Opera, Pantomime, Rope Walking

Other Challenges of Traditional Stage

by Michele Walczak

Early theater was an expression of entertainment as well as a tool used to expose the faults of the government. Pantomime was a form of acting without words. Even today, actors use forms of pantomime to convey meaning; using facial expressions and body language are forms of pantomime. In the 1700s pantomimes were very popular in England, "Early English pantomimes always used a servant clown called Harlequin, a lovable father called Pantaloon, and a lively daughter called Columbine" (World Book 132). Lavish scenery, music and stage effects always accompanied these plays. Rich was criticized by a rival manager, "Colley Cibber blamed the high cost of play production on Rich" (wikipedia).

John Rich, who was born in 1682 and died on November 26, 1761 in London, England, was known as the "Father of English Pantomime" (theaterhistory.com). Rich opened the Covent Garden Theater in 1732. Many famous plays were performed at Covent including John Gay's (1685-1732) Beggar's Opera. Opera in England was modeled after the French operas which visited London between 1718 and 1726. England's Pantomimes poked fun at politicians and the government in what became known as satire," Clowns who performed were given great freedom of speech. Often they were the only one's to speak out against the ruler's ideas, and through their humor, were able to affect policy" (coai.org).

Another form of early entertainment throughout Euope in the eighteenth century was the circus. Philip Astley was known as "the father of modern circus" (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Astley). Astley established permanent and traveling circuses throughout Great Britain and Europe. Tightrope Walking became a common act in the circuses. These people are facinating daredevils, who risk their lives to entertain people of all ages. It seems they have an innate desire to test fate and conquer the impossible. The most famous tightrope performers must be The Flying Wallendas. This group of performers, consisting of Karl Wallenda, his brother Herman, Joseph Geiger and Helen Kreis, toured Europe in the 1920s and later joined theBarnum & Bailey Circus. They performed amazing acts, one in particular, the Seven Man Pyramid.

Another Tightrope walker worth mentioning came along much later, Philippe Petit. He stood on the shoulders of men like Karl Wallenda. Petit is quoted as saying,"When I see three oranges, I juggle; when I see two towers, I walk." In August of 1974 Philippe Petit and three of his friends, disguised as constrution workers, climbed the Twin Towers in New York City with four hundred pounds of cable. They suspended the cable between the two towers and Philippe walked across the towers, a quarter of a mile up in the sky!! Philippe danced, ran and saluted the police for almost an hour before he was arrested. He was sentenced by a judge to perform for the children of New York City, in the park. Although Petit was born in Paris, he lives in New York today, between the Catskills and the city," where he is an artist-in-residence at The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine" (www.fsgbooks.com).