Circus in the Long Nineteenth Century

From the early nineteenth century, Indian itinerant artists have been journeying to the imperial centers This volume features source materials, including advertisements, biographies, legal documents, news articles, playbills, posters, reviews, thereby filling a critical void in circus histories. From the early nineteenth century, Indian itinerant artists have been journeying to the imperial centers. The emerging Indian circus enabled a multitude of surplus labour and migrant artists to find their place within its rubric, subsequent to the encounters with the colonial circuses. The touring Indian circus along with its performers – both human and non-human – played a crucial role in the global circus networks, provoking a range of receptions and discourse. This collection features source materials, including advertisements, biographies, legal documents, news articles, playbills, posters, reviews, thereby filling a critical void in circus histories.