Category:Valan Luca's Circus

Valan Luca’s Circus

Author: Kerna Shedrian

Introduction

Valan Luca’s Grand Traveling Show and Magnificent Display of Marvels and Wonders, to give it its full name (WH, Ch. 15), is a travelling menagerie. This show travels with both performers and animals.

Travelling Menagerie

Performers

a woman was making two black bears with white faces balance themselves on big red balls. this one traveled with human performers: two men were juggling ribbon twined hoops between them, four acrobats were practicing standing on' one another's shoulders in a tall column, and a woman was feeding a dozen dogs that walked on their hind legs and did backflips for her. In the background, some other men were putting up two tall poles; she had no idea what they were for.

Animals

Among the show's animals are; A black-maned lion and his two consorts, A capar, from the Aiel Waste, Brightly colored birds, Three s'redit; a bull, a cow and a calf, (TFoH, Ch. 13) Two black bears with white faces which perform tricks, A dozen performing dogs,

Organization & Roles

Valan Luca is the ringmaster, though that is not the term used to describe him in the series. He keeps the show together through his own persuasion more than anything else. (KoD, Ch. 10) His wife Latelle, in addition to her role as a performer, dispenses ointments to the showfolk. (KoD, Ch. 25) As the show grew seamstresses joined the show but before this all costumes would have been sewn by Clarine, though Luca is the person behind the choice of colors and cuts. (See Costumes) Although there is no set hierarchy to the group, everyone but the children have a vote. (KoD, Ch. 10) It is also noted that the horse handlers are the lowest rung on the ladder as they perform no acts, earning the lowest pay and doing the dirtiest work. (TFoH, Ch. 17) Included in the horse handlers duties is collecting the money at the entrance, guarding the performer's entrance against people who might try to sneak in without paying

Costumes

Timeline

Before its first appearance in the series little is known about where the show has been except that it was in Illian around the time the Hunt of the Horn was called. (TFoH, Ch. 36) Elayne, Nynaeve, Thom and Juilin first encounter the show outside a town called Sienda in Amadicia. (TFoH, Ch. 13)

Miscellaneous

Galad detests menageries as he thinks caging animals is cruel (TFoH, Ch. 33)