Phare, the Cambodian Circus, is the most acclaimed performing arts company in Cambodia — a circus-theatre troupe that combines acrobatics, music, dance, and storytelling to tell Cambodian stories, including the traumatic history of the Khmer Rouge era that the country is still processing. The shows are performed nightly in a red big-top tent in Siem Reap and have been called the best live entertainment in Cambodia by virtually every travel publication.
Phare (Ponleu Selpak, meaning 'The Brightness of the Arts') was founded in 1994 in Battambang by young Cambodians who had grown up in refugee camps and used art as a means of processing the trauma of the Khmer Rouge genocide and its aftermath. The organisation trains young Cambodians in circus arts, music, and visual arts, and the performing company in Siem Reap provides employment for graduates while telling stories that Cambodia's conventional tourism rarely acknowledges.
The shows change regularly and range from acrobatic retellings of Khmer folktales to original productions that address contemporary social issues (drug addiction, rural poverty, the legacy of genocide) through the medium of circus. The acrobatics are world-class (Phare performers have appeared at international circus festivals), the music is live, and the emotional range — from comedy to genuine sorrow — makes the shows more than entertainment.
Verified Facts
Phare was founded in 1994 in Battambang by Khmer Rouge genocide survivors
Shows are performed nightly in Siem Reap
Ponleu Selpak means 'The Brightness of the Arts'
Phare performers have appeared at international circus festivals
Get walking directions
B41, Ung Oeun Street, Svay Dankum, Siem Reap, Cambodia
