The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-05-05
CLOWNS OF THE CIRCUS
One of Them Tells of TN. Changes Time
Has Wrought

4
marked Billy Burke. one OF the fun
NEST OF the many funny men with
the Barnum 4 Baily show, "that the
circus clowns OF to-day are not as
witty and as funny as they used TO
be. The old folks especially, when
they 20 TO the circus. feel disap-
pointed because they do not see the
old time KnOckabouts but really
there Is no comparison between the
circus clowns OF tn day and OF a
general on or two ago.
"Probably Grimaldi was the great
est clown OF his day, but were he liv-
ing now he would be utterly at loss
as to the mUdern style OF clown busi-
ness. 1t does not do now for clown
TO jump into the ring with a merry
shout and here we are again and
all that sort OF business. The an
tiquated conundrum and the ancient
JOKE have passed out OF the clown
business entirely.
"a man who would be a frst-class
clown 70 day must also be frst-class
at half dozen other things. He
must be an equestrian, an acrobat, a
Juggler. yaulter and clown Every
night have TO ill all these require
ments and appear in several parts
during a single performance.
"The change has been brough:
very largely 10y the proprietors them
selves $ They find good general per-
former much more valuable than the
old style clown. Then again the pub
| nf A nI tu Mt cir
fun. You will notice at the Barnum
x Baily show now that il is very sell
dom that "A clown does any talking
in the ring. The shows have grown
SO large that IT would De almost USE
less for him to do so. as he would not
be heard. So he appears TO be half
witted sort OF fool, one who Is al
ways getting in the way. He is, in
fact a comic tumble aud In the art
OF facial expression lies his chief sue
cess. 1t Is what he does and not
what he says that he depends upol
TO create amusement
THE clange from the talking to
the acting clown in the circus busi-
ness really began about ten years
ago 1t came about largely through
an accident. There was a clown by
the name OF Relling In the Berlin cir
Gus who was TO appear in the master
and pupil act. The act was lesson
in tare- e-back riding. Belling was late
in dressing, and when his call came
he rushed before the public in rec
wig which he had forgotten to re-
move. His confusion and odd appear
aDce created roars OF laughter, the
audience supposing 1t TO be part OF
the show. The people shouted at
him and Belling's discontinue was
great
"The following day he appeared in
his usual makeup, but the people
would not have it. They insisted
upon the red wig and on a repetition
OF the half crazy discontinue which
he had exhibited on the previous
night Belling, instead OF losing his
position as he thought he would, be-
came the most popular man in the
Berlin circus. Other circus man
ayers took the hint and the fool
clown, the half-witted fellow who is
always gett ng in the way, was intro
duccd in other circuseS and is now
the proper sort OF clown.
"Another clown or style OF clown
which has disappeared is the old
Shakespearean fun-maker There
was too much talking for him TO do,
and talking does not 90 now in the
circus ring. a clown now must be a
general utility man. lie must be
able TO I'LL in all the gaps between
the acts, so that there shall be no
waiting; to keep the audience in good
humor while one attraction is 20 ng
on. He must tumble around the
horses and other an mails in the most
absurd manner without regard TO his
life and limb. l myself have been
literally kicked around the ring un-
til every bone in my body was stiff
and sore.
zone Of the first things which a
circus performer must learn, though
he be clown, acrobat or rider, Is how
to fall properly-that is how TO fall
in such way that he will not hurt
himself, or at least in such a way
that will result In the least injury.
This faculty consists in 'ballng' 1t
consists in doubling oneself up in
such a way that the head shall not
be expo ed to injury, II you will
notice the trapeze performers, when
they fall into the net they strike it
with the lower part OF their body,
which causes them TO rebound. II
they struck the net with their head
or feet foremost they would break
their necks or fracture their knees.
Performers in the circus business
have reason TO appreciate the truth
that there was in the Irishman's OBJ
servation that when he fell from
building IL wasn't the fall that hurt
him, but the stopping SO quick"