WOODYEAR'S ELECTRIC CIRCUS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 100, 5 April 1884, Page 2

WOODYEAR'S ELECTRIC CIRCUS.

Mr. Love, the agent for this renowned circus company arrived in the Bay to-day, and an* nounces the advent of the above, who will open on Tuesday next. From the glowing accounts which reach us through our exchanges there is no doubt but what a great treat is in store for us. The entertainment is of a most varied and pleasing description and embraces some of the most extraordinary gymnastic feats that have ever been witnessed. The programme embraces some seventeen items, which are so engrossing as to make the three hours entertainment seem far too short. In order to give our readers some idea of the performance we append the following from a Napier contemporay. “It would serve no good purpose to deal with the various items in detail, suffice it to say that those things which are generally looked upon as of secondary importance in a circus were last night, by their very excellence, the most prominent features in the performance. Madame Zulu, “the African artiste,” is a clever female ape, who gives a close imitation of the usual circus riding. Cooma, a Japanese, proved himself a splendid acrobat, his feats with the tubs and barrels and a swinging bamboo provoking loud applause. Messrs. Woodward, King, Gregory, Cousins, and one or two others whose names we did not ascertain, showed themselves capable gymnasts, their daring feats being performed with an ease and neatness which never for a moment caused the slightest fear of an accident to the spectators. Madame Germaine gave a clever contortionist exhibition, while Jack Cousins’ riding was also admired. In Messrs. Cusco and Duvallia we have a couple of clowns, who, though they amused the small boys greatly with their antiquated jokes, are very much better gymnasts than clowns. The trained dogs of Professor Sylvester gave the most enjoyable part of the entertainment, and evinced the care which must have been taken in their training, the performance of a big dog who filled the responsible position of clown being very funny. The dogs, with, monkeys for riders, for a wind-up, had a very amusing steeplechase.