Hannibal brings horrifying acts to Coventry

ONE year ago, he arrived at death’s door after ripping a 4mm hole in his oesophagus with a neon-lit tube while attempting to swallow it.

But circus performer Hannibal Hellmurto wasted no time in getting back to his daredevil antics - and audiences at the Belgrade in Coventry can see the German 41-year-old swallowing swords, walking on nails and playing with fire next week.

It was the evening before Halloween last year at a show in Bradford when the act went horribly wrong for Hannibal, who tours with the aptly named Circus of Horrors.

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The neon tube swallow is regarded to be the most dangerous sword-swallowing act, as if the tube cracked, the mercury inside would flood into the performer’s body, the glass would cut their insides and they could be electrocuted.

Luckily the tube did not crack, but the damage to Hannibal was nevertheless extremely severe.

But unbelievably, he carried on and completed his act. Speaking to the Courier this week, he said: “I remember coughing and that a little bit of blood came out. I finished the show and packed my stuff away.

“I thought that maybe it was just a nick, so I took some painkillers. But then I found it harder and harder to breathe, so I went into hospital and that’s when I stop remembering.”

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One thing he definitely remembers was that “it hurt”, but, on coming out of his coma and finding himself in hospital two weeks later, it all seemed like less of a big deal to Hannibal than to those around him.

He said: “I knew something had gone wrong.

“My wife and one of the acrobats were there and they told me what had happened. But I was happy that I had woken up. I knew that it must be OK because I was awake.”

Hannibal, who has been performing with circuses for more than 20 years, never once considered giving up his career and was back on stage by January this year.

He said: “It’s one of those things like when you’re in a car crash and you don’t get behind the wheel again as soon as you can, the fear builds up.

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“A good thing about having an accident is that it reminds you of what you are doing, so you don’t get lazy.

“I never wanted to take another career path. If you do something you love, you want to keep doing it.”

But he added: “I will never use that sword again. Once a sword has bitten me, I won’t go back to it. That would be stupid.”

That sword was recently bought by a collector of circus memorabilia for £320 at an auction in Leamington.

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Meanwhile, Hannibal these days swallows a sword which is curved at a 145 degree angle. On top of his walking on broken glass and nails and everything else that falls under the umbrella of ‘fakirism’.

How did he learn to do such things?

“I taught myself,” he said. “You start small, by pushing a toothbrush further and further back every day. And then you slowly build your way up.

“Before a show, I get stage-fright adrenelin. That helps quite a bit. It’s always easier to do it on stage than to practise at home.”

Having been performing with the Circus of Horrors for the past seven years, Hannibal knows he has found his place of contentment.

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He said: “It’s the only circus I want to be with. I like the alternative and edgy stuff, so it’s perfect for me.”

The Circus of Horrors is coming to the Belgrade Theatre on Wednesday November 14. For tickets, call O24 7655 3055 or visit www.belgrade.co.uk

To watch a clip of Hannibal (successfully) swallowing the neon tube, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPaSgf8fpt4