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    Great Performances From Australian Theatre History
    Great Performances From Australian Theatre History
    Great Performances From Australian Theatre History
    Ebook47 pages43 minutes

    Great Performances From Australian Theatre History

    By Leann Richards

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    About this ebook

    A selection of essays about great performances in Australian Theatre History. These include accounts of Blondin, Cinquevalli, The Oliviers and Nellie Melba's tours of Australia.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLeann Richards
    Release dateDec 17, 2010
    ISBN9781458081254
    Great Performances From Australian Theatre History
    Author

    Leann Richards

    I am a juggler, a writer, a pretend magician, an historian and a teacher. I've published some books on Australian theatrical history through Ginninderra Books in Australia, and have just finished another on Australian juggling history which will be published in early 2022. Between juggling, researching history and teaching I like to write fairy tales. I live with my imagination in Sydney Australia.

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      Book preview

      Great Performances From Australian Theatre History - Leann Richards

      Great Performances from Australian Theatre History

      By Leann Richards

      Copyright Leann Richards 2010

      Smashwords edition

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Blondin

      In 1874 The world’s most famous tight rope walker, Blondin, visited Australia. Blondin was fifty years old and had thrilled the world with his feats of daring. His visit started a craze for tight rope walking in Australia and spawned many imitators.

      Jean Francois Gravelet better known as Blondin, or Chevalier Blondin , was born in 1824 in France. At an early age he had been inspired by a troupe of travelling acrobats to take up rope walking. He quickly showed an astonishing aptitude for the art. In 1851 he toured the United States with the Ravel group of French acrobats. However he wanted to be more than a member of a troupe, and in 1859 announced that he would cross Niagara Falls on a tight rope.

      In June that year he made his first crossing. It took five minutes and twenty five thousand people watched the feat. He remained at Niagara until September and crossed the falls numerous times in various manners. Thus he crossed blindfolded and pushing a wheelbarrow. He also carried a man on his back across the falls. The following year he repeated the performance and topped it by crossing the falls on stilts.

      By 1874 he had astounded audiences around the world and was a well known star. That year, whilst in California , he was approached by an Australian entrepreneur, HP Lyons and convinced to visit the continent. By mid year, the most famous rope walker in the world had arrived in the colonies.

      Blondin made his first Australian appearance at Brisbane’s Botanical Gardens on July 25th 1874. He entertained a large crowd by crossing a long rope in armour, in a sack and by bicycle. He also carried his trusting secretary, Mr Niaud across the rope on his back. Blondin was enthusiastically received in Brisbane.

      In August, posters began appearing in Sydney streets and on the 17th of that month an advertisement in the Sydney Morning Herald.

      BLONDIN

      THE HERO OF NIAGARA

      Will arrive in Sydney

      On or about the 12th August 1874.

      The advertisement stated that Blondin would perform the same feats as he had shown the Prince of Wales and his extensive retinue. Blondin was being presented as a performer who was acceptable to nobility and thus an act of the highest calibre.

      For those Sydneysiders concerned about the Chevalier’s non arrival, the advertisement of August 18 would have been a relief. It announced that Blondin, the hero of Niagara had finally arrived in Sydney.

      Blondin set up his tent in the Domain. It was a square canvas construction measuring two hundred and fifty feet on each side. It was fifty feet high. It was open at the top, making it possible for non paying customers to catch a glimpse of the show. The tent could hold up to fifteen thousand people. It was located on ‘rising ground in the outer domain almost in front of Richmond Terrace and towards the rear of the Mint and the Infirmary.’ The entrance fees ranged

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