Circus thrills and spills...
UNDER the heading “Thrills and Spills at the old wooden Circus Theatre” I had this to say when writing in South Wales Postcard magazine in October 2011.
On the site of what was once the General Post Office in Westgate Street stood Hutchinson’s and Tayleur’s wooden circus theatre.
Built around 1876, it was demolished to make way for the splendid Post Office building.
Madame Tayleur, who was something of a performer herself, used to lash herself to a horse and ride around the ring underneath her horse.
One of the circus acts performed there had to be stopped after some of the ladies in the audience screamed and fainted.
A Cardiff clown called
Joey Hayes would climb to the top of the building and pretend to lose his hold and fall to the ground.
It was really a dummy that fell, but the scene was so realistic that it had the ladies reaching for their smelling salts.
Mr GS Courtney, writing in a local newspaper many years ago, recalled: “I have witnessed there, beyond the ordinary circus shows, and such spiritual entertainment as the visit of Sankey and Moody the revivalists and Father Ignatius’ For Jesus Only and these stirring events.
“In addition, there were such diverse draws as Levine the mesmerist, with a most entertaining exhibition, and Jem Mace, the champion of England in pugilism.
“As well as exciting interest, Levine always created hearty laughter. For example, he would invite a young working man from the audience and would say to him: ‘Now Sir, stand on that.’
“‘That’ was a tub turned upside down.
“The man having done this, Levine mesmerised him and commanded as follows: ‘Now, imagine you are Mr Gladstone.’
“The fellow would at once commence to orate and, astonishingly to relate, would become really eloquent.
“Another stunt was to get a boy under the influence when glancing at a string of onions beside him, tell him to: ‘Pick one of those delicious apples from the tree.’
“The wretched lad would do so and revel in the delicious flavour of the apple as he imagined it.’’