Only the utmost discipline can make the manifestations of discipline disappear. Or, to put it differently, a semblance of chaos, lightheartedness, and chance requires meticulous choreography and well-trained performers. The spectator's pleasure is thus based on a deception. In comparing the experience of a member of the audience to the social realities of the circus performers, one can only marvel at the gap between the outside and the inside perspective. The circus projected an image of bohemianism, exoticism, and eroticism; its inner workings, however, resembled a well-oiled machine: a clock ticking with predictability and precision.

For their spectators, the colorful shows put on by circuses were a dazzling experience. The quickly alternating acts kept the audience attentive, delighting in the show's surprises. The spectators' desire to leave their structured lives behind resonated in the arrangement and movement of the performances. Each act seemed to be of equal importance, and each was full of grace and wonder. The biggest challenge for any circus entrepreneur was to maintain the illusionary nature of the entertainers' performances, to project a world without pain, sweat, or conventional truth. To retain his audience, however, he had to prevent the transcendent quality of his show from being seen as a challenge to the core assumptions of German society. The circus lacked revolutionary drive, and even its transgressions ultimately served as affirmations of cultural norms and values.