Life in a family circus

Trapeze artist Lidia Nicols performs for a packed crowd with Mr Fips' Wonder Circus in Huntingdon, England, April 7, 2014.

Mr Fips' is a small, family run circus, who during their latest season, will travel the east of England until their season draws to a close in November.

They are a company of around 20 performers, all family and friends from the circus community. Their youngest member is 12 and their oldest is 75 years old. The troupe formed three years ago when Jan Erik Brenner and his wife Carolyn decided that they wanted to return the circus to the intimacy and magic of their childhood memories, and now play to audiences of between 100 and 500 adults and children.

Huntingdon, England

Trapeze artist Lidia Nicols, does her make-up before a show, in the tiny caravan that she shares with her son Angel, as they travel around England with Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014 .

Huntingdon, England

The circus tent, known as the "Big Top," inside which Mr Fips' Wonder Circus present their show of clowns, jugglers, trapeze artists and dressage, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Charlie the Clown played by 75-year-old Karl Brenner, currently the oldest working professional clown in the world, waits backstage, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Circus trapeze and hula artists Jana Roberts and Lidia Nicols work in the cotton candy and popcorn stall during an interval at Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

A toy clown sits in a trailer belonging to Karl Brenner, 75, the oldest working professional clown, who performs with his son Jan Erik Brenner's company Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Charlie the Clown played by 75-year-old Karl Brenner, waits backstage, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Shoes belonging to Charlie the Clown are lined up in the trailer belonging to his alter-ego Karl Brenner, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Jan Erik Brenner, in his costume as Mr. Fips the Clown, walks out to fix an ailing power generator, at the interval of Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

A shadow of the high wire act "Marco Polo" appears on the roof of the circus tent during Mr Fips' Wonder Circus' evening performance, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Jan Erik Brenner, as Mr. Fips the Clown, larks about backstage during a performance of Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

A team of shetland ponies walk into the ring to perform as part of Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

The Brenner family limits the ponies' act to a few minutes of running around the ring due to animal rights legislation on circuses.

Huntingdon, England

Circus artist Josiah Rose rushes from the Big Top tent to fix a broken power generator during a performance, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Summer Hazel, 5, with her grandfather Jim Hazel, covers her eyes as high wire act "Marco Polo" walks blindfolded across an inch-thick wire, high above the ground during Mr Fips' Wonder Circus' evening performance, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

A crowd looks towards the ceiling of the circus tent as high-wire artist "Marco Polo" prepares to balance on a chair, with no safety net during Mr Fips' Wonder Circus' evening performance, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Trapeze artist Lidia Nicols performs to a packed crowd with Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Circus artist Laura Ladbrooke adjusts the flowers in horse and dressage trainer Natasha Lacey's hair before gong out into the ring during Mr Fips' Wonder Circus' evening performance, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Circus artists Natasha Lacey and Laura Ladbrooke, prepare to go out into the ring for a final bow, at the end of a performance of Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

An amazed crowd holds its breath as high wire act Marco Polo balances on a chair high above the ground during Mr Fips' Wonder Circus' evening performance, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Mr. Fips the Clown closes the show in the Big Top, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Angel Nicols, 12, spins plates as the crowd begin to enter the Big Top tent for the first Mr Fips' Wonder Circus show of the day, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Mother and daughter Mel and Alicia Smith eat popcorn as they arrive early for to see Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Acrobat Laura Ladbrooke performs in the ring with Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Acrobat Laura Ladbrooke does her warm-up stretches in her tiny trailer as she warms up ahead of her performance with Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Natasha Lacey, horse trainer with Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, and assistant Laura Ladbrooke, prepare one of the circus' three horses Ulysses for his dressage act, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Natasha Lacey directs Shetland ponies in the circus ring during a performance on Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

A toilet seat with "The End" emblazoned across it lies on the ground backstage after being used by the clowns in Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

Huntingdon, England

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