Circus and Carnival Ballyhoo: Sideshow Freaks, Jabbers and Blade Box Queens

by A.W. Stencell

Circus and Carnival Ballyhoo lifts the curtain on carnivals in America. Here is the history of the North American side show at circuses and carnivals, along with the stories of freaks and other side show acts in other venues such as dime museums, store front shows, in vaudeville, on movie theatre stages ― and even at touring whale shows. This follow-up to Seeing is Believing (ECW, 2002) tells the story of the carnival in words and pictures.The book follows the development of the circus side show with interviews and stories from side show workers that explain the role of freaks, working acts, managers, and talkers ― and explores how important grift was to circuses and how it became located inside the side show.From circus transportation to highlights of the construction of the big top, to Lentini the three-legged man, Siamese twins, and the folks with an extra body growing right out of them, Stencell gives us an incredible and very real perspective on the circus in words and photos.

Genres: History

414 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2009

Reviews

[Joseph Hirsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solid overview of life in the circus from a man who has seen the game change quite a bit over the course of the years. The book deals with freaks (it uses the non-PC term throughout), fire- and sword-swallowers, and various talented dancers and pitchmen. The book is longish for a coffee table piece, but that's more of a compliment than a demerit. After reading it, I felt like I'd had a mini-education in everything from the carny lingo to the various cons and tricks performed on the bally. The history that Herr Stencell recounts is lovingly told, and there are ample photographs as well as ephemera, artwork, handbills, and poster paintings scattered throughout the chapters.

My favorite part was the section dealing with how the "freaks" sloughed off unwanted pity, since the carnival allowed them to earn their living and be the center of attention, rather than being cast to the margins of society. The crowd may have been exploiting these people by eyeballing them, but the various sideshow oddities were exploiting the wallets of the aforementioned marks.

The book is a tad on the sad, or perhaps whimsical side, since it details a culture that is mostly gone, though there are revival attempts here and there by the tattooed and tongue-pierced set to keep these kinds of shows flourishing, and to keep the marks from hanging on to all their money. A glossary at the back of the book is a helpful addition, though perhaps it should have been placed at the beginning of the book to help greenhorns navigate their way down the figurative catwalk Stencell has laid out here. Recommended.

[Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some interesting anecdotes and historical notes but, for the most part, too lacking in coherent structure or narrative to elevate it beyond a collection of unrelated passages. Ostensibly themed chapters seem largely arbitrary.