Carnival Diablo is in Town
By Michael Vaillancourt
The freaks were on town for two shows last Monday, Nov. 11 and 18th as the Carnival Diablo (The Ultimate Sideshow) captivated and amazed a packed house at Café Campus, with their bizarre acts and unique talents.
Although this was the first time the sideshow had come to Montreal, it has existed as the only Canadian traveling sideshow since 1920. It was founded by Prof. N.P. Lewchuk , who searched far and wide for extraordinary individuals with strange talents to join his circus. This great family heritage is still being carried on today by Scott McClelland, who is Lewchuk’s grandson and the new ringmaster for the Carnival Diablo. “ My grandfather owned the largest traveling sideshow in Canada from 1920 to 1968. Our family has been involved in this business for a long time and I wanted it to continue” stated Scott McClelland.
Aside from McClelland, the sideshow also included: Daniel Reagler (The Impaler), Galen Kane (Strongman), Countess Vanessa, and two of Montreal’s own, Angela Laurier (contortionist) and Istvan Noumenon (sword swallower). The ringmaster not only narrated the entire evening dressed as a slick and stylin’ Diablo, but also ate razorblades and conducted a séance which resulted in the levitation of a table. This was just the tip of the iceberg for what these guys had planned for the audience.
People were shocked, to say the least, when the beautiful Countess Vanessa showed her fetish for bugs and began poping crickets and slimy worms into her mouth. “I’ve been eating bugs since I was a young child, but I only started getting paid for it since February” stated the Countess. She then went in to eat glass, and for the first time ever in front of an audience, walked and jumped on broken beer bottles sans blood (what a gal!)
Other impressive acts included massive Kane who used his awesome strength to bend a steel bar, his back was used for a dart board and he also got electrocuted in a authentic electric chair. The two local heroes: Laurier and Noumenon, were not holding anything back when showing their impressive abilities to their home town. Laurier is the only person in a sideshow circus, who can do spinal contortions. She used to be with the Cirque du Soleil. It was very interesting to see the extent that she could twist and bend her body. All her positions looked natural and easy for her to pull off, but I wouldn’t recommend trying them at home. Also appearing for the first time with the carnival was Noumenon, who is the only Canadian who is making a living at swallowing swords. He looked relaxed as he swallowed a 22 and 24 inch sword. (Hey wouldn’t be?) Not wanting to let his hometown down, he also put a blow torch out on his tongue. (That’s hot folks!)
Perhaps the most interesting part of the evening came from soft spoken Reagler, who shocked the crowd by sticking sharpened spokes through his cheeks, forearms, eyebrows and his voice box. There was no blood, and no reaction of pain on his face, which is more then can be said about the horrified audience, who looked like they were going to pass out. “ I’ve been doing impaling for 15 years. I use it as a means to separate my mind from my body,” Reagler stated.
The show was a huge success, and the crew received a huge standing ovation from a satisfied crowd. The performers were so cool that they even hung around afterwards to meet and speak with fans. For all those that attended one of the shows, you know it kicked serious ass and was well worth the 12 buck cover charge. If you missed it, shame on you!!! And you better hope the carnival rolls back into our town again.
