Wirths' Circus Has Biggest Tent In Taneatua's History

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 96, 10 February 1950, Page 5

Wirths' Circus Has Biggest Tent In Taneatua's History

Probably the biggest tent ever to be pitched at Taneatua was erected there by Wirths’ circus yesterday, and there were not any seats to spare when the show opened last night. The usual orderly confusion associated with the preparations for a circus opening reigned under the “big top” yesterday afternoon, but the citizens who had turned up to book for the night’s performance were showing greatest interest in the smaller marquee that housed the zoo. *

Six big, sleepy elephants swung gently at anchor and they vied with a variety of monkeys for public interest. Regal lions and restless bearS got their share of attention, but the children’s joy was the big grey baboon, whose almost humost human antics caused a great deal of amusement. <

The show opened it night with Capt Schulz, who entered the cage with five lions and put them through a series of tricks. Miss Zetta got a good round of applause for her trapeze act, as did the Flying Beehees, 3 men and 2 women, who went through a thrilling trapeze routine with split-second timing.

In a programme packed tight with clever acts, the crowd found much to applaud. Bent Blue and his partner got a big hand' for their unicycle act, juggling and loop spinning while riding one wheel, and some of the biggest laughs of the evening were provided by the Escalantes in their comedy high bar. act. Mademoiselle Betty’s contortions on a swinging rope were truly amazing, and the clowns, of course, kept the show going at a racy tempo. Horses always get the appreciation of a country audience, and Miss Gladys Wirths’ “high school horse,” educated to march, waltz and otherwise show off a super intelligence vied for popularity with Jack Joyce’s team of Australianbred Arabs (not forgetting their mascot, the miniature pony) who drilled like regular army soldiers, knowing their places even when blindfolded.

Putting the four trained elephants through their paces was a New Zealander, Martin. Francis, who showed that this country can breed a “real Mackay” mahout.