Generation Change - A Conversation with Vivian Paul

Vivian Paul follows in her father's footsteps and takes over growing responsibility at Circus Roncalli.(c) Circus Roncalli, Photo: Tonda Bardehle

Three years ago, I had the honor of moderating a panel discussion with the "strong women of the German circus." I am referring to Stephanie Probst of Circus Probst, Larissa Kastein of Flic Flac, Lara Cabello of Varieté et cetera, and Vivian Paul of Circus Roncalli. They all have one thing in common: they are junior managers of the businesses founded by their parents. Two things that are far from self-evident elsewhere are a reality in the circus industry: generational change in family businesses and women taking the lead.

Now I met Vivian Paul, better known by her short name Vivi, at the Roncalli tour start in Oberhausen. In the year leading up to the company's fiftieth anniversary, we talked about how she sought and found her role as the successor to her famous father, Bernhard Paul, together with her siblings Adrian and Lilly Paul.

As we are talking about her childhood in the circus, preparations for the afternoon performance begin around us in the tent. We're sitting in one of the lavishly decorated boxes, on chairs upholstered in red velvet. As a teenager, Vivi also went through a phase when she thought, "I don't want all these flourishes, I want something modern," she admits. During that time, she was unsure where her path would lead her and what role the circus would play in it.

Vivian Paul in the spotlight in the Roncalli ring (c) Circus Roncalli, Photo: Bertrand Guay

She attended circus school until seventh grade, her teacher traveled from city to city with Roncalli. Afterwards, she had to leave the circus to attend a public school in Cologne, the home of the circus's winter quarters – a tragedy for her mother, who comes from the rich Italian circus family Larible. In a traveling circus, it was natural to try out different circus disciplines. But in Cologne, Vivi lacked the motivation to continue training alone in the cold hall of the quarters.

When she returned to the circus at 18, she first had to get back into circus life. "It's actually quite fun here, so I'm thinking about what I'm doing here," she says, summing up her attitude. Initially, that was all in the circus ring. Together with the other young circus artists, she participated in a "New Generation" opening and a newly rehearsed roller skating act, and she also trained on the aerial hoop.

Back in the circus at the age of 18, Vivian Paul trained for an act on the aerial hoop (c) Circus Roncalli

At some point, she remembered her father's words, which he had taught his children from early on: "I can always hire artists, you also have to learn things that will be useful to me later." So she came up with the plan to skip a tour and get to know all the different areas during the winter quarters instead.

The "sacred halls" of the winter quarters in Cologne Mühlheim are the heart of Roncalli – a true dream factory, which Vivi soberly calls "WQ 1". This is where the historic circus wagons are restored, nostalgic wooden fences are repainted. From here, the now widely diverse activities, from company events to Christmas markets, are coordinated. This was where Vivi would find the key to learning the crucial behind-the-scenes processes. What Vivi couldn't have known at the time: the entire circus would be taking a break along with her – it was the year the pandemic began. Employees had to be sent home with heavy hearts, and a sudden silence fell over the otherwise busy place.

In the Roncalli winter quarters in Cologne Mühlheim (c) Daniel Burow

Even though she wasn't able to learn much about the operational processes at first, looking back, she learned something even more important: "That was when I realized how important it really was to me, how heartbreaking it would be, and how I wouldn't even know what to do with my life if the circus were no longer there." Vivi was thus strengthened in her plan to do everything she could to follow in her father's footsteps: "When you're afraid of losing everything that's your home, it gives you another motivation."

Her father was initially skeptical about how serious she was about it, she admits. But when she then tackled even unpleasant tasks like clearing out and tidying up the extensive costume collection with great dedication, she earned his approval.

New tasks were to follow. Circus is "learning by doing" – and Vivi learned the most in the office. She joined the casting department, her first operational job – and exactly the right one for Vivi: "When you're in casting, you're in a central position; you're involved in the events, the circus, the Apollo Varieté; you get to see a lot of things going on."

Vivi has found a good division of responsibilities with her two siblings. Lilly travels a lot after her success on the TV show "Let's Dance" and has developed an affinity for marketing and social media through her various activities in the media world. Adrian works almost exclusively at the Apollo Varieté, where he directs the show every spring.

Paul family - Vivian next to her brother Adrian, her sister Lilly, mother Eliane and father Bernhard Paul. (c) Circus Roncalli

Vivi is glad that the burden of the generational change doesn't fall solely on her. "What my father built can no longer be handled by one person," she notes. Sometimes he says, "We're just a circus," but Roncalli has long since become much more, much more complex. There are many areas to cover – and one thing remains a particular challenge: "He's also a personality, something you can't acquire or learn; those are big shoes to fill."

While the circus's touring program is the sanctuary where all decisions lie with Bernhard Paul, the Apollo Varieté offers a kind of "testing ring," as Vivi puts it. "We used to have every act approved at the Apollo," she says, "but we don't have to anymore." The greater degree of freedom is also due to the challenge of constantly putting together new shows. "He doesn't like knife throwers, for example," she reveals, "but he understands that with four shows a year, you'll eventually run out of genres." But one thing is clear to Vivi: "For me, my father always has the final say. If he says 'I don't like it', then it won't be done." However, she finds that easy to accept because she always understands his decisions.

With a generational change, the question of continuity versus change inevitably arises. In the fifty years of Roncalli, Bernhard Paul's constant ideas and visions have been an element of its continuity. Standing still, simply preserving a concept, no matter how successfully established, cannot be the way forward. But the core of Roncalli's brand, its nostalgic appearance, will remain untouched, Vivi is certain of that. She sees important distinguishing features in the theatrical ambience, characterized by elaborate decorations, as well as in the poetic moments: "There are many types of circus, and you have to ask yourself, 'What kind of circus am I?'"

Nostalgia as a unique selling point - evening atmosphere at Circus Roncalli (c) Circus Roncalli

On the other hand, rivalry does not play any role for Vivi. She's always happy when she sees Larissa Kastein: "We're a new generation, we should work together, we're friends." The current show at the Apollo Varieté is directed by Flic-Flac offspring Tom Kastein.

Among Vivi's passions are the costumes. As a child, she was in love with the opulent dresses of the Rococo painting, a visual highlight of Roncalli's programs in the mid-1990s. While cleaning out the wardrobe she discovered these old costumes that had seen their best days and saved them for Roncalli's winter show in New York. Since then, under her supervision, a new wardrobe and Roncalli's first costume workshop have been created.

Vivi wants to implement her ideas in more areas: "I've been thinking for a while about how we could produce more acts from scratch." Her dream is a place where rehearsals can take place, where props and costumes can be made specifically for the act. "We used to produce more original Roncalli numbers, and I want to get back to that," she sets as her goal.

She's currently transitioning from casting to a new, more senior role in which she wants to expand her knowledge. She wants to spend more time with her father, for example at press conferences on the tour, and support him in the implementation of his next passion project: the anniversary program next year. "Especially for the anniversary, it's extremely important to him that every decision is made by him and that his vision is presented," explains Vivi, "we're in very close communication." There are some things that the founder, and rightfully so, doesn't let anyone interfere.

However, as becomes clear in our conversation, the course is already set for continuity. As the hustle and bustle increases around us, as stage hands in red livery adjust the box chairs, as the artists passing by greet Vivi with a warm "Hello" or "Ciao", the impression becomes more and more solid: This is where she's completely in her element. There is no need to worry about Roncalli’s next fifty years.