FITZGERALDS' CIRCUS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1247, 23 January 1896, Page 18

FITZGERALDS' CIRCUS.

By 7 o’clock on Saturday evening a great crowd had assembled outside Fitz Gerald’s Circus in Victoria street, and when the ticketoffice opened there was a tremendous rush for tickets. Thence on till S o’clock the spectators poured into the massive tent. In this helter-skelter rush for admission several pockets were picked. The wind, the natural enemy of the circus proprietor, had been blowing steadily all the afternoon, but not with sufficient force to prevent Messrs Fitz Gerald Brothers keeping faith with the public. As the evening advanced, however, the wind, coming from the north-west, increased in violence, and by S o’clock it was blowing strongly with occasional heavy gusts. The great spread of canvas flapped and shook in a manner which made many of the audience, especially the female portion, look rather anxious. The large supporting poles were lifted clean off the ground, and suddenly there was a crash, and one of the poles snapped in twain. Fortunately no one was hurt. It was quite evident that the wind was obtaining the mastery, and just about eight there was another crash, and another pole broke. Portion of it struck a woman in the audience, Mrs Gribbell (who was accompanied by her husband), inflicting a scalp wound, from which the blood flowed. Immediately on learning of the accident, Messrs Fitz Gerald did all they possibly could for the woman, and Dr Pollen was called in, and she was promptly taken to her home in Grainger street. On further examination being made, it was ascertained that she had received a slight concussion of the brain. Latest information states that she is rapidly recovering - . Two men were also slightly injured by these falling spars. After the second pole broke the vast audience was cn its feet, and many, alarmed at the outlook, rushed out of the tent, and in their haste did not seem particular as to how they got out. The most extensively patropised means of exit was by crawling under the tent. At this stage the announcement was made that Messrs Fitz Gerald Bros, did not think it would be safe to proceed with the performance, and all those present would' receive tickets which would entitle them to future admission. This was a wise decision. Had the performance gone on the consequence might have been very serious, for by 9 o’clook there was a gale of wind blowing. The announcement was followed by a scene of considerable confusion and excitement. Everybody wanted to be served at once, and Mr Fitz Gerald was quickly surrounded by a crowd yelling - for their tickets, Mr Fitz Gerald, who was shoved all over the place and kept remarkably cool, doing his utmost to issue the tickets as quickly as pos- i sible. At last, after much buffeting about, 1 Mr Fitz Gerald reached the entrance with the intention of distributing the tickets to each person as they passed out, but just at this time,'another crashing sound was heard on the far side of the tent, and a large number of people left suddenly, would scarcely desoriho the alacrity With which they got under the tent, and made for the middle of the road. As for those who remained, they got tickets. Mr Fitz Gerald states that lie has already distributed tickets to represent the money taken at the door, and as a large number of people who paid for admission did not receive tickets, ic is evident that many people received more tickets than they were entitled to,, or that a number of people who were outside sneaked under the tent and risked being injured in order to defraud the circus proprietors of a shilling or i.vo.

On Saturday night the circus was vanquished by the wind. Monday night the rain entered the lists ‘ against the show, and did its worst, but the circus on this occasion proved completely victorious. So vast an audience has rarely, if over boforo, in Wellington been gathered within the enclosures of a tent. Wherever one looked a sea of eager faces mot his gaze. As for the performance, it fully answered to the expectations which the pictorial posters and the newspaper advertisements had raised. Exceptional attractions were anticipated, and the anticipation was gratified. The programme was introduced with a cornet solo, which Herr Von der Mehden, the conductor of the band, executed in really first-class stylo. The band is strong and efficient, and the conductor is a cornettist of rare talent. After this the acrobats of the troupe, led by Frank Jones, who is styled the world’s champion, gave a fine display of leaping from the spring-board over the backs of quite a large stud of horses. Little (George Collier exhibited his skill in horsemanship by a hurricane hurdle act, and a juvenile Australian aboriginal named Harry Cajdello, from Queensland, went through

globe, propelling it not only up and down an inclined board, but also over a number of pyramidal blocks placed upon the board. The trick pony Commodore, a handsome piebald, afforded convincing evidence of effective training by jumping through hoops —six hoops being negotiated at a single bound—skipping, trundling a batrelj walking on its hind legs, and taking a part in some funny business with three of the clowns: Next entered the Eclair Bros, to present their demon and crocodile act, Pascal Eclair as the demon and Lelo Eclair as the crocodile. A nearer approximation of the human form to that of the reptilian than Lelo Eclair counterfeited could not be imagined. Attired in a

skin-tight dress, which glittered like the scales of a saurian, he entered walking upon ) liis hands, and with the rest of his body [ rigidly horizontal, while a curious head-piece j made up an excellent imitation of a crocodile’s snout. For live or seven minutes thereafter the brothers held the audience spellbound by their feats of contortion and balancing which almost persuade one of their entire bonelessness. It was a bizarre and wonderful performance, almost indescribable in its details. Supported each on one hand they tied their bodies into knots, and one balanced himself upon the contorted body of the other, each -supported upon a single arm. The crocodile crawled across the ring, after the manner of a serpent, arching up the back, and then extending the extremities, and ne stood upon his hands and revolved his legs as easily and as rapidly as if they were made of indiarubber. Finally the demon balanced his recurved body, and it is no slight body either, upon the point of a short stick plaoed upon a table, his teeth being laid against the upturned end of the stiok, and the legs being thrown upward and curved back over the head. As contortionists tho Brothers Eclair are simply unique. The two boy equestrians, George Collier and Harry Cardello, did some clever double bureffe* riding, and they in turn were succeeded by Mdlle. Adelina Antonio, who excited tbe enthusiasm of the audience by her daring ape} gi aceful acts upon the aerial trapeze and aerial bar. As a gymnast she is facile princeps. Perched up on a slender bar under the very dome of the lofty tent she performed with ease and confidence the mast skilful feats usually associated with the ordinary horizontal bar erected upon the solid ground. Then on a perpendicular rope, and with no other support to the erect body than a turn of the rope round the leg, she went through some graceful and skilful posturing. Then from the trapeze she dived through the air to the net beneath, turning a triple somersault on the way, Ascending once more to the high trapeze, she rounded off her marvellous performance by throwing herself backward and turning a double somersault in her descent to the net. Another equestrian act, the riding and driving of five horses by one of the boy performers, followed, and it |in turn gave place to a comic interlude by members - of the company, funnily disguised in the similitude of a monkey, cat, poodle, donkey and bear respectively. A ludicrous climax was furnished by the entrance of the clown Leonard as a, monstrous barn - door fowl, which lgid a colossal egg amid screams of laughter from the audience, and then sat upon it, a real fqwl emerging as the apparent result of incubation. Mademoiselle Marguerite, a handsome and daring equestrienne, and Mr King performed with great skill some Olympian games on a couple of horses, the lady finally standins' erect upon the shoulders of he.r companion, as lie rode and drove round .the ring. M. Probasco and his talking horse. Mahomet' next appeared, apd both entertained apd bewildered the audience. The horse readily and accurately answered all sorts of questions by nodding or shaking his head, and with taps of his forefoot he gave with unerripg correctness answers to questions ip addition and subtraction. Mdlle. Addie Sutton contributed a galloping hurdle act, picking up handkerchiefs from the ground as she hung down with one foot in the stirrup, and tho Altons gave a finished display of acrobatic dexterity. They are really accomplished artists in their particular line of business. Little Harry again appeared, and rode and drove six ponies round the ring.' Ope. of the crowning acts of a notable performance was reserved for’ the very. last. It was the sensational dive of- Professor Peart from the top of the’ cir.cps pole—6o feet from the ground—into a tank of water five feet wide, 10 feet long, apd only three feet deep. it wps pot a straight drop but a curving flight downward, for the tank was 22 feet distant from the base of the pole. The diver sprang outward with lowered head from his perch, and in a long curve sailed through the air, struck the water at an oblique angle, and his head reappeared above the surface almost before his feet had entered. It must be seen to be believed.

The company boasts a large number of clowns, : who fill up the entra’ctes with plenty of drollery. The menagerie consists of a choice collection of lions, tiger's, etc., all' in first-class . condition. One of the lions is of unusual size—a majestic animal in fact. Messrs JitzGeralq have brought to the colonies far apd away the best circus that has ventured south of the line, and it is to be hoped that their enterprise will be rewarded with an unoroken run of erowdod houses.