SHARJAH, UAE- Visitors walked alongside 10-foot-tall performers and experienced the thrill of the circus at the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2026).
German stilt-walking entertainers Janine Jaeggi and Martin Sasse took to the halls of SIBF 2026 with their performance, ‘The Carousel Royals’. Founders of the Germany-based performance group returned to the book fair with a new production.
Dressed in bright makeup and elaborate costumes adorned with frills and circus-themed decorations, the performers made their way through the halls, interacting with visitors. Sasse carried a hula hoop and challenged passers-by to jump through it.
Jaeggi’s elaborate bell-shaped dress featured miniature circus scenes in which traditional roles were reversed. In one, a rabbit swung on a trapeze while pulling a human out of a hat. Another depicted a lion taming its trainer, while a third featured an elephant proclaiming its return home.
“We wanted to show a reversed reality of the circus, and show how it would be if humans were the spectacle,” Sasse explained.
Jaeggi said she particularly enjoyed seeing the wonder and astonishment on visitors’ faces.
“Our performances are minimal contact shows where we get mere moments with the viewers; I love seeing the instant smiles on all members of the audience as they see us,” she said.
The roaming shows programme extends throughout SIBF’s halls and lobbies, featuring towering theatrical performers, imaginative characters moving through the crowds and other interactive performances designed to surprise and engage visitors.
Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority, the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2026) runs from November 4 to 15 at Expo Centre Sharjah under the theme ‘Made of Stories’, with the Sultanate of Oman as Guest of Honour. The fair brings together 3,212 publishers and exhibitors from 126 countries, showcasing more than 1.7 million titles. Its programme features 1,500 cultural, creative and artistic events, with 106 guests from 25 countries.
