The circus wasn’t something that happened over night. Actually, the earliest form of the circus wasn’t really a circus at all, at least not how we know it today.
Before television and movies, people got their entertainment from theater, plays, and live shows. Sometime around 1770, a horseback trick-rider named Philip Astley wanted other types of performers to join him and his horseback trick-riding show, hoping it would bring a novelty to it. What he found were super-humans; people with extraordinary gifts and amazing talents. Together they formed the beginning of a modern day circus show. But to keep people coming, they needed to make the show even more spectacular.
Tricks on horses got more daring. Acrobatics were bending in ways nobody had seen before. Trapeze artists were soaring above crowds. Exotic animals, such as lions and leopards, were brought in from across the globe. Unlike today, people didn’t have televisions, phones, smart devices, or computers, so the only place they could see such exotic animals would be in a book or newspaper. Now, with today’s technology, children have the ability to search for animals online, or observe them up close and personal. In our modern time, there is a growing concern for the care and treatment of wild animals in circus shows. Although care has greatly improved for these animals, some performing groups have completely banned animals from their acts, relying solely on their amazing acrobatic skills and phenomenal performances.
The Wondrous Wandering Acrobats Show is a piece of circus history right at your fingertips. If you enjoy reading it and want to see my other products, please visit my website. To stay updated about new products or books, please join me on social media and watch out for The Wondrous Wandering Acrobats Returns.
Thanks for reading!
Anders Roseberg