WIRTH'S CIRCUS AND MENAGERIE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2541, 26 November 1902, Page 57

WIRTH'S CIRCUS AND MENAGERIE.

After an ab-ence of about 10 months fiom Dunedin, during which time they have been tounng New Zealand, and made a lengthened stay for the winter m Auckland, Messrs Wirth ' Bros.' Circus Tioupe opened in their spacious 1 marquee, which haa, as previously, been erected on the Princes etreet south side of tho Cricket Oval, on Monday. The circus companies brought here by the Mo3srs Wirth on previous occasions have always b2en well worth seeing, but in the present instance they have brought with them a combination much in advance of what they have been accustomed to travel with. The company he.3 been greatly streng-thened, there being no less thaa eight or nine distinctly new items of entsrtainment placed upon the programme, and some of these are not such as are usually associated with a circus performance. The proprietors have evidently determined to make their entertainment as varied as possible, and have introduced several innoyations on the orthodox circus as it is commonly known to the public. An example of this is the " Latest London bp lsation," a certainly marvellous performai.ee by the Howard Bros , who tell with the utmost rc2diues£ artick:3 of jewellery, with dales, numbers, initials, and even ti? names of the ov. uers. Tlie one brother is Eeated, b_.nd£old, in tho areiia, and the other n~>ov^ freely among the audience, picking out any article th^t happens to catch hi 3e\ \ and the raost ertruorcLi-ary information, perfectly accurate, is given*coiicerning it by the brother in the ring. The explanation usually given of tuch exhibitions is that the audience aie in collusion wifch ilia.

performers, but that was, in one instance alf least, certainly not the case. A serpentine dance on horseback and on terra firms is another thing not usually seen at a circus performance. Such has, however, been added t«! the extensive programme put forward by the Messrs Wirth, and some originality has been shown in the manner of its introduction, a verjs, pretty effect being gained by the lady (Miss Marizles) on leaving the horse's back being made to circle round the ring in ruidain by aid of a wire from the top of the tent. Prominent among what is new in the company is an aerial revolving ladder act by the Cantons, who, habited as Chinese, go through a wonderful performance on a ladder about 20ft long, which is made pivot from the centre. Oni this they give some remarkable exhibitions of balancing, and conclude in a rather startling manner by taking positions at the extreme ends of the ladder, and -whirling if; round at a furious speed. The performance by the tigers has been • extended, there being, in addition to leaping, riding on horseback, and! the dragging round the cag-ed enclosure o£ chariots, tight-rope walking. Mons. Kagoul put the three animals used through their work with complete success, and was loudly app'auded at the conclusion of his daring act. Mons. Pedro and E. Vantel did some cleveE work on the Roman rings, and the latter subsequently proved himself a fine performer on the triple horizontal bnrs. the climax being tc; throw himself from one outer bar to the other, over the top of the bar intermediate, at tha same time turning a. twist scmeraaulfr. The feat, v most difficult one in gymnastics, met with loud applause. Two of tho clowns— August and September— created a good deal of amusement over a game of " ping-pong " without table, net, or rackets; their heads supplying the place of the latter, and the ball being wonderfully well-developed for " pingpong." The fun was very much increased by] the introduction of a third competitor in the shape of a medium-sized, very active, and very, energetic dog, who certainly had al! the best of it, and kept the ball very much to himself. Like the other two competitors his racquet" was his head, which he used win wonderful accuracy. The elephant, Ghuni Sab, has been taught some new tricks since he was here last, and lias learnt what has been taught him remarkably well. At the close of his performance he was joined by some four-footed friends in a light " snack," which, from his repeated) ringing for the waiter, a small monkey, Ghuni did not evidently consider sufficiently substantial. There were many other items in the long programme of 30 items both clever and amusing, bat most of them have been seen; before, and do not require any special mention. These included ft skipping-rope dance by; Miss Phyllis Wirth, a hurricane hurdle act by, Miss Flo Barlete, a contortion act by Little Masinga, juggling on horseback by Miss Marizles, a five-horse picture act by Mr Wil-' liam Carl, a- fine exhibition of jumping by groyhounds, a Risley act by Mons. Pedro, horsemanship by Master Alex, globe-rolling by Miss Florizel, a chair act by the Kandos, and the introduction by one of the clowns of a came]. Mr Philip Wirth entertained his large audience for about half an hour with his highly trained horses and ponies, and pretty well all through) the performance, which lasted for abont twot and a-half hours, one or two clowns were about the ring and made things very merry.