New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-03
THE CIRCUS SEASON OPENS,
DIAVALO'S loop THE LOOP" THRILL
ING. BUT BRIEF.
ENOUGH OTHER FEATURES TO MAKE
MAN WHO TRIES TO SEE THEM ALL
Observation-Disclosures WRONG
WITH CLOWNS.
WITH CLOWNS.

The most novel and the most widely advertised
feature Of Forepaugh & Sells Brothers United
Shows which opened their season last evening at
Madison Square Garden. occupied fraction of
time somewhere between half and three-quarters
of second. 1t was the much heralded feat of
danger defying Diavalo" Clad in a suit of tights
that had apparently been used by Edouard de
Reszke or Joseph Callahan in their justly renowned
representations of Mephistopheles Diavalo shot
down inclined plane from the top of the Garden
and Topped the loop his heavy bicycle. 1t is
really picturesque performance. though it is over
so soon and the preparations for il are made as
impressive possible, only less impressive, in fact
than the language employed by the press agent in
his description Of the stunt
Otherwise the circus is much the usual.
One might say, perhaps, that it has less novelty
than usual and that there are possibly or two
too many old friends among the performers, but
such criticism would be carping indeed for there
is everything there that anybody wants to in a
circus and than any without
getting crosseyed.
BY far the prettiest and graceful per
Torrance Of the evening was that Of the Ten
Peerless Potters.' who have the distinction of
deserving the adiectives bestowed upon them by
the enthusiastic press agent is hard to see
how the gyrations and that they describe
through the atmosphere away up amid tangle OF
iron girders and electric lights could be excelled.
Last nights audience gazed them if hyp-
Noticed One of the Potters. a yellow haired WON
an, particularly graceful and seemed utterly
devoid Of fear She allowed herself to be tossed
about from one Potter to another. turning double
somersaults between perches and generally finding
pair of hands at the right place when she had TO
find them or fall to the far below. She was
actually clay in the hands of the Potters.
The Aurora Zouaves drill in presto time neatly
as ever they did. a possessed of pipe stem
legs rides up and down a spiral tower single
wheel four high school horses cakewak together
most marvellously; the trained elephants dance;
all kinds of horses amble amiably around the three
rings. while gayly attired and women do hops,
skips and jumps their backs and pretend cheer
fully that they going at terrifying speed. a
band Of trained dogs 60 through their programme
while eight Shetland ponies doing their duty
by; the slack rope walkers and the Japanese
jugglers and many another specialist Of the
dust ring all TO be seen and admired. 1t is
therefore reasonable to suppose that he who goes
to take the children, will enjoy himself as we'll
as when he last offered that ancient excuse.
There IS one department Of the show. however,
that be exh0rted 70 brace up. and that Is
the clowns They not half funny as the
posters say they II seems to the writer that
they used TO be. too. Where Is the trick donkey
TO ride? Where is the infinitely tall feshless
clown, that used to have the boxing match with
the inohabIy short. fat Jester? Where is the But
what's the of asking where they are? Where
they are. though. they ought TO 60 and get
them, for the 'phuriously phunny phellows' that
provoking chaps of our boyhood Or is it that the
same things don't Perish the thought! It can't
he that. Has not the absence OF certain of the
giants Of wit already been called TO mind?