COOPER AND BAILEY'S CIRCUS.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 911, 25 April 1878, Page 2

COOPER AND BAILEY'S CIRCUS.

Hundreds from Waikato are coii-tc-mplating a trip to Auckland to visit the monster Circus, and therefore some short critique of the first performance m Auckland condensed from the Aucklaud press may not be uninteresting. The crowd on Monday night at the opening performance was a large one. Fully 4,000 were seated m the great Circus, a larger audience than was ever got together m doors or o"tin that city. All parts of the province swelled the crowd on this occasion. Steamers from the Thames and Coromandel, trains from the Waikato, trains and steamers from the Kaipara district, and the North. Shore brought large numbers of holiday excursionists and holiday-makers, determined to see "the lions," who unquestionably monopolise the largest share of public ■ interest. As early as six m the evening*, people were proceeding 1 m streams towards the many-pointed pravilion m the Barrack Reserve. The time announced for opening was 7 o'clock ; the circus performance to commence at B— the intervening hour being occupied by au inspection of the managerie. As people had inspected the contents of the several cages, they entered the central pavilion, or circus where they were guided to seats by attendants evidently experienced m handling masses of people. When the per* formance commeuced there were nearly 4000 persons comfortably seated. The first item m the perfornnuice of the circus is assumed to display the whole resources of the company. The. resources of this company are so extensive and various that scarcely u!iy pageant could be devised which would include them all, The procession was very imposing, ■ comprising knights and ladies, banner-bearers, grotesque figures, elephants, camels, Liliputiau ponies. This was followed by the performances of ' Titania,' a huge female olophant, under,, the direction ■

of hey trainer, Professor G." W* Johnson. This was one of the special wonders of the evening. The elephant danced, balanced herself on a two foot disc, first by the two off legs, then by the near legs, and then cross-legged, The trainer laid down, and the gigantic animal stepped across him, studious to avoid touching him with her feet. The sagacity manifested m this performance elicited loud applause. The first act of equestrianism waß a € somersault,' by Abalardo Lowaude — a most graceful and clever rider. He was successful m all he did, but the fact that his horse was fresh, made the pace uncertain, and consequently the performances very much more difficult. The classic groupings of Messrs Lazelle and Maffit were also very clever and finished. A performance which elicited the largest measure of astonishment was that of Madame D'Atalie, the 1 female Sampson.' A massive iron bar is placed across the shoulders, one of her own children — a girl some nine or ten years of age stands jipon the shoulders, two men attach Sjjiemselves to the end of the iron bar, and under this weight Madame D'Atalio walks across the ring. A good-sized brass cannon is similarly placed, and is fired by the child standing" m the same position. Bat greatly beyond anything at all usually witnessed m the arena, are the performances of Martinho Lowande and his two sons on a barebacked horse. The younger of these children is about five years of age, the elder seven. They are carried m every conceivable way by the father while the horse is at full speed. For grace of form as well as daring, it is finished and complete. There were educated dogs, Japanese joggling, and comicalities, all more or lesa entertaining. The great expectation, of course, was the performance of Professor Johnson with the " lions." There was quite a sensation when the cage was pushed into the tent by the large elephant. When the Professor entered the cage his pets did not show any special desire to face him. They gripped the bars ef the cage with their paws, but a touch of the whip brought them to their bearings. They were driven from end to end of the stage, and a loaded revolver was discharged, which brought their " majesties " to their knees. This concluded the Circus eutertainment proper ; but the supplementaryenteitainments, such as the " Christy Minstrels," the " learned pig," and others, drew a large number of spectators.