Moscow State Circus's highwire act

Performers with the circus begin learning their skills from the age of nine

Like its tightrope walker without a safety net, the Moscow State Circus is treading a fine line between survival and the abyss, warns its English spokesman David Clark.

The stakes are high because generations of circus skills and experience could be lost, he says, if the Russian Government pulls the financial plug on the circus, which is starting an eight-month UK tour.

The circus is like a disease - it's like a love affair which lasts your whole life

Olga Vorobieva

"Because of the British public's support we're able to bring these people over, but because of the political problems we never know if it will be the last opportunity as we don't know if the system will continue to exist," says Mr Clark.

Olga Vorobieva, who has been with the circus for over 30 years and is now its vice-general director, says that some of the money they make on tour goes back to Moscow to support the other artists who are preparing their acts there.

The only animal on the tour is a pantomime goat

She believes that skills would continue to be passed on within circus families, but it would be an informal system if the circus's school ever closed.

In the days before the Soviet Union collapsed, foreign tours were infrequent and the artists stayed with the circus for life.

"It's very different now," Ms Vorobieva says in her caravan in Reading, the tour's second date, but adds that the performers relish the opportunity to travel abroad and meet and share experiences with other circuses.

Circus revolution

She only intended to work in the circus as a student. "The circus is like a disease. It's like a love affair which lasts your whole life," she says.

The artists learn general circus skills before specialising

The Moscow State Circus was set up after the 1917 Russian revolution and in Russia it has a permanent home with a 3,500-seater big top, compared to the 1,000-capacity tent for touring.

All 31 of the artists, including clowns, acrobats, jugglers, strongman and trapeze and high wire performers, have graduated from the circus's school, David Clark says.

The one notable absence is animals, which takes nothing away from an entertaining, funny and, at times, breathtaking show which attracts large numbers of adults and children.

With all the artists holding Russian Federation passports, they have to obtain work permits. Education for the performers' children also has to be arranged as they move around.

Family affair

Spring acrobat Sergei Rubtsov and his juggler wife Tatiana are two of the artists travelling and working with their children.

They have also been in the circus for over 30 years and share a trailer with son Maxime, 23, and daughter Katya, 14. Sergei has his own 11-people troupe who perform an act combining clowning and acrobatic skills and has won a coveted prize at the Monte Carlo Circus Festival and trained many students over the years.

As he applies his face paint before taking to the ring for the first of two daily shows, he says: "It's a hard but good life."

"We like it otherwise we wouldn't do it. The best thing is the applause. You stay young doing it."