Circus performer comes back home to Crawley

A woman who grew up in Crawley with a dream to join the circus will be on stage at the town's Hawth theatre tomorrow night (Thursday January 21).
Harley Fox, who grew up in Three Bridges, Crawley, has had a dream of being in a circus troupe come true. She is touring with the Circus of Horrors - submitted xPQpi9kgb_ukvVoNic2kHarley Fox, who grew up in Three Bridges, Crawley, has had a dream of being in a circus troupe come true. She is touring with the Circus of Horrors - submitted xPQpi9kgb_ukvVoNic2k
Harley Fox, who grew up in Three Bridges, Crawley, has had a dream of being in a circus troupe come true. She is touring with the Circus of Horrors - submitted xPQpi9kgb_ukvVoNic2k

Harley Fox who lived in Three Bridges always dreamt of a life in show business but growing up in Sussex she never believed that when her opportunity came it would be straight into the cult show The Circus of Horrors.

She had more surprises when she found out that within two weeks of joining them she would be performing in London’s O2 for ten days.

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Harley, 24, trained in animal management in Plumpton Collage but left after two years after deciding she wanted her career to take a different direction.

Keeping her options open, she had also taught herself to Hula Hoop while studying.

A while later she saw an advert on the Circus of Horrors website appealing for ‘unusual acts and artistes’.

The Circus of Horrors has won international acclaim in recent years after reaching the final of Britain’s Got Talent.

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Its appearances on various subsequent television shows has turned what started as a cult show into a household name.

In 2014 it became the first circus to appear on London’s West End in 100 years and last year returned to ‘The Fuji Rock Festival’ in Japan.

The advert, which Hayley spotted, said the new recruits would perform in the show’s 21st anniversary CarnEvil tour this year.

She felt she had nothing to lose and applied.

Harley said: “I thought it sounded great. I first saw the Circus of Horrors when I was 12. My mum and dad took me along and I just wanted to be a part of it. I then saw them on them on Britain’s Got Talent and loved it so I thought I would apply

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“I went along for the interview and I auditioned in Dr Haze’s back garden in Wimbledon.”

An even bigger thrill for Harley was that within weeks of joining the show she was performing in theatres all over the UK, including the O2 Arena. During the Christmas period she was performing in Amsterdam.

Now Harley is a featured Hula Hooper in the show which is on a nationwide tour.

One of her acts includes the traditional crowd pleaser where there hula hoops are set on fire.

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The tour is coming to Sussex venues including Crawley’s Hawth, where it will run on Turshday January 21.

Later dates in the area are Friday January 22 at the White Rock Theatre, The Capitol Horsham on Sunday February 28 and at the Brighton Theatre Royal on Monday March 14.

Go to www.circusofhorrors.co.uk to find out more.