Something Great!

Something Great! — My Life in Belfast Circus
In 1989, a twenty-one year old American college dropout moves to Belfast, hoping that the Troubles in Northern Ireland will take care of her own. They do, but not in the way she ever imagined.

Written and performed by former Belfast Circus director Jennifer Dempsey, this is a raw portrait of a young woman who loses her way then finds herself in the circus. A heart-warming, 70 minute dramedy, “Something Great” is a coming of age story about searching for purpose and finding it in the most unlikely of places.

“Something Great!” recently sold out at the 2022 United Solo Festival in Broadway New York where it was called “Outstanding”, “Riveting” and “A completely unique take on life during the Troubles.”

Jennifer Dempsey is an Irish-American originally from Fairfax, Virginia in the US and has been a circus performer/director for 30 years. Jennifer was eight years old when she started circus training, thanks to an after school circus club run by her elementary school PE teacher Mr. Moyer. In 1989 Jennifer came to Belfast as an exchange student at Queen’s University but promptly dropped out when she discovered the Belfast Community Circus (BCC). From 1989 to 2001, Jennifer worked with BCC as a stilt walker, acrobat, juggler, unicyclist, and tutor before becoming artistic director in 1993. From 1991 to 1994, she worked with Circus 1 to 3 at St. Patrick’s Training School, and with Circo Rum Ba Ba in London from 1996 to 1997 and founded Circus Spectacky in Belfast in 1998. In 2002, Jennifer relocated to southern California and established the Scarlet Sisters Circus Company with her sister Jessica. In 2007 she moved to Colorado and started the Salida Circus which she still directs today. Jennifer dedicates this show to the memories of Mr Moyer and Mike Maloney.

Learn more:  thesalidacircus.com