Le Cirque est né de la Commedia

Commedia del'Arte emerged in Tuscany around 1550, although its origins are difficult to trace. It had its roots in the masked comedies of ancient Rome. The form combined mime, improvised and scripted dialogue (often coarse), with tumbling and acrobatics. Commedia del'Arte performances and techniques spread throughout Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries, with offshoots in France, Spain and England. It evolved in the late eighteenth century into forms

such as vaudeville and popular comedy and then circus.

A del'Arte company consisted of 10 or 12 strolling players. Each was assigned a stock part and had his standard costume and established peculiarities. The Doctor (Dottore), for example, always dressed in black and talked in a high-sounding manner. The characters worked within one of several stock scenarios, over which they improvised, using the familiarity of the main characters to drive and unify performances. Part of their strength lay in the use of masks, which reinforced the idiosyncrasies of the main characters, separating them from the more empathetically portrayed characters (such as the Lovers) who did not wear masks.

The characters or "masks," in spite of changes over the years, retained much of their original flavor. Most important were the zanni, or servant types; Arlecchino, or Harlequin, was the most famous. He spoke directly to the audience, which oth Teatro del Finikito

er characters did not. He wore a cat-like mask and motley colored clothes and carried a bat or wooden sword, the ancestor of the slapstick. He was an acrobat and a wit, childlike and amorous. His crony, Brighella, was more roguish and sophisticated — a cowardly villain who would do anything for money. He also was the musician of the group. The name of the jesting valet, Zanni (or zany), is used to describe any comic "cutup," on the stage or off.

Pedrolino (or in France, Pierrot) was a white-faced, moon-struck dreamer. Pagliaccio, the forerunner of today's clown, was closely akin to Pedrolino. Pulcinella, as seen in the English Punch and Judy shows, was a dwarfish humpback with a crooked nose, the cruel bachelor who chased pretty girls. Pantalone or Pantaloon was a caricature of the Venetian merchant, rich and retired, mean and miserly, with a young wife or an adventurous daughter. His costume was red. Il Dottore (the doctor), his only friend, was a caricature of learning — pompous and fraudulent; he survives in the works of Molière. Dottore always wore the signature black of the Renaissance university man. Il Capitano (the Captain) was a caricature of the professional soldier — bold, swaggering, and cowardly. The more agile Scarramuccia, or Scaramouche, who dressed in black and carried a pointed sword, replaced him. Scaramouche became the Robin Hood of his day. Plays also usually contained several maids, called Zagne or Servette, each as clever as Scapino or Brighella.

The handsome Inamorato (the lover) went by many names. He wore no mask and had to be eloquent in order to speak the love declamations. The Inamorata was his female counterpart; Isabella Andreini was the most famous. Her servant, usually called Columbine, was the beloved of Harlequin. Witty, bright, and given to intrigue, she developed into such characters as Harlequine and Pierrette. La Ruffiana was an old woman, either the mother or a village gossip, who thwarted the lovers. Cantarina and Ballerina often took part in the comedy, but for the most part their job was to sing, dance or play music. None of the women wore masks.

These characters all retained their general personalities through the years and evolved in different countries. Shakespeare often used types of Commedia characters in his plays. The minor actors were often almost as beloved as the leads. Just like the Punch and Judy shows, the audience knew what to expect, although the actual circumstances in the play would vary. However, the four main characters still remained to be like Pantalone, Dottore, Harlequin and Brighella.

Lorsqu'on allait au cirque au XVIIE siècle c'était donc pour voir des «clowns» et de périlleuses acrobaties.
Environ 60 ans plus tard, vers 1830 on commence à ajouter au spectacle des manifestations d'équilibristes avec des chevaux et d'autres animaux sur la piste du cirque. Le dressage de fauves, en particulier de lions, vient peu à peu compléter le spectacle.

En 1860, Jules Léotard décide d'ajouter encore un numéro au spectacle mais au lieu de changer ou d'ajouter un animal il préfère ajouter un spectacle dans l'air. Il invente les acrobaties aériennes au trapèze.
Peu à peu le spectacle devient de plus en plus varié.

By the mid-19th century the larger touring circuses began to exhibit side shows. These would sometimes include what were then called ‘human oddities’, Siamese twins, giants, bearded ladies, dwarfs (then known as Midgets), people without arms or legs, and people who could perform unusual acts such as snake charming. Side shows also included people from ethnic groups. These acts would today be considered as offensive and racist but in the late 19th century were popular.

An increase in public interest in science and evolution had been prompted by the writings of Charles Darwin among others. Circus proprietors borrowed from the language of science to ‘exhibit’ their performers. In America people were ‘displayed’ as ‘exhibits’ in ‘Museums’. The most famous of these Museums was Barnum’s ‘Hall of Living Curiosities’ in New York.

Performances of side shows were sometimes accompanied by pamphlets describing the physical condition of the ‘exhibits’ and explaining their scientific significance. The pamphlets also contained quotes from notable people who had seen the exhibit and could vouch for its authenticity. In addition postcards of freaks were very popular – often manufactured in a studio to exaggerate their condition. Lavinia Warren, Tom Thumb’s wife, had 50,000 images of herself printed in one go. These were displayed in front of the ‘exhibits’ and sold to the audience for profit.

One of the most colorful figures of the Old West became the best known spokesman for the New West. He was born William Frederick Cody in Iowa in 1846. At 22, in Kansas, he was rechristened "Buffalo Bill". He had been a trapper, a bullwhacker, a Colorado "Fifty-Niner", Pony Express rider (1860), wagonmaster, stagecoach driver, Civil War soldier, and even hotel manager. He earned his nickname for his skill while supplying Kansas Pacific Railroad workers with buffalo meat. He was about to embark on a career as one of the most illustrious prairie scouts of the Indian Wars.

From 1868 through 1872 he was continuously employed by the United States Army, a record in the hazardous and uncertain scouting profession. He won the congressional Medal of Honor in 1872 and was ever after the favorite scout of the Fifth Cavalry.In 1872 he appeared on stage for the first time, playing himself in "Scouts of the Prairie."