Novel routes: circus in the Pacific, 1841-1941

Through their promotion of Christianity, capitalism and the nation state, the entry of the Europeans into the Pacific altered, irrevocably, the character and development of Island societies. While the literature gives ample coverage to European explorers, missionaries, beachcombers, whalers and settlers, limited attention has been given to professional entertainers. A broad mix of entertainers—circus troupes at first, followed by theatrical, marionette, musical, variety and other ‘thespians’—began to cross the Pacific from the mid-19th century. For some of these entertainers, the Pacific was merely a seaway by which to reach distant lands; for others, the Pacific offered its own attractions to be explored and exploited. This article considers the negotiation of the Pacific by one specific category of entertainers—circus—in the century from 1841 to 1941. Developed out of the author’s presentation at the conference, Another World of Popular Entertainments, at the University of Newcastle, in June 2013, this article is intended to encourage deeper research into the delivery of popular entertainments across, around and within the Pacific. Dr Mark St Leon is a Sydney-based sessional university lecturer. He is the author of Circus: The Australian Story (Melbourne Books, 2011) and the doctoral thesis Circus & Nation (University of Sydney, 2007)1.