Paranormal Cirque brings nightmare under the big top to Kingston

A familiar-looking big top has set up outside Kingston's Cataraqui Centre, but the inside production is far from your typical family circus. The Paranormal Cirque Nightmare show opens its Kingston run Friday, blending circus acrobatics with theatrical horror, cabaret, and mature audience interaction.

Before guests take their seats, costumed characters roam the entrance, transforming the parking lot into a sinister world of its own. The production, created by performers seeking a darker alternative to traditional circus, brings together aerialists, acrobats, zombies, demons, and characters covered in fake blood.

Ensemble member Momi, who has been with the show since it began in Italy in 2014, explained that Paranormal Cirque is a mix of theatre, cabaret, horror, and more. The show's creator, performing under the name Garpej Wrete, has spent four years touring the production across Canada and the United States. His costumes and characters undergo frequent changes, drawing inspiration from burlesque and grotesque imagery.

Wrete shared that the production does not balance sensuality and horror; instead, it leans more heavily toward the erotic, with 60% sexiness and 40% horror. The performers' character interactions often depend on audience responses, adjusting their approach based on how spectators embrace the scares or offer unexpected reactions.

The show is limited to guests aged 13 and older, with those between 13 and 17 requiring an adult aged 21 or older to attend. Organizers warn of adult language, sexual humor, and potentially unsuitable material for younger viewers. The strong advance ticket sales have already led organizers to extend the Kingston engagement by another weekend, stating that one week will not suffice.

Paranormal Cirque Nightmare will continue outside the Cataraqui Centre through September 6. Tickets and showtimes can be found on the official Paranormal Cirque website.