The Greatest Show: an oral history

The Greatest Show was a performance art production that took over Peterborough’s collective imagination in the summer of 1988. Local musicians, performing artists, theatre technicians and more were brought together by renowned Canadian composer R. Murray Schafer. They put their creative efforts together to create a “circus of the damned” in Del Crary Park. This haunted and twisted circus was an experimental production that challenged the audience by forcing them to participate and experience a show that was taking place all around them.Artist and academic LA Alfonso reached out to some of the artists involved in The Greatest Show and has collected an oral history for Peterborough Currents. Many of the artists recalled that the show was influential in shaping their artistic practices. They found the blend of site-specific outdoor shows and unexpected locations highly inspiring for future projects.The man who brought the project together, R. Murray Schafer, passed away last year at age 88 in his home near Peterborough. The memorials prompted Peterborough Currents to start exploring Schafer’s local legacy, and how this momentous production in the late 1980s has had ripple effects through to today.Take a listen through the recollections and sounds of the show, in this oral history podcast, produced by LA Alfonso. Hosted by Ayesha Barmania.