 elephants walking past – 20 elephants!
“And then we followed them all the way to Moor Park to see this fantastic show. It was like magic when I was a kid. So to bring this, my own circus, back to Moor Park and my home town is a very proud moment.”
John Hayes was born into the circus life as his father worked on the travelling shows. But, after his dad abandoned him and his mother when he was just months old, he grew up in Preston.
His parents briefly reunited when he was 11 and, within two weeks, his father had found both himself and his son jobs as fire eaters with an Irish circus.
John recalls: “My mum wouldn’t even let me light a match, let alone fire eat! But now I was a fire eater.”
Aged 14, he ran away to join the circus himself and, after a period performing in rock bands and rubbing shoulders with the stars, he founded the Circus of Horrors, moving away from traditional shows and adapting the medium to a new format.
The opportunity to buy the Moscow State Circus came as he had been doing marketing for the show when the owner decided he wanted to sell up.
So, with two others, Paul Archer and Anthony Anderson, who also worked on the show, they pooled resources and bought him out.
Hayes said: “We knew we could buy it and put together an amazing show – because you expect an amazing show from the Moscow State Circus.
This visit to Preston is part of the Moscow State Circus’s first European tour with their new show, Park Gorkogo, known here as Gorky Park, which runs until tomorrow.
But, for John Hayes, the park he is currently camped in is his own cultural heart.
A lifelong PNE fan, he is overjoyed to set up his Big Top mere feet from the hallowed Deepdale Stadium
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