Vulcana by Rebecca F. John - The Story of a Victorian Strongwoman

If you're looking for some summer reading, then this could be the book for you. 

Miriam Kate Williams, better known as Vulcana, was a Welsh strongwoman who toured the Victorian music halls with William Hedley Roberts, better known as Atlas, as Vulcana and Atlas.

They billed themselves as brother and sister although they were actually lovers and Roberts was married to another woman.

Their true story has now been turned into an enthralling atmospheric novel by award-winning short story writer and Costa-nominated novelist Rebecca F. John.

Find out more on Amazon, here.

 

Why did Stan Laurel hate Charlie Chaplin? A new show, Laurel and Chaplin - the Feud, will reveal all!

 

Some shows just have a fantastic premise and Laurel & Chaplin - the Feud sounds like it's going to be the must-have ticket of this summer.

Mixing a dramatic play with slapstick comedy and circus skills, the show tells the true but little-known story of how two of the big screen's greatest funny men - Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin - began their career as roommates, touring the music halls with showman Fred Karno... until something went wrong.

Created by Jon Conway and starring his son Jordan Conway as Chaplin, and Matt Knight as Laurel, the show's all-action routines were honed during 200 performances at Butlins Holiday Resorts as the Crazy Comedy Company, before an acclaimed appearance on the Edinburgh Fringe.

Catch the show at London's Cambridge Theatre from 24 July to 28 August, and at Blackpool Winter Gardens from 29 August to 2 September.

For more info and bookings, click here.

Is this the best circus act in the UK today?

Alex the Fireman Photo credit: Bina Fellowes Photography

Last year, Circus Fantasia boasted of having the only human cannonball in the UK that season. This year, they have one of the most entertaining acts I have ever seen in a circus ring: Alex the Fireman.

His antics on a huge revolving ladder have everything you could want from the big top in a single act. Slapstick comedy, hair-raising, death-defying acrobatics, fire, water pistols and enough personality to have everyone in the audience joining in with pantomime-style shouting.

Alexandru Lupu is not a newcomer. He's done the same act on other circuses including Zippos and Paulos (where the above picture was taken). But if you haven't seen it, this is one act worth making a special trip to Circus Fantasia to see. And if you have seen him before, you'll want to see him again, because this is an act that does not get old.

The fact that Fantasia retains a live band when most circuses use recorded music definitely adds to the effect.

Tip: book a side view seat for the best view of Alex spinning backwards on his ladder.

 

Pinder's Circus, the show with 200 year's of history, comes to Hasland, Derbyshire

I love this picture of what looks like the perfect traditional family circus - and it's a show with more than the usual share of tradition behind it.

Pinder's Circus is probably the oldest name on the circus block, dating back to the 1850s, when it played before Queen Victoria.

The current show is run by husband and wife clowns Eddy and Erika Pinder, whose family have been in the circus business for more than 200 years, along with ringmaster Mike Lea.

Click here to read more about the history of Pinder's Circus, and check out my book Circus Mania for a full chapter on it.

The Pinder's Circus Clown Car

10 Years of Circus Funtasia

Congratulations to Circus Funtasia, celebrating it's 10th Anniversary year with a Completely Sold Out show in Crewe today.