PHOTO COURTESY OF FELD ENTERTAINMENT

For the first time in eight years, the “Greatest Show on Earth” is rolling through town.

That name has, for more than a century, referred to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the iconic traveling show that conjures images of ringleaders, clowns and elephants even in those too young to remember three rings on the floor of the old Civic Arena.

Only one difference: The version of the “Greatest Show” that will arrive at PPG Paints Arena this weekend won’t have ringleaders, clowns or elephants.

In fact, the closest thing to an animal in the show is a robot dog, Bailey — who, admittedly, is quite entertaining.

“We’re celebrating the humans we have in the show,” says Wesley Williams, a performer with the recently relaunched circus. Williams, the “One Wheel Wonder,” is a world-record-holding unicyclist who has performed around the world. He saw a Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus as a child and it launched his love of performing; he’s making his Ringling Brothers debut with this latest tour. “I’ve been a fan all my life,” he says, performing at “huge circuses around the world … [but there are] none bigger than Ringling Brothers.”

In proper daredevil fashion, the circus is returning from a near-certain demise. Citing animal welfare concerns, Ringling Brothers retired its trained elephants in 2016 — a commendable decision that nevertheless led to decreased interest in the show. The storied circus went on an indefinite hiatus in 2017; many believed the break to be permanent.

PHOTO COURTESY FELD ENTERTAINMENT

And then, from the brink of disaster, a flourish: Owners Feld Entertainment in 2021 announced a relaunch. The first Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus in six years took place last month; it will make its first Pittsburgh appearance since 2015 this weekend.

So: Without the traditional trained animals and without clowns (who have had a bit of bad PR lately), what does the circus look like?

“Expect the unexpected,” Williams says. “We’ve done everything to enhance the experience for the audience … the audience feels like they’re a part of the show. They get up close to the acrobats, almost see the sweat dripping off as they walk a wire 20 feet in the air.”

In Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse — where the circus invited Pittsburgh Magazine to preview a show before its Pittsburgh stop — a happy audience, mostly comprised of families, laughed at slapstick hijinks and oohed and aahed at mid-air acrobatics. The traditional feats of derring-do associated with circuses, such as highwire walkers, trapeze artists and a show-closing human cannonball, were present, in impressive (and visibly safe) form. Williams rode a number of different unicycles, including one that placed him more than three stories above the ground.

In between some of those traditional acts were performers sourced from all over the world offering feats more associated with Cirque du Soleil and its imitators — marvelous displays of strength, grace and coordination, such as a midair dance routine on two spinning rings.

PHOTO COURTESY FELD ENTERTAINMENT

These acts were, from an athletic standpoint, considerably more impressive than the showier routines. The reaction, however, was more muted, particularly from the youngest audience members. While Cirque du Soleil is aimed at all audiences, it is somewhat more suited for adults; Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey is also an all-ages affair but traditionally more appealing to children. It’s one of the only arena shows where the line for the Icee vendor will dwarf the queue for beer.

The spectacle, however, is very much intact; at many moments, the three-ring circus of yore returns with acts throughout the arena floor, daring the eye to look away from any one performer lest a spectacular feat go unnoticed. And while a traditional ringleader would probably be a benefit — while video screens introduced each act, someone hyping the crowd and explaining the feats would be a boon — the show was more than exciting enough to keep adults and children engaged.

It’s a different circus, but the feeling of the “Greatest Show” persists. Williams summarizes the new attitude of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey: “We’re trying to have similar fun — in the most extravagant way.”