What's a circus without sideshow attractions? Starting in the lower left and going clockwise, you're looking at female conjoined twins, a bearded woman, a half-woman, a fat woman, a woman with no arms, your standard big guy & little guy combo (that's an adult man standing between the giant's legs) and an unfortunate fellow who has a partial conjoined twin hanging off his chest.
Don't these people look like they were cast members in Tod Browning's "Freaks" (1932)? That's a superb flick, if you haven't seen it.
When I was a girl an amusement park existed in the middle of the city of Chicago. Riverview. I remember visiting the park and looking at banners for such a show and feeling scared and sad yet interested. I did not experience the show. Do shows exploiting biological rarities still exist?
ReplyDeleteYes, they do still exist, but not with big circuses: they can be found in traveling carnivals, like at state or county fairs. I've been reading about sideshow acts for quite some time, and I must say, in modern times at least the people do not feel exploited. They are glad to be able to earn a living.
DeleteThanks. These days I figured they would be glad to be earning a living. Back in the old days they might have been forced into it I have always thought!
DeleteVery thought-provoking work, Fi, and I especially like how the title generates out of the piece. Gorgeous colors, too!
ReplyDelete