The Space Cowboy wears a black tutu and has fishooks in his eye sockets. They are attached to a cord which is attached to a trolley. Sitting on the trolley is TigerLil, a petite Burlesque dancer. When the Space Cowboy pulls TigerLil across the stage, to loud cheers from the audience, I understand what the attraction is to sideshows: If they mess things up, we'll all have one bloody good story to tell.
It would seem hurting yourself is not only entertaining for others, but you can make a living from it. Sword swallowing, as ringleader Shep quips, "is a dying art". The Space Cowboy performs several sword swallows during the one hour show, and each time I feel myself fighting the urge to gag. He swallows a sword with a bar welded to it, with gas bottles suspended from the bar. He recently broke the world record for weight lifting while sword swallowing (seriously, who thinks this shit up??) by lifting a total weight of 22.4 kg, about the same as a large border collie.
Accompanying the Space Cowboy with their own death defying stunts are Ringleader Shep, who puts his arm in a dingo trap, and suspends a live car battery from his nipple piercings (no, not simultaneously). Zoë Ellis becomes a watermelon chopping block, and climbs a sword stepladder - barefoot. Beautiful, graceful Tiger Lil mesmerises all with her hula hoop dancing. I won't give away the finale, but there are a lot of sparks!
Tonight is the last time you will see The Monster Sideshow in Byron this year, so check it out. It may be your last chance to see it, ever!
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