Father of the modern circus 'Billy Buttons' : The life & times of Philip Astley / Steve Ward.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ward, Steve, 1952 September 8- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Circus--Europe--History.

Circus.

Astley, Philip, 1742-1814.

Astley, Philip.

History.

Europe.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

xiv, 126 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Great Britain : Pen & Sword History, 2018.

Summary:

The world of the circus has a long and colourful history, but it was with a man named Philip Astley that the 'modern' circus was founded. It was 250 years ago, in April 1768, that Astley pegged out a circular ride on the banks of the Thames and gave performances of trick riding to a paying audeince. Trick riding was nothing new, so what made Astley so popular? He was an accomplished horseman, a military hero and an instincitve showman. Above all, he was an entrepreneur who realized that people would pay good money to be entertained--and to be entertained well. He created the comic character of Billy Buttons, and other acts were added to his performances: clowns, rope dancers, tumblers, and strongmen. The circus, as we might recognize it today, was born. _Father of the Modern Circus-- 'Billy Buttons'_ investigates the life and times of this veritable giant of the circus world. From his early days as an apprentice cabinetmaker and his military exploits in the 15th Dragoons to the trials and tribulations of establishing himself as a respected performer and his international successes in France and Ireland, this book gives a detailed account of the larger than life figure that was Philip Astley.--Back cover

Contents:

Chapter 1 Life before Astley p. 1

Chapter 2 The mysterious early years p. 10

Chapter 3 Astley: the heroic Dragoon p. 18

Chapter 4 From Halfpenny Hatch to Westminster Bridge p. 29

Chapter 5 On the road: Astley the showman p. 43

Chapter 6 Competition and expansion: Astley conquers Paris p. 60

Chapter 7 Balloons, fireworks and other diversions p. 72

Chapter 8 An age of revolution: Astley in Ireland and France p. 86

Chapter 9 A phoenix rises from the ashes: Astley's Amphitheatre of the Arts p. 99

Chapter 10 The final flourish: Astley's Olympic Pavilion p. 111.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 122-124) and index.

ISBN:

1526706873

9781526706874

OCLC:

1019624117

Publisher Number:

99977159083