WIRTH'S CIRCUS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 48, 26 February 1916, Page 4

WIRTH'S CIRCUS.

The big Shows of Wirth Bros. Ltd. which are announced to visit Taihape on Friday March 3rd one night only, are a striking reputation of the saying—"lf you see one circus you .-.ee the 10t.." One odes not hear it said of the theatres, picture shows and music halls, and yet the circus ring and stage naturally lend themselves to a greater variety of production than any of these.. A striking instance is the London Hippodrome, one of the most popular amusement houses in the great metropolis. There ring and stage are combined with great success, and their methods of production have been closely studied by representatives of Australasia's biggest circus with the result that everything is entirely up-to-date, and the wonderful star acts they are bringing with them are shown at their best 'advantage.

On the present tour a programme of exceptional merit is being presented. The Royal Wirth Family 'and Captain Ruling's Performing Seals are at the head of the bill. The form-

er have just returned home after a tour -round the world, lasting five years. With them is Miss May Martin Wirth, whose career as a rider has been triumphant. She is an Australian girl, who received her early training with the Wirth Bros' Show. She was never happier th'an when working with the horses" and building a

sure foundation for her career as a rider. The result of this early training was, that when she performed for the first time in America she evented quite a furore. Night after night the theatres where she performed were packed to the doers and the Press acclaimed her a s the greatest somersault rider who had ever performed in America. Feats which had hitherto been regarded as impossible, she performed with ease. After a starr-

ing engagement with the huge Barnum and Bailey Show she went to England and appeared at the premier amusement places and also before their Majesties, King George and Queen Mary at the Olympia. The act in which the 'family appear is called "A Circus Modern," and is a delightful number. Captain Huling's Seals are, without doubt, the most wonderfully trained animals that have ever been presented to 'an Australian public. They jug. gle with balls and bars in a marvellous manner, walk the tight rope and ride a pony, juggling the while. They also play tunes on a set of electric bells and then they all combine in "The Seal Band," which is excruciatingly funny. Their intelligence is almost human. They make a big hit wherever they appear.

The Loret.ta Twins are two lady bar performers, the only two in the world. Their performance is graceful and clever, and they accomplish feats that few men can equal. Louvain on the aerial wire has many new things to show, and the Ernestonians and Novikoffs in their aerial act are clever bevond the ordinary.

Mussa Marnier, the Russian Cossack, gives a graphic exposition of the Cossack modes of war-fare and dees wonderful things while his horse is at the gallop. A group of young Australian bred lions, the first ever born and trained in the country, are an item of more than ordinary interest. These and a number of highly trained horses and elephants are but a few items in a programme, the peer of which has never been presented in the Southern hemisphere before.

The huge zoo is open from 4 to 5 daily, at a nominal fee. and an interesting sight is the feeding of the Seals and sea-lions.