The Greatest Shows on Earth: A Century of Vaudeville, Circuses and Carnivals

Roll Up, Roll Up for an unforgettable experience! This film tells the story of itinerant circus performers, cabaret acts and fairground attractions. In this film, rarities and never-before seen footage of fairgrounds, circus entertainment, freak shows, variety performances, music hall and seaside entertainment are chronicled from the 19th and 20th century. We will see early shows that wowed the world and home movies of some of the greatest circus families.

Director Benedikt Erlingsson takes us back to the days when the most outlandish, skillful and breathtaking acts traveled the world.

This rich visual archive has been created with exclusive access to The University of Sheffield’s National Fairground Archive and will be accompanied by an epic new score by Georg Holm and Orri Pall Dyrason of Sigur Ros, in collaboration with Hilmar Orn Hilmarsson.