Remember how, in Disney’s Dumbo (1941), there was the circus scene right at the end with the cute flying elephant, and everyone was singing, and everything was all bright and happy?
Paranormal Cirque II is not like that.
Do you remember the utterly terrifying ‘“Pink Elephants on Parade” dream sequence where demonic elephants parade to an eerie march?
The feeling evoked there is much closer to Paranormal Cirque II (though, nothing truly compares to the fever dream that was Dumbo).
Paranormal Cirque II is an R-rated horror circus with bad language, sexual humor, and acrobatics and circus acts provided by ghosts, zombies, vampires and werewolves. “It’s scary, it’s sexy and it’s funny,” says Steve Copeland, a Paranormal Cirque II spokesperson and comedian. “All of our performers do amazing things, and most of them look good with their shirts off, or at least in a bra. And then I provide the comedy, and I also look good in a bra.”
“This is a great night out for adults, whether it’s a fun night out with friends or a killer date night,” Copeland says. (Children 13 and up must be accompanied by an adult.)
“It’s a horror circus, because all of our acts are performed by ghosts, by vampires, by werewolves, by zombies,” says Copeland, who grew up wanting to be a circus clown (for some reason). “So you’re going to see some traditional and nontraditional circus acts, all performed by these horrific creatures.”
The acts are extreme, mind-bending and wicked. In other words, this circus is “in-tents.”
The Arizona-based circus will set up shop at the Lane County Events Center with a massive, temperature controlled tent, complete with circus concessions, horror merchandise and all things scary. “The experience begins from the moment you walk into our tent,” Copeland says. If you arrive an hour early, you’ll experience a pre-show haunt, where “you get to meet our performers up close and personal in a haunt attraction environment, and they’re going to scare the heck out of you before they walk on stage.”
He says that the undead are a useful demographic to employ for the circus, not just because they’re terrifying, but also for matters regarding workers’ comp and pay. “We’re able to get away with a lot of shady stuff with them. They think they’ve got a good union, but they don’t,” he says joyously. “We don’t even have to pay them unemployment or any kind of that stuff, because they’re dead.”
This is Paranormal Cirque II’s third time coming to Eugene, but Copeland says that it’s still worth showing up if you’re returning. “I feel like we get bigger and better every year, because we’re always adding new acts, new ideas. We’re always bumping up the production value, adding different elements,” he says. If you haven’t seen the show before, though, he says “this is the perfect chance, because we’re always trying to make the show burn better.”
Copeland says that the “II” in Paranormal Cirque’s title is because they are the second of four Paranormal Cirque units across the country. “We’re The Godfather Part II, or the sequel that’s better than the movie,” he says.
Copeland also says this show is suitable for the faint of heart, or as he puts it, “those who identify as chicken,” so long as they skip the pre-show haunt.
“I get it,” he says. “I still recommend you come to see the show. You’re going to see some amazing things.” That being said, if witnessing extreme acrobatic stunts from tall heights, contortions and sword-swallowing makes you queasy, definitely keep that in mind.
“It’s fun, scary, jaw-dropping and funny,” Copeland says. “I would just recommend not waiting until the last minute, because we often sell out.”
Paranormal Cirque II will be in Eugene April 25 through 28 at the Lane County Events Center, 796 West 13th Avenue. Friday’s shows are 7:30 pm and 10 pm, Saturday’s at 6:30 pm and 9:30 pm. Sunday’s shows are 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm and Monday’s show is 7:30 pm. Children 12 and under will not be admitted. Children 13 to 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets are available at ParanormalCirque.com starting at $20.