OLD LONDON CLOWN

Hokitika Guardian, 27 October 1931, Page 8

OLD LONDON CLOWN

ON TARANAKI FARM. STILL CAPABLE OF TRICKS. NEW PLYMOUTH, October 19. Having begun to earn his living b\ winning passengers’ farthings thrown to him as he turned “Catherine wheels” and flips precariously in tne wake of buses clattering along the Old Kent Road, London, Chris. Hansen spent 30 years as an acrobat touring England, Australia and New Zealand with circuses and vaudeville companies. Now he is a farm worker in the U renin district. He enjoys the open air, the sky and the green fields, but he is still a comedian, An old dray, dusty and creaking, approached across ai) ( ,undulating paddock. A man with a wrinkled, weather-beat-en face, shaggy eyebrows, but merry eyes, was the driver, and a. small fox terrier a passenger. There was nothing strange in this, but the unusual soon manifested itself as the dray approached a gate. The driver hummed a ditty. The horse stopped. The dog danced on its hind legs in time and, like a circus clown, the driver somersaulted to the ground to unfasten the gate, singing the while. The gate opened, the driver performed a * dance, flourished his anus, and the dray passed through and beoynd. Chris Hansen had introduced himself, his dog Mona and his happy nature. “It’s a long story aikl would take time to tell fully, but I’m still a clown,” said Mr Hansen. “How did ! come to go on the stage? Well. I was born in London, and always had a liking for the stage and circuses. 1 joined Hugo’s Buffalo Minstrels, and that was one of my first ‘big’ engagements. 1 toured through Australia and. New Zealand, and joined ' Wirth’s Circus. Frank Clarke’s Vaudeville. doing turns at the Melbourne Opera House, and Raymond’s Vaudeville, touring New Zealand many times. Later J was with tile •Do Ray Me French Clowns, Pat Flarrety and Stanley McKay’s Bo Peep Pantomine. Coming to New Zealand again T returned to vaudeville with the Jubilee Bellringers a comedian. Later I broached out into comic singing, composing my own songs —words and music and sketches. My health began to. fail me, so I decided to leave the sawdust and Lotlights for the fresh air and farm life,

and I find it agrees with me. I’m here for good, but Pin still a clown. There's no worry now—no learning new songs, no ardous rehearsals; do your worn and your worries for the day are ended. < ■ “You know, I could put on some wonderful tricks'"with Mona here,' said Chris, enthusiastically. At his command Mona danced first on her hind legs and then on her front across the lawn, in perfect time with her master’s singing voice, and to the accompaniment of much'“applause from .1 party of Maoris. ‘‘Mona performs very well, but her mate was even better,” said Chris, sadly. “He was killed yesterday—run over by a motor car. It knocks the sting'out of you, somehow.”