The Kayes family’s War Circus story is transposed from contemporary newspapers, retaining the language of the time. Ref: inc. newspapers found in the British Libraries’ online archive, British Newspaper Archives and The World’s Fair, the Showland newspaper held on microfiles at the National Fairground and Circus Archive, University of Sheffield. OCT 1916 A… [Read More]
WAR CIRCUS: NEWS SNIPPETS 1914-1918
These ( 350+) War Circus articles are set in a chronological based on the action they report between 1914 and 1919, starting in August 1914. They have been transposed from contemporary newspapers, in order to retain the language of the time. Other information has been drawn from people realted to the artistes. Ref: including various… [Read More]
Pablo Fanque’s visits to the North East
Pablo Fanque was a very famous Victorian circus artist. We are grateful to the author for this well researched contribution to our knowledge of circus in the North East in the 19th century. When Madame La Bonche asked if I’d consider doing an article on Pablo Fanque in the North East for this website I did warn her not… [Read More]
Read All About It
Our Newspaper called the “La Bonche” is ready to be given out after the shows. It is a great read. Our editing team worked for hard to produce it. They included several members of the la Bonche family: Demolition, Kernel, Liza Orange, Lulu, Nina, Ottie, Pest, PP, Snuggle Pot, Squeezebox Rosie, Tappii & Thethie La… [Read More]
Exhibition Design
We took 2 days in July 2013 to design the Exhibition Stands. Here is a link to the designing process(Facebook). It was great fun. We then commissioned Dan to make them and then Nina did lots of work to make them look great. She decorated each caravan with a theme. The yellow and green one… [Read More]
Remembering
Over the last few months we have been collecting circus histories form our elders in the community, we have been to their houses, festivals and clubs. We have taken photos and recordings. They have given us stories and some of their circus flyers and posters for the collection we are making for the T&W Archives…. [Read More]
The Heritage Lottery Came to Say Hello
In August the HLF sent a film crew – you can read all about the visit here. It was great to share with them the fun of the circus. We have promised not to publish the photos of them wearing tutus which PP got them to wear! It was all happening on the day. Not… [Read More]
We Are Reclaiming Old Acts
Some of us are learning to walk on glass and to lie on beds of nails like a Fakir. Others are learning an old trapeze act. It was first performed in Belfast and Circus Space by the Beautiful Marias and in 1994 this act was reworked by Hang Aerial Dance in 2005 as part of… [Read More]
Our Circus Pedigree is from Six Continents
Inspired by old Hand-bills where performing horses were listed with their pedigrees by Ottie La Bonche Our circus family is not related by nature but by nurture. All our teachers and mentors were taught by someone who was taught by someone else, our circus has been passed down from all over the world, across different… [Read More]
Cirque du Soleil Review
by Thethie La Bonche Cirque du Soleil, from Canada is the Best Circus I have ever seen, their performance Alegria was amazing. They had 106 people on tour and 50 performers from all over the world. They are helped by 80 local people to set up the show. It had all kinds of funny and… [Read More]
