There is another very direct circus association to the 1939 movie “The Four Feathers” profiled by Eric Beheim this morning. “The Mahdi or For the Victoria Cross” was the spec performed by Barnum & Bailey in England during its 1897 tour there. It had immediate relevancy to the English because, in 1896, an Anglo-Egyptian army under General Kitchener began the reconquest of the Sudan culminating in the Battle of Omdurman in 1898 (Winston Churchill participated as a soldier). The Mahdi is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will rule immediately before the Day of Judgment and the Victoria Cross is the British equivalent to our Congressional Medal of Honor. Dick Flint Baltimore |
Tuesday, October 09, 2012
From Richard Flint
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B&B’s opening stand of its European tour was at London’s Olympia and ran there from Dec 27, 1897 to April 2, 1898, effectively a three month stand with only 5 days in ‘97.
I take it that the Mahdi spectacle was done for the entire 1898 tour of England. They did a second tour of England in 1899 kicked off by another three month stand at Olympia beginning on Dec 26, 1898.
I believe it was for the ’99 tour that B&B’s spectacles, at least at the Olympia, were staged in a huge water tank. It included a Coney Island theme with log rolling, water acrobatics et al.
Also included was a reenactment of the US Naval victory over Spain at the Battle of Santiago in July 1898which ultimately caused the end of the short Spanish-American War. For that they had miniature war ships built that went around in the tank. There was simulated cannon fire, and I’m sure pyrotechnics galore.
Both the 1897 and 1898 spectacles were timely, reflecting world events.
Have to hand to James A. Bailey; he was nothing if not a superb showman.
The Mahdi Spec was just at Olympia for the 1897-98 season although there were mid-Eastern themes (Saida Galla magician, whirling dervishes,etc.)with the show as well.
No "Spec" featured in UK or Europe unless in a permanent building (Olympia, Paris, Vienna). The tour parts of the years 1898-1902 were therefore Spec free.
The 1898-99 Olympia season effectively had 2 Spec - the 1st was the Coney Island offering at the start of the show while the Spanish-American one ended it - to fireworks, loud bangs, & National anthems.... Though touted as 'Spanish-American', there had been a show earlier in the London year involving Kiralfy & Naval war-ships - though I'm never suspicious of showmen or their advertising (!!!) it seems sensible that the "American" ships used at Olympia were simply the earlier ones renamed/repainted(?). However, what this meant was that London had already seen this kind of spectacle on a large tank.
Further to the Mahdi - this event was actually popular in US as several plays, etc. get advertised around that time. The Spanish-American war also gets mentioned by several show "freaks" and one blames his leg-loss on it in publicity (actually lost in a rail accident plus he was in UK the whole tour!....)
There are several Mahdi posters - has anyone seen a 'Scene 2' one? - so far I've not found one anywhere.
Fred Neill
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