WIRTH'S CIRCUS

Evening Star, Issue 18502, 8 December 1923, Page 8

WIRTH'S CIRCUS

Wirth’s Circus, which has long established a great reputation as a good “show,” will commence a short season at tho Caledonian Grounds on Monday, December 24. A matinee and evening performance will be given on Boxing Day. Though it may sound extravagant to say so, tho big show is this year more crammed with wonders than ever before, and is coming direct from Melbourne, where during the past two months a phenomenally successful season has been enjoyed. There are so many astonishing acta" figuring on the lengthy programme that it is difficult to begin selecting one before another, for all are pre-eminent in their own particular lines. The new artists re-engaged by Mr P. Wirth include the following : —Prince Guiseppi Bignoli, tho smallest jockey and comedy artist in fb.e world : Bert Hughes and company of Indies and male performers who play basket ball on bicycles—a very clever act; The Egochago Troupe of _ bull-fighters from South America. Big Alfredo, Spanish clown and trained doge Tom Cuba, Havana; Mimi Wharton and Louie Carniello duo, jugglers extraordinary ; Alfred Clark, England's greatest rider; ami Evans and Perez, the equilibrists. The menagerie, which includes the largest herd of elephants ever seen in Australia, will bo open from 4 to 5 p.m. daily during the season.

Tho Wirth Brothers had unusual difficulty in making arrangements for their tour of New Zealand. Owing to the Tasmanian Navigation Act. fees amounting to between £2(X) and £3OO had to bo paid to bring tho specially chartered Moeraki into Hobart in order to transport the entire circus to Bluff. This was duo _to the Union Company boats latterly leaving Hobart out as a port of call, thus creating the, necessity of payment of a special fco to bring the Moeraki into the harbor. It was this which gave rise to the rumor that the circus management untended to abandon (he tour of New Zealand. Tho idea of abandoning the tour was, however, never contemplated, and, in fact, tho show now represents a bigger and stronger combination of attractions (ban ever. Tho programme carries no fewer than twentydue different star acts, the majority of which were procured bv Mr P. W irth and Mr G. "Wirth in their recent tours of the world in search of head-line attractions for their famous show, Tlie coming tour will represent the thirtieth visit of Wirth’s Mammoth Circus Company to Now Zealand, and the long-established circuit which it makes of Australasia has now become one of the greatest attractions placed before the public.