a bracing curative for the afflictions of our time Circus Contraption (founded in 1998) is the name of a one-ring circus, vaudeville and dark cabaret troupe based in Seattle, Washington. The troupe, which employs about a dozen performers, uses live, original music paired with old-style circus performances, heavily influenced by cabaret and vaudeville acts. The shows are conceived for adults and usually feature some mature content. The troupe first performed at the Seattle Fringe Theatre Festival