River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-01-17
Acrobats and Gymnasts.

Acrcbats and gymnasts usually prac-
tice 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 pot
include two performances. Sometimes
they have to 90 cough six or seven.
When a man intends to bring o~ct some
novel and special feat, and wishes to
keep it profound secret uS,,il its pro-
duction, he hires an empty school-room
or public hall, or even theatre, for his
own exclusive use, ana there exercises
with his appliances and assistants until
he is perfect. No stage performance is
ever rehearsed at hvmo. It's some what
disappointing to ind that the music
which seems such an lnspiriting accom-
paniment to the spectators is disregard
ed by some professionals, who indeed
aver they would rather be without
"band -clatterW Salaries vary enormous
w, of course. OF late years, there has
been demand for female gymnasts, and
some have been forthcoming; but as
might have been expected, they rarely
excel. Still, they draw good houses, and
the morbid taste of the public enables
some of them to command fifty or a
|
ries run even higher than this in excep-
tional cases; but managers always want
something new, something that no other
company has presented, and the art is
therefore progressive one. All man
ner of things are introduced to impart a
spice of novelty to old tricks III every
department. Acrobats juggle with balls,
knives, hoops, fans, bells, and burning
torches while tumbling or throwing
somersaults while playing the violin or
tambourine, or mount themselves on roll
ler-skates and bicycles. Gymnasts are
''fired" from spring-boards concealed
within a gigantic cannon, let OFT pistols
in their flight through the air, or go
through their evolutions amid blaze of
squibs and rockets. The various ''lines"
of business, too, while more numerous
and diversified, are not so distinct and
separate as they used to be. Trapeze,
hylng 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 ac-
ouired than any other-bottle perform
ers, ceiling-steppers, pedestal acrobats,
and modern Samsons are drug in
the market. Ut is denied, by
the way, that the ceiling
walking, which at one time created such
Il sc uSdllOu, WIS ever IGdliy pSIloiAhCu
by atmospheric pressure or by magnet
ism. as was alleged, springs or hooks hav'
ing been always employed9 Equilibrists
are rather in the ascendent just now.
it seems incredible that any one should
be able to sit in a chair and maintain il
balanced on two legs upon an osclilatlng
bar, or stand upon one leg on globe
resting on the same unstable foundation,
nevertheless, these and other similar
marvels are executed nightly for sos. a
week Rolling globe and barrel perform
ers are at discount but French com
ic acrobats, who mix lot of buc .esque
and fun with their tumbling, are looking
up Circus troubles include every variety,
and have their own specialists as WELL
Clown and harlequin may be developed
from either of these; MANY of the IA
nous old clowns were accomplished
spade-dancers. But it is the mode now
to take new departures altogether, and
we may find acrobatic ballot troupes,
dualoglists, and coined, companies
niger mlnssrels, and step ancers who
accentuate their hornpipes with somer-
saults and handsprings. Part of theH
lon-Volta troupe, famous trapezists sece-
ded from the company, ard underline
name of the Hanlon Lees have conVulsed
the theater-going world with laughter
and astonishment at their inimitable
acrobatic gymnastic and pantomimic inn
presentations in lie Voyage en- Suisse
Chambers Journal.