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TAIT Regular user uk 142 Posts |
HI can any one help me I am looking for some acts that have being forgoton about over the years I want to bring new acts to the table olso keep old acts alive.
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Kondini Inner circle 3609 Posts |
The Old Acts are alive and doing well, thankyou very much !!!
For the preservation of old and unusual entertainment here in the UK, the Steam and Traction Rallies are the place to be. Every weekend from April through to November there are rallies taking place throughout the UK, many of these have an Old Tyme section, complete with shows, fronts and live performers. Here are a few, Ken Fox (Wall of Death) Penny Rigden (Old Time Music Hall, Ronnie Taylor (Travelling Boxing Booth) Doctor Death (Freak Show and Taxidermy) Stromboli (Fire Eater and Sword Swallower) Peter Optical (Stilts, masks and fire) Stretch (Skin Stretching)Evans (Strongman) etc etc don't forget the King of Fakir acts (Barry Walls)Who died a few weeks ago (This guy was shoving Durex, ragworms,chain,rope and yes balloons up his nose and out of his mouth way back in 1953 !!) The Old acts are Old enough to be new, now. |
Dr_Stephen_Midnight Inner circle SW Ohio, USA 1555 Posts |
Stone eating?
Water spouting? Musical flatulence? Steve
Dr. Lao: "Do you know what wisdom is?"
Mike: "No." Dr. Lao: "Wise answer." |
Reis O'Brien Inner circle Seattle, WA 2467 Posts |
I think the saddest loss to sideshow-style arts is the lack of "freak" shows and displays. Now, I know, most people don't even like to use the word "freak", much less pay their nickel to stare at one, but there is a rich history there than will sadly stay in our history. Part of it is the modern polictically correct attitude towards those "who are not like others". Another thing is that some of the old-time "human anomolies" are not so rare and novel anymore. In a country where 65% of the poulation is overweight, the fat lady suddenly hits a little too close to home. And due to various chemical means, the potential pickled punks are still being made in abundance but just aren't ending up in jars lest we are reminded of our own horrors.
A large part of me understands this, of course. I'm not trying to be callous, here. So in order to keep it alive, most carny-style shows need to be based on odd performances. But now, even those seem to be turning into "old hat". When you can see a guy eating a lightbulb on David Letterman, who needs to even go into the tent? |
Slim Price Inner circle 1935 - 2006 1326 Posts |
There are some "Master Acts" that would be wasted today because of there being so many incompetent performers, who know little about how to frame a good presentation, without basic entertainment bones. "Boiled Alive" comes to mind and some other old shows that don't just embrace "See what I can do" levels of incompetence. Except for shows like Todd Robbins, Carnival Diablo, Tim Cridland,and Harley Newman, those days are better gone. I could honestly go to the park today, pick a few homeless, teach them and go on the road today with what the average show is presenting!
Slim Price
sanscan@tds.net
"I will never bitter be, as long as I can laugh at me!" "The people who were dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music" |
rossmacrae Inner circle Arlington, Virginia 2475 Posts |
You're on the large side for it, but with a small female or child assistant ... learn what you can about the Georgia Magnet Act.
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Bill Fienning Special user 635 Posts |
I was taught some of the Georgia Magnet act at the Psychic Entertainers Association convention. Unfortunately, I weigh 142 pounds, so it takes a really strong man to pick me up at all. It is not very spectacular when he cannot pick me up a moment later.
However, I can effectively do the push-back routine. (I can resist a large man pushing on my shoulders to push me backwards while I simply stand straight up.)
Bill Fienning
"It's More than Tricks" |
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