“Flea circus”的意思、由来-开放百科全书

A flea circus is a circus sideshow attraction in which fleas are attached (or appear to be attached) to miniature carts and other items, and encouraged to perform circus acts within a small housing.

History

The first records of flea performances were from watchmakers who were demonstrating their metalworking skills. In 1578, Mark Scaliot produced a lock and chain that were attached to a flea. The first recorded flea circus dates back to the early 1820s, when an Italian impresario called Louis Bertolotto advertised an “extraordinary exhibition of industrious fleas” on Regent Street, London.^[1] Some flea circuses persisted in very small venues in the United States as late as the 1960s. The flea circus at Belle Vue Zoological Gardens, Manchester, England, was still operating in 1970. At least one genuine flea circus still performs (at the annual Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany^[2]) and Svensons in the UK occasionally use real fleas, but most flea circuses are a sideline of magicians and clowns, and use electrical or mechanical effects instead of real fleas.

Techniques with real fleas

Fleas typically live only for a few months and are not trained.{{Citation needed|date=October 2018}} Fleas are observed to see if they have a predisposition for jumping or walking. Once sorted, they are harnessed by carefully wrapping a thin gold wire around their neck.^[3] Once in the harness, the fleas usually stay in it for life. The harnesses are attached to the props and the strong legs of the flea allow them to move objects significantly larger than themselves. Jumping fleas are used for kicking small lightweight balls. They are carefully given a ball; when they try to jump away (which is not possible because of the harness), they shoot the ball instead. Running fleas can pull small carts and vehicles or rotate a Ferris wheel.^[4]

There are historical reports of fleas glued to the base of the flea circus enclosure. Miniature musical instruments were then glued to the flea performers and the enclosure was heated. The fleas fought to escape, giving the impression of playing instruments.^[5]

Techniques without real fleas

Some flea circuses may appear to use real fleas, but in fact do not. A variety of electrical, magnetic, and mechanical devices have been used to augment exhibits. In some cases, these mechanisms are responsible for all of the "acts", with loose fleas in the exhibit maintaining the illusion. These circuses are known as "Humbug" flea circuses. Michael Bentine gave a mechanical flea circus a regular slot on his television show, It's a Square World in the 1960s.^[6]

Performers

In the 1990s, María Fernanda Cardoso toured the world with her installation art flea circus.^[13]

Professor Heckler's flea circus (in residence at Hubert's Dime Museum in Times Square, New York until 1957) can be seen in the background of the films The Thief and Easy Rider. L. Bertolotto ran a famous flea circus in Regent Street, London.^[14]

In popular culture

Flea circuses have featured in cartoons, films, television shows, music, and novels.^[15]^[16]^[17]^[18]

References

1. ^{{cite journal |last=Lawton |first=Graham |date=22 December 2012|title=Fleadom or death: Reviving the glorious flea circus |journal=New Scientist |volume= |issue=2896 |pages= |doi= }}
2. ^¹{{cite web|url=http://www.flohcirkus.de/geschichte |title=Geschichte |publisher=Flohcirkus.de |date= |accessdate=2013-10-25}}
3. ^National Geographic, May 1988.
4. ^Hund, Katze, Maus. 10 February 2010 VOX
5. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.noonco.com/flea/faq.htm |title=Flea-Circus.com |publisher=Noonco.com |date= |accessdate=2010-08-26}}
6. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2LF04Y9n5hJTHK1l6ffLhPc/the-rise-and-demise-of-the-flea-circus |title=The rise and demise of the flea circus |author= |date= |website=BBC Radio4 |publisher=BBC |access-date=19 December 2015}}
7. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.trainedfleas.com|title=Acme Flea Circus Page--TrainedFleas.com!|website=www.trainedfleas.com}}
8. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.denvercountyfair.org/#!special-events/c457|title=Denver County Fair - Denver's own fairly weird County Fair at the National Western Complex|website=www.denvercountyfair.org}}
9. ^{{cite web|url=http://westerngardeners.com/flea-circus-is-a-must-see-at-denver-county-fair.html|title=Flea Circus is a Must See at Denver County Fair|first=Jodi|last=Torpey|date=August 8, 2013|access-date=December 7, 2015}}
10. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.playland-not-at-the-beach.org/entertainer_bio_prof_b_01.html |title=Professor B's Flea Circus |publisher=Playland-Not-At-The-Beach |date= |accessdate=2010-08-26}}
11. ^{{cite web |url=http://munich.mydestinationinfo.com/en/oktoberfest-fun-rides |title=Oktoberfest Fun Rides |publisher=Munich.mydestinationinfo.com |date= |accessdate=2011-10-12 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303081945/http://munich.mydestinationinfo.com/en/oktoberfest-fun-rides |archivedate=2011-03-03 |df= }}
12. ^{{cite web|url=http://gallery.passion4art.com/members/puppeteer/index.html|title=Puppets and Masks by Rob D'Arc|website=gallery.passion4art.com}}
13. ^{{cite book|author1=John Fullerton|author2=Jan Olsson|title=Allegories of Communication: Intermedial Concerns from Cinema to the Digital|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ABf4XCG4Hz0C&pg=PA288|year=2004|publisher=Indiana University Press|isbn=978-0-86196-651-6|pages=288}}
14. ^L.Bertolotto The history of the flea
15. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.koerferfilm.com/e/flohzirkus.html |title=Thomas Koerfer filmography – The Death of a Flea Circus Director |publisher=Koerferfilm.com |date= |accessdate=2010-09-21}}
16. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=11762 |title=Trumpet Warriors: Flea Circus |publisher=Barbican |date=2011-03-03 |accessdate=2013-10-25 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029193838/http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=11762 |archivedate=2013-10-29 |df= }}
17. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/fifi-the-flea-mt0003246389 |title=Fifi the Flea – The Hollies | Listen, Appearances, Song Review |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2013-10-25}}
18. ^{{cite web |last=Kast |first=Marlise |url=http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/media/San-Diego-Magazine/February-2008/Calendar/index.php?cparticle=2&siarticle=1 |title=Calendar – San Diego Magazine – February 2008 – San Diego, California |publisher=San Diego Magazine |date= |accessdate=2010-09-21 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110916153352/http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/media/San-Diego-Magazine/February-2008/Calendar/index.php?cparticle=2&siarticle=1 |archivedate=2011-09-16 |df= }}