Together with the local community, we’re continuing to uncover and celebrate these remarkable stories through creative events, storytelling, and shared memories. Many people have great memories of seeing these incredible local daredevils rehearsing, performing and wowing people passing by. 

Derrico Alzanas

We’ve already found a whole new story from the original Davis family- with brother Edgar, who stayed in the UK whilst Harold, Elsie, Hilda and Minnie went off to America, formed ‘The Derrico Alzanas", with his sons Derek and Brian, who had a successful touring career across the UK and Europe. We've been working with his Granddaughter, Julie, to build an archive.

Maltby Residency

We began the project with a week-long immersive residency in Maltby. Where audiences reconnected with their town’s vibrant past through hands-on workshops with Let's Circus, live performances, sharing of memories and creative storytelling

Young people are taking an active role working with Rotherham Museums, Arts and Heritage in preserving this special story, gathering oral histories, participating in creative writing activities, and forging new connections across generations.

Much of the activity has happened in local schools and through direct engagement with the wider community, ensuring that Maltby's proud heritage is both honoured and shared. Over the Summer, 1306 people have taken part in circus activity locally, learning how to juggle, balance on a training wire, ride miniature bikes and explore heaps of circus kit and learn about the history of their local daredevils.

A key highlight of the residency was at the community event, Maltby Community Festival, on May 31st 2025, with 1123 local residents, including Alzana family descendents, watching in awe as Chris Bullzini and his team performed breathtaking acts up in the air on an 18m long high wire. Let’s Circus also delivered engagement activities throughout the day, alongside a lively programme of performances and community celebrations. 

We were thrilled to contribute to a double-page feature article in the Yorkshire Post, with Julie Fisher interviewed by Laura Reid about her family's high-wire walking history. Read the article here.

WE WONDER Festival 2025

WE WONDER Festival took place at Wentworth Woodhouse on Saturday 30th August. We were delighted to work with the Wentworth Woodhouse team to share the stories of the Alzanas and Skid Skinner & Daredevil Alma. Chris Bullzini, with a team of fabulous performer,s took to the sky to tell the story of the Alzanas and Derrico Alzanas and their training roots in a back garden in Maltby, and the Let's Circus team and Fatt Matt entertained 981visitors in the Magpie Tent. 

Rotherham Show 2025

Rotherham Show returns to Clifton Park on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th. Find out more about Rotherham Show here.

If you’ve not had the chance to watch Chris Bullzini on the high wire, he will be at Rotherham Show this weekend! Across the two days, he will be walking the high-wire alongside circus-inspired performances by Let’s Circus in the Magpie tent and a high-impact, high-skilled circus production of Bamboo by No Fit State.

At Rotherham Show, a mobile museum trailer will display archival photographs, Pathé film footage, and community stories and memories, shining a light on how local heroes like the Alzanas helped shape the broader history of circus arts. 

The project is delivered by Flux Rotherham and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, in partnership with RMBC Neighbourhoods Team, Rotherham Museums, Arts and Heritage and Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust.

Image: Alzana's Family high-wire performance. Courtesy of Barry Knowles and family.