Pablo Fanque, Britain's first Black circus proprietor, gets blue plaque in Leeds

There aren't many blue plaques dedicated to circus performers, but there are now at least three devoted to Britain's - and probably the world's - first Black circus owner, Pablo Fanque.

One is on the wall of the John Lewis store in Norwich, close to where Fanque (real name William Darby) was born in 1810. A second is at Sheffield's Castlegate.

The latest plaque has been unveiled on a Leeds shopping centre close to where Fanque was buried in 1871.

Fanque's wife Susannah was killed in Leeds when an amphitheatre owned by him collapsed in 1848. Although Fanque later remarried, it was his final wish to be buried alongside her.

The plaque was unveiled on 16 September by Chris Barltrop dressed as Philip Astley, assisted by Shawn Ashworth dressed as Fanque and Deborah Sanderson, from the Urban Angels aerial group, dressed as Fanque's wife, Susannah.

Speeches were given by Jane Taylor, Chair of the Leeds Civic Trust, and circus historian Dr Steve Ward, who played a large part in getting Fanque honoured.

The ceremony was witnessed by 100 onlookers plus BBC and ITV local news crews.

Later in the afternoon, Barltrop performed his play Audacious Mr Astley at the nearby City Varieties Theatre.

The real life Astley had introduced circus to Leeds with open-air performances there in 1773.

For more information on the story of Pablo Fanque, click here.

 

Laurel and Chaplin: The Feud, Preview

A promo video has dropped for Laurel & Chaplin: The Feud, and what a hoot it looks, combining classic slapstick routines with an intriguing true story.

Long before Laurel and Hardy, Stan Laurel worked with another comedy giant, Charlie Chaplin. They toured America together for three years and shared a room on the road.

Then, after Chaplin was talent-spotted by Keystone Studios and catapulted to silver screen fame, they never spoke to each other again.

To find out what happened, catch Laurel & Chaplin: The Feud at London's Cambridge Theatre on Monday nights from 24 July to 28 August and Blackpool Winter Gardens from 30 August to 2 September.

 

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.

 

Death of a Strongman, Khalil Oghab, Father of the Iranian Circus

When Gerry Cottle passed away in 2021, I naturally called his long time associate 'Doktor' John Haze, founder of the Circus of Horrors, for some insights into Cottle's career.

Haze attributed Cottle's success to some of the unique acts that featured in Gerry Cottle's Circus. In particular, he singled out strongman Khalil Oghaby, who would stand on a platform and lift a baby elephant - a feat for which he is still in the Guinness World of Records today.

Ironically, just a week after Haze left this world (more info here), Oghaby has passed away at the age of 98.

Known as the Hercules of Persia, Oghab (whose name was spelt Oghaby in the UK) came to fame by staging Iran's first strongman shows. As many as 50,000 people would pay to watch him toss weights over his head with his teeth and allow buses and trucks to drive over him.

In the 1970s, Oghab starred in Duffy's Circus in Ireland and then Gerry Cottle's Circus in the UK, where he also appeared in the Saturday evening TV show Seaside Special, broadcast from Cottle's big top.

Cottle called him, "Probably the best act I ever had."

In 1991, Oghab returned to his homeland where he founded the country's first circus and became known as the Father of the Iranian Circus.

For more on this story, read the Gerry Cottle Story, here.

 

RIP Doktor John Haze of the Circus of Horrors

The late Doktor John Haze (right) with Gerry Cottle (left)

and Circus Mania author Douglas McPherson

I received the sad news this morning of the death of Doktor John Haze, founder of the Circus of Horrors and director of Britain's biggest big top show, Circus Extreme.

Haze had a storybook life. Abandoned on a circus as a baby, he was brought up as a fire-eater in the big top. He later left the sawdust circle to form a band, then combined rock music and circus tricks to create the Circus of Horrors in partnership with Gerry Cottle.

As well as performing as singing ringmaster in the Horrors, Haze handled publicity for the Chinese State Circus and Moscow State Circus. Following the retirement of circus mogul Brian Austen, Haze became director of Circus Extreme and Continental Circus Berlin.

Like Cottle, Haze was a master of the publicity stunt and frequently got the Horrors into the national news or on the front page of the Sun with far-fetched stories. He achieved several Guinness World Records and took the Horrors onto TV on Britain's Got Talent.

On stage in white face makeup, he played a demonic character, but off stage he was a gentle person. 

An example of his generosity was attending the launch party of my book Circus Mania at the then Circus Space (Now National Centre for Circus Arts) where he and Cottle signed books for circus fans. 

Read my review of Circus Extreme here.

Read my exclusive interview with Brian Austen, the 'secret showman' here.

And read the story of the Circus Mania launch party here.

 

Packed Theatres for Cirque - The Greatest Show

Cirque - The Greatest Show, which mixes circus with the songs of musical theatre, is reporting full houses as it embarks on its year-long tour. 

The above is Guildford and below is Bromley.