My favorite part of the Southern Side Show Hootenanny was how different acts punctuated what they did. It’s the showmanship aspect of it that I find interesting, and one of the things that makes all of the acts unique. That’s also something (one of the many things) that separates the amateurs from the pros.
One great act was the Tinderbox Side Show. They had three performers and they did a high energy act that ended with a knife triumphantly stabbed into a table. The could have stopped there, and it would have been a great ending, however, Trashique, put one hell of a punctuation on it. She paused, picked up the table and smashed it on the ground! It made the audience jump to its feet and got them a standing ovation!
It’s the little things like smashing a table, or holding an applause pose for just a second longer that makes a huge difference. People love it when you triumph, that’s why escapes are such a popular ending. I’m a big fan of things like mic drops, balloons popping, confetti, etc. Go see a circus show whether a tent show or a more modern circus show and see how they end their shows. Then apply what you’ve just seen to your show.