Igor Rasputin’s Caravan of Lost Souls at Camp Bestival
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Exiled from his native Prussia, Igor Rasputin and his incredible ape-powered pop-up Circus is forever feted to travel the four corners of the Globe, gathering the Greatest Wonders of the World for his extraordinary menagerie!
We were at Camp Bestival 2015, and just making our way back to the camp site, when we spotted this band of travellers – Igor Rasputin’s Caravan of Lost Souls. We stopped to watch the performance which can only be described as a Victorian style sideshow (I want to say freak show, but that’s not very PC these days!). This act is one that spurred me to write “the randomness” as one of the reasons to go to Camp Bestival!
A pop-up stage was erected by the trained circus chimps, and the ringmaster began to introduce the acts, starting with the Boneless Corpse Bride, and then some impressive hula-hoop action from another performer, whose name I didn’t catch. They did have some sound issues, and the pop-up circus had stopped in a rather noisy spot near The Feast Collective with the music blaring from that tent, so it made things a bit tricky to hear! They were not having much luck erecting the stage either, but took it all in their stride, with the show must go on mentality that all good performers have!
We didn’t stop to watch it all, as it was getting crowded and I was starting to feel a bit hemmed in, so I had to make my way out. I do hope these guys are at Camp Bestival next year, I would love to see them again!
Here are the photographs I took of Igor Rasputin’s Caravan of Lost Souls at Camp Bestival, and a short montage of video clips my husband took too. And right at the end is a photo of me with a circus chimp who either a) took a fancy to me, or b) thought I was a suitable freak to join the circus :p
Check out all of my Camp Bestival posts.
Disclosure: I received family Camp Bestival 2015 tickets in return for previews and reviews of this year’s festival. As always, views and opinions are my own.
matt page
September 13, 2018 @ 12:12 pm
bit late to the party – but wonderful words and great set of pics.. i’ll be sure to make the performers aware :) glad you like our show!
Michelle Ordever
September 18, 2018 @ 11:12 am
Better late than never, I always say! It was a great show!
Michelle Ordever
August 14, 2015 @ 4:19 pm
It was very cool and a fab festival
BavarianSojourn
August 12, 2015 @ 4:27 pm
Brilliant pics Michelle! What a creative bunch too! I remember watching Jim Rose’s Circus at Reading Festival one year, similarly dressed bunch just with chainsaws and the like! :D
Michelle Ordever
August 12, 2015 @ 4:31 pm
Thank you! I took a look at the act online, and would seem that they do some more dare-devil, more risqué stuff too.. this act at Camp Bestival was clearly for the family audience! Would love to see it at a more grown up setting!
Lulastic
August 11, 2015 @ 12:44 pm
Ah, yes! This was one of the things we had to hurry past as two year old Juno finds things like this super freaky – looked INCREDIBLE though!
Michelle Ordever
August 12, 2015 @ 4:32 pm
Aww, I’m not surprised! To very young children they must look very freaky!
lisa prince
August 10, 2015 @ 12:39 pm
oh wow this is something that looks absolutely fantastic
Michelle Ordever
August 12, 2015 @ 4:32 pm
It was great! Hope they are back next year!
JuggleMum, Nadine Hill
August 10, 2015 @ 11:06 am
Oh my! Another great Camp Bestival discovery! I’ve been 4 times and never seen Igor Rasputin’s Caravan of Lost Souls – CB is nothing if not random!!! Great post!
Michelle Ordever
August 12, 2015 @ 4:33 pm
Wow, crazy! Just goes to show how much is on at Camp Bestival doesn’t it?
Erika
August 10, 2015 @ 10:30 am
How fantastic and what a fabulous get up they all have on!
Michelle Ordever
August 12, 2015 @ 4:33 pm
I agree – they look fantabulous :D
Kara
August 10, 2015 @ 9:49 am
This is always my highlight show at Camp Bestival – there is so much attention to detail in it
Michelle Ordever
August 12, 2015 @ 4:33 pm
I’m so glad we caught these guys – it was fantastic to watch.