IT’S fittingly macabre that the germ of an idea that went on to become the Circus of Horrors came into being at a funeral.

The grotesque stage show – part Rocky Horror, part freak show – returns to Dorset this autumn to celebrate 15 years of giving global audiences pleasantly revolting thrills and chills.

The sword swallowers, pickled people, contortionists, acrobats and people with more tattoos and piercings than is entirely necessarily are overseen by the man who started it all off, the Undead Ringmaster Doctor Haze.

Haze, who says he grew up with “sawdust and rock and roll” in his veins, explained: “I met the circus maestro Gerry Cottle at the funeral of a 21-year-old stuntman who fell while performing on the Wall of Death at the Blackpool Tower Circus.

“I went round to commiserate with his family, and Gerry was there too, and in between consoling the family we talked about the show.”

This rather grim mix of insensitivity and business nous paid off for Haze, who put together a show and caught the market when it was in its ascendancy.

“Cirque du Soleil were established by then, but they were – and are – the Manchester United of circuses. We’re more your AFC Bournemouth, more of a working man’s rock and roll circus.”

Circus of Horrors has been described as “Cirque du Soleil as directed by Quentin Tarantino”, but the latest show – an amalgamation of the past four shows performed over the 15 years – promises to be much more than even that.

The performers come from all over the world and are regarded as the best in the business. They work hard and train hard... and the results are spectacular.

“We get the daredevil acts from Russia, because they’re the best in the world; them and the Chinese, because they’re trained from a young age,” says Haze.

“If you go to a British circus, after the show the performers go down the pub. After a Russian or Chinese show the performers get straight back to practising.

“Over there they have proper circus schools. Before the fall of Communism in Russia, circuses were funded by the government and they still have fantastic training spaces to this day where people go to learn how to be true artists, trained by the best people in the world.

“We get our acrobats from Morocco and Africa, and our sword swallower is married to a girl who hangs from the ceiling by her hair, and she’s from Poland. It’s not all exotic though. Captain Damned the Demon Dwarf comes from Nottingham.”

He added: “We do have some freaks, and we have people who have made themselves into freaks.

“One of our performers used to be a tax inspector in Germany. He came and saw the show and loved it and 10 years later came back covered in tattoos and had learned a sword swallower’s act. He had turned himself into a superfreak.

“Captain Damned is a dwarf, that’s the card life dealt him, and it was up to him how he decided to deal with it.

“He could either go ahead and feel sorry for himself or try and find something to do.

“Sadly, society doesn’t always allow you to progress if you’re a bit different.”

From the age of 11, Haze grew up in a circus environment thanks to a father who, he later discovered, had spent much of his son’s life residing at Her Majesty’s Pleasure.

“I learned to be a fire-eater in a day, and then there was a trick where four grown men from the audience would try and strangle me with a rope. I was 12 years old – you would never be allowed to do it these days.”

Inspired by Marc Bolan and T Rex, Haze then formed the band Flash Harry which toured with Depeche Mode and Gary Glitter.

It did OK, but he soon realised that serious money would be hard to come by, and it was then that he teamed up with Gerry Cottle.

He believes that the show’s success is down to the public’s need for a “psychological outlet” that allows them to be scared, yet stay safe. “We like to be scared but know that we won’t be harmed. It’s like going on a roller-coaster or watching a horror movie – you know you will be OK, but scared.

“Kids start young watching Scooby Doo or Doctor Who and they hide behind the sofa.

“I used to watch them as a child – only I never felt the need to hide, obviously.”

The Circus of Horrors is at Weymouth Pavilion on Thursday, November 11. The show is not suitable for anyone under the age of 16.