FITZGERALD BROS. NEW CONTINENTAL CIRCUS AND MENAGERIE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2451, 6 March 1901, Page 55

FITZGERALD BROS. NEW CONTINENTAL CIRCUS AND MENAGERIE.

Messrs Fitzgerald Bros.' Circus and Menagerie, which was opened on the reclaimed ground in Crawford street last Monday, is a decidedly strong combination, and will no doubt draw well during the season here. A very large audience assembled to witness the first entertainment, and that those present were thoroughly well pleased with what they saw was very evident fiom the way m which they greeted the various performers. The programme was an exceedingly lengthy hvX an agreeably varied one, embracing a number of novel features, and it was carried out in a manner which left little to be desired, except, perhaps in regard to one or two of the clowning items, which might with advantage have been curtailed. The circus contains a large number of highly-trained horses and ponies, and although most of the tricks performed by them last night have been seen here before, the amount of intelligence they exhibited was such as to give the audience a great deal of pleasure. An interesting feature in connection with the circus was the performance of an elephant, which, besides doing a number of other remarkable things, walked on top of a barrel, and went through a number of manoeuvres with a welltrained Russian pony. The liding and jumping act of a tiger and a highly amusing burlesque huidle act by a goat and monkey were also among the many attractive items performed by animals in connection with the circus. Perhaps the most notable of the equestrian feats was the bare-backed riding of Master Harry Cordello, who turned a somersault on horseback while the animal was in the act of cantering round the arena, in addition to going through a number of other acrobatic antics requiring great nerve and long and careful training. Mr Gus St. Leon and Mdlle. Leon also performed a very graceful equestrian act, both of them being attired — the lady prettily— in evening^ dress, instead of the conventional " tights ' of the circus ring. The Jandaschevs-ky family danced a very picturesque Spanish dance, illustrative of a- number of incidents in connection with a bull fight. The dancers were three in number, and the exhibition they gave was both novel and decidedly pleasing. In the way.- of sensational acts one of <$he most daring was that of Mdlle. Adeline Antonio on the" high trapeze and still bar. After going through a clever performance on the trapeze the lady turned a triple somersault from the trapeze into a large net raised a few feet from the .ground to catch her. She then ascended to the top of the tent, and, placing her feet on the still bar, dropped backwards, revolving twice in her descent to the net. These remarkable feats, it is almost needless to say, were received with the heartiest demonstrations of approval. But one of the mo3t pleasing features in the whole performance was the juggling act of Rhodesia, the lady juggler. This was in many respects quite unlike anything that has previously been seen here, and it is perhaps not saying too much to say that it was the cleverest exhibition of jugglery ever witnessed m Dunedin. The lady, indeed, seemed to be perfect mistress of her art, and was able to do almost anything she pleased with the numerous materials which she brought into requisition for the display of her remarkable powers. Another exceedingly clever performance in a different way was that of the three Dunoars, who are in all probability the most wonderful trapezists that have visited the colony. They each ascended to a different trapeze at a considerable height, and some distance apart. Then one of them hooked himself by the heels to the bar of the central trapeze, and hung hea-d downwards. Another one of them jumped off one of the end trapezes and turned a double somersault in mid-air, the performer on the central bar attempting to catch him in his downward course. This feat was repeated twice, but unfortunately each time the trapezist on the central bar did not succeed in getting a firm hold of the" other as he came down, and he fell into the net spread beneath to catch him. But although the feat was not successfully accomplished last night it was so nearly done that the audience recognised the possibility of rts accomplishment, and warmly applauded the daring and clever performance. The evening's entertainment concluded with an exhibition of high jumping by four champion jumping horses, each of which cleared a bar over 6ft in height. These are only some of the numerous items in a lengthy programme, which contains much to interest and amuFe. An additional attraction to the circus is the menagerie connected with it. This contains an interesting collection of animals, including lions, 'tigers, monkeys, and the performing elephant to which reference has already been made.