“The immersive, live, family entertainment experience is unlike anything audiences have ever seen, filled with incredible feats that push the limits of human potential,” the entertainment company said in a statement.
A reimagined “Greatest Show on Earth” made it’s Boston debut at Agganis Arena at Boston University Thursday, featuring stunts and traditional acts with an added layer of “awe and wonder,” Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey said.
The circus is back in Boston — this time, without the animals that helped make Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey famous.
The show was long known for featuring animals, such as elephants and tigers, but the organization was dogged by decades of efforts by animal rights advocates and retired all of its elephants in 2016 before going on hiatus the following year, the Los Angeles Times and Washington Post reported.
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Even without animals, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey promises its re-imagined show will be filled with “explosive excitement,” featuring a “360-degree experience that brings fans into the action,” the statement said.
Daisy Lozada had to lower her head to avoid the HVAC system as she warmed up on the shoulders of Aria Pontigo before showtime. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
The performances include performers jumping over each other and riding bikes while on three 25-foot-tall wires connected in a triangular formation.
Some of the stunts are described as “even more extreme,” the statement said. One such stunt is “The Double Wheel of Destiny,” featuring four acrobatic daredevils performing back-and-forth leaps and somersaults atop two fast-spinning apparatuses suspended 30 feet above the ground.
Lauren Irving, the host of the show, prepared her makeup. Irving spends up to 3 hours on hair and makeup before each show. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
The acts will be conducted in a performance area that the circus dubbed “the ultimate playground” that evokes “a toy box activated by the incredible athletics of the performers.”
The show will go on for three weekends of performances starting at Agganis Arena from March 28 to April 7, followed by performances at the DCU Center in Worcester from April 12 to 14.
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Host Lauren Irving was on centerstage for the opening night show. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
Adam Sennott can be reached at adam.sennott@globe.com.