SUMMER MEMORIES/MARION FOSSETT:'AS RING MISTRESS OF Fossett's Circus, I don't get a lot of down time during the summer, so come January my best friend Maxi [the RTÉ Radio 1 DJ] and I go on what I call our Thelma and Louise travels. "We've been best friends for 30 years. We're like an old married couple. We can finish each other's sentences and even fill in the missing gaps in each other's lives.
"Together we have a giggle and a laugh. The last sun holiday we took was an all-inclusive trip to Tenerife. There was a show on every night. One night the poor fella in charge couldn't get a single person up for karaoke. Maxi thought it would be hilarious to volunteer me. I'd had a few glasses of wine and happily sang The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss). I blew them away. Yer man said: 'You were very good, you should be a singer.'
"I can no longer lie on a beach for two weeks. I get quite bored. Consequently, we've changed our style of holiday to city excursions, where there's more to see and do. We both compiled a list of destinations and we already know we're going to Rome in January and Las Vegas in 2012. "We visited London to take in some West End shows – Rowan Atkinson as Fagin in Oliver, and Carouselwith Lesley Garrett.
“Our next trip was to Paris as Maxi hadn’t been. I wanted to show her the Bouglione Circus where my brother-in-law is Fumagalli – a very famous clown at the Cirque d’Hiver, a beautiful brick structure with Corinthian pillars.
“The dream destination on my list was Nashville. I’ve been a country and western fanatic since the word go. I stood in the same spot as Patsy Cline on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry and trawled the floors of memorabilia there. We stayed in the Gaylord Hotel, a hilarious place with an extensive area under glass. It was like living in a life-size terrarium. We sipped drinks by its fake stream, not bothered by the thunder and lightning overhead.“We’ve also visited Liverpool together. Maxi is a huge Beatles fan. We did the Magical Mystery Tour, which was really good. My father was fascinated by the Titanic so while Maxi delved deeper into Beatleland, I took a look at the White Star Line’s office.
“Touring with Fossett’s, I’ve seen the whole of Ireland and the country is a lot prettier than it was 20 years ago.
“The difference between me and the average ringmaster is that I sing in the finale and I wear more bling. I’m looking forward to the Rose of Tralee. This will be our 50th year at the festival, and Electric Picnic is another very special weekend. I’m hoping to catch Roxy Music.”
In conversation with Alanna Gallagher
For a full list of tour dates, see fossettscircus.com or tel: 1890-247287
