The Great United States Circus Alhambra Palace
Playbill
1858 (printed)
1858 (printed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This playbill is undated but advertises one of many performances by Howes and Cushing's Great United States Circus at the Alhambra Palace in London's Leicester Square in 1858. Seth Howes (1815-1901) and Joseph Cushing (1818-1884) went into partnership in the United States in 1856 and sailed to Liverpool where they landed on 25 March 1857 with 72 horses, and 50 performers and assistants. The circus travelled throughout the country before opening at the Alhambra Palace where they gave a private performance for Queen Victoria and the royal family on 14th May 1858.
In her journal Queen Victoria recorded going to 'the Panoptican' (the Alhambra's former name) with her brother Leiningen, her daughter Alice and the five children and seeing 'a very varied and wonderful performance' with 'excellent riding - absurd mules', a man who lept over seven horses, 'a very clever black horse which did all sorts of things (at a command, not ridden)' and 'some very amusing Bedouin Arabs, who jumped about like so many monkeys, & as if they had no bones'.
In her journal Queen Victoria recorded going to 'the Panoptican' (the Alhambra's former name) with her brother Leiningen, her daughter Alice and the five children and seeing 'a very varied and wonderful performance' with 'excellent riding - absurd mules', a man who lept over seven horses, 'a very clever black horse which did all sorts of things (at a command, not ridden)' and 'some very amusing Bedouin Arabs, who jumped about like so many monkeys, & as if they had no bones'.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Great United States Circus Alhambra Palace (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Woodcut and letterpress on paper |
| Brief description | Illustrated playbill featuring a woodcut image of rearing horses advertising The Great United States Circus at the Alhambra Palace, Leicester Square, 1858. Woodcut by Horner. Letterpress and woodcut printed by J.W. Peel. |
| Physical description | Portrait format letterpress playbill featuring a woodcut on the left hand side of rearing horses with American and British flags, and a list of acts and performers on the right. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Gabrielle Enthoven Collection |
| Object history | The acts presented were a Grand Spanish Cavalcade by four ladies and eight gentlemen; Miss Emma Madigan in a Juvenile Act of Equestrianism; Lavater Lee and Family performing Gambols upon the Running of the Globe; a Great Juvenile Act of Horsemanship by Master James Madigan; Messrs. Murray and Holland as The Roman Brothers in an Acrobatic and Gymnastic Display; Messrs. Richards and Madigan - Equestrianism on Two Horses; The Educated Comic Mules Pete and Barney in their 'low comedy performances' introduced by Murray and Pentland; a Grand Trial of Skill by the Company; Miss Julia Tournaire 'the Sylph of the Arena' leaping over Banners and through balloons; 'The North American Indian' L. Rivers; Murray and Holland in their 'daring feat of Equilibria' Globe La Perche; Ella, 'the First Horsewoman in the world' in her Original Act of Equestrianism; the American-bred horse Black Eagle who 'seemingly understands every word spoken to him' introduced by John H. Murray; Mr. Davis Richards The Wild Horseman of the Prairies riding bareback over bars, gates and through balloons, and the ten Tribe of Bedouin Arabs. The Equestrian Director was John H. Murray and the clowns were Joe Pentland, Jim Myers, Ferdinand and Footet. |
| Summary | This playbill is undated but advertises one of many performances by Howes and Cushing's Great United States Circus at the Alhambra Palace in London's Leicester Square in 1858. Seth Howes (1815-1901) and Joseph Cushing (1818-1884) went into partnership in the United States in 1856 and sailed to Liverpool where they landed on 25 March 1857 with 72 horses, and 50 performers and assistants. The circus travelled throughout the country before opening at the Alhambra Palace where they gave a private performance for Queen Victoria and the royal family on 14th May 1858. In her journal Queen Victoria recorded going to 'the Panoptican' (the Alhambra's former name) with her brother Leiningen, her daughter Alice and the five children and seeing 'a very varied and wonderful performance' with 'excellent riding - absurd mules', a man who lept over seven horses, 'a very clever black horse which did all sorts of things (at a command, not ridden)' and 'some very amusing Bedouin Arabs, who jumped about like so many monkeys, & as if they had no bones'. |
| Associated object | S.510-2018 (Object) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.509-2018 |
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| Record created | October 9, 2018 |
| Record URL |
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