JEDDAH, 29 July — The breathtaking trapeze acts of a 66-year-old Argentine grandfather and three motorcyclists simultaneously performing acrobats inside a globe were among the feats that drew endless applause from spectators show after show during the six-week “Big Top” event that ended at Andalus Street in Alhamra district here on Friday. The air-conditioned tent had seats for 3,000 spectators. One of its many eye-catching acts was a match played between two teams of dogs using balloons as footballs.
The match enacted a full drama like in a regular football match, with the referee displaying yellow and red cards against offending players, and an injured player dropping down and attended to by a medical team with a stretcher.
“The Big Top really topped during the current Jeddah summer festival going by record attendance of families and children,” Dr. Khalil Dahlawi of the Global Entertainment Co., told Arab News as the showmen packed up after a successful run. Global Entertainment Co. is a new joint venture between the Jeddah-based Moumena Entertainment and Britain’s Phillip Gandey World Class Entertainment.
Moumena Entertainment, with Mohammed A. Moumena as general manager, claims to have already made a mark as a national company providing clean and wholesome entertainment that is professionally conducted.
According to Dahlawi, the show this time was conducted and managed entirely by Saudis. “We had young Saudis cleaning the mats, helping the staff in readying the stage for various acts, aside from guiding spectators to their seats. This has given our youth the much needed training, confidence and encouragement in handling a show of this kind,” Dahlawi added.
Providing excitement and entertainment through their innovative acts were 25 artists assisted by a 20-member support staff. British engineers took care of details like the tent’s air-conditioning and lighting arrangements. “It has been a smooth run all through without any mishaps. There was a lot of excitement and drama. That’s why families like to see our shows,” Dahlawi said, adding: “Within three years, we’ve been successful in offering the best family entertainment to local vacationers.”
The show organizers, he said, had hired a special Saudi marketing company run by women who conducted a sample survey during each show eliciting opinions from families about the show. “We’ll analyze the opinions of families and try to offer them what they want in the future,” Dahlawi added.
“Our objective is to bring a different kind of show each summer in order to make it more interesting for vacationers,” Dahlawi said. Artists came from Cuba, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Spain, the UK and some African countries.
“Twenty acts were packed into each show daily, all tailored to suit the local culture and tradition,” said Event Manager Mike Docksey who also conducted the proceedings.
Special light and sound effects orchestrated by an expert team of British engineers were an added attraction.
“In the next 12 months we are planning shows in the Middle East and North Africa. Thereafter, we tour many countries in Europe and the Far East,” Docksey added.
