Silk playbill produced for Charles Hengler's Grand Cirque Varieté, Liverpool, 4 February 1859. Printed silk. Antony Hippisley Coxe Collection.

Cream silk programme printed in black ink with the programme for 4 February 1859 at Hengler's Grand Cirque Variete within a decorative border. The evening is described in ornate lettering as a GREAT FASHIONABLE NIGHT! and lists the programme under the patronage of the Mayor William Preston starting with a military band, followed by horsemanship by Mademoiselle Schmidt with Mr Frowde as Clown; M. Russelli and Pupil in a Risley Act; Mr. Clarke as Punch, Pierrot, Harlequin, Bacchus and Fame; Mr. Wilde on his horse Bluebell; Messrs Hogeni and Bibb performing a balancing act called 'The Globe Perche'; Master Alfred performing on his horse with Mr. Jackson; a comic scene Decapitation by M. Bibb; Mr. and Mrs. C. Hengler as England, Mrs. Beacham and Mr. Powell as Spain, Mlle. Schmidt and M. Russelli as Poland and Miss Sprake and Mr. Clarke as Italy in The Quadrille of All Nations; Mr. J. Cooke as 5 characters from The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens (Old Weller, Fat Boy, Pickwick, Sam Weller, Adonis); M. Boutillier on the trapeze; Mr. Clarke as The Japanese Juggler with Mr. Frowde as Clown, La Voltige, or, the Spirit of Emulation by the whole company, followed by an interval, and in the second half Turpin's Rise to York, or, the Death of Black Bess! performed by Mr. C. Hengler, Mr. Rivolti, Mr. Powell, Mr. Frowde, Messrs Clarke and Wild, Mr. Russelli, Mrs. Hengler, Mr. Jackson, Mrs. Beacham, Miss Smith and Mr. Alfred, with Mr. Hengler's horse Victoria as Black Bess. Also advertising the forthcoming appearance of the equestriennes Miss Emily Jane Wells, to make her first appearance before a Liverpool audience on the 14th February, and La Petite Zephora.

Antony Hippisley Coxe Collection

Silk and satin programmes were often produced for special evenings at theatres and circuses during the 19th century. This was produced as a souvenir of the 'Grand Fashionable Night', 4 February 1859 at Hengler's Circus or 'Grand Cirque Varieté' in Liverpool. The evening comprised mostly of feats of horsemanship and clowning, with some acrobatics including a Risley act, juggling, and a trapeze act, with the dramatic Turpin's Ride to York, or the Death of Black Bess! in the second half of the show.

Frederick Charles Hengler (1820-1887), always known as Charles, opened Hengler's Cirque in Liverpool in 1857. A successful proprietor, he opened similar permanent circus buildings in Glasgow and Dublin in 1863, in Hull in 1864, in Birmingham and Bristol in 1866, and in London in 1871. Hengler's London building in Argyll Street was rebuilt as the Palladium Theatre in 1910. Charles Hengler came from an established family of circus performers and an accomplished horseman. His brothers performed a celebrated tightrope act, and this playbill advertises the forthcoming appearance of John Milton Hengler on the tightrope on 21st February 1859. In March 1886, a year before his death, his circus performed privately for Queen Victoria, for the third birthday of Princess Alice, in the riding school at Windsor Castle.

S.11-2007