Morning journal and courier., 1883-04-02
AcrObats and Gymnasts.

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 Acrobats and gymnasts usually practice | during the morning on the stage of some | theatre. Even when not working at any new ! trick, they always practice once day. if their engagement does not include two per- formances. Sometimes they have to go l through six or seven. When man intends ! to bring out some novel and.special feat, and ! wishes to keep it profound secret until it's production. he hires an empty school-room or public hall, or even theatre, for his own exclusive use, and there exercises with his appliances and assistants until he Is perfect. No stage performance is ever rehearsed at home. It is somewhat disappointing to find that the music which seems such an inspirit ing accompaniment to the spectators is dis.
 regarded by some professionals who indeed aver they would rather be without ''band- chatter !" Salaries vary enormously, of course. Of late years, there has been 8 demand for female gymnasts, and some have been forth coming; but as might be expected, they rarely excel Still, they draw good houses, and the morbid taste of the public enables some of them to command fifty or 8 hundred pounds week. Troups salaries run even higher than this in exceptional cases; but managers always want something new, some thing that no other company has presented,
 and the art is therefore 8 progressive one.
 All manner of things are introduced to inn
 part spice of novelty to old tricks in every department. Acrobats juggle with balls, knives, hoops, fans bells, and burning torches whiletumbling, or throw somersaults while playing the violin or tambourine, or mount themselves on rolIer-skstes and bicy. cIes. Gymnasts are 'tfred" from spring boards concealed within g gigantic cannon, let off pistols in their flight through the air, or go through their evolutions amid 8 blaze of squibs and rockets The various 'lines" of business, too, while moro numerous and diversified, are not so distinct and separate as they used to be. Trapeze, flying rings and horizontal bar work are now combined
 poles and ladders still hold their ground; but tight rope and slack-wire walking-feats more easily acquired than any others-bottle- performers, ceiling g-steppers, pedestal aero bats, and modern Samsons are drug in the market. Ct is denied, by the way, that the ceiling walking, which at one time created such sensation, was ever really performed by atmospheric pressure or by magnetism, as was alleged, springs or hooks having been always employed.) Equitibrists are rather in the ascendant just now. It seems incredi- ble that anyone should be able to sit in 8 chair and maintain it balanced on two legs upon an oscillating bar, or stand upon one leg on a globe resting on the same unstable foundation nevertheless, those and other similar marvels are executed nightly for Sos. a week. Rolling globe and barrel performers are at discount but French comic aero bats, who mix a lot of burlesque and fun with their tumbling, are looking up. Circus troupes include every variety, and have their own specialists as well. Clown and harle- quin may be developed from any of these many of the famous old clowns were accom- plished spade dancers. But it is the mode now to take new departures altogether, and we may find acrobatic ballet troupes, dualo- guists, and comedy companies, nigger min trels, and step- dancers who aecentuate their hornpipe with somersaults and hand-springs.
 Part of the Hanlon-Volta troupe
 famous trapezists, seeded from the company and under the name of the Hanlon-Lees have convulsed the theatre going world with laughter and as- tonishment at their inimitable acrobatic, gymnastic and pantomimic impersonations in stLe Voyage en Suisse"