Crazy show.

August 13, Pleasant Hill, California.

In-house tradition commands that every year Circus Chimera puts up what it calls a "crazy show," a unique feat, as far as anybody knows in the circus. This year's edition went on last night, crowning a three-show day of work.
In the crazy show performers and non-performers alike get to mock the show and each other, dressing up and making fools of themselves and everything else, a welcome comic relief to a regimen of seven days a week, ten months a year work. Or a fools' parody of the fools, the jesters making fun of the jesters, the circus eating its tail.
This year, among others, Corey, the only gringo working with the tent crew, and who must weigh a good 200 pounds, took the part of Ekaterina as Alice, tio Tito dressed up as Sasa, the Chinese girl who does the hair hanging act, Fridman and Sasha did the Chinese girls' diablo act, Vilen, Sasha, Vasily and Fridman the Chinese boys' Chinese poles act, and Chago, of Mexico, one of the crew workers and an old-time circus guy, dressed up in a sparkly suit to act as Roy, the ring master (and manager of the show,) swinging in slow motion to blaring cheesy Latino tunes.
It was Fridman who did all the directing, choreographing and organizing this year, the first year the Chimal family wasn't there to take charge. He ran around like a madman before the show, checking a wig here, makeup there, cracking up, running off again.

Corey and Ekaterina before the show.