Beneath the Big Top: A Social History of the Circus in Britain

Beneath the Big Top is a social history of the circus, from its ancient roots to the rise of the ‘modern’ tented traveling shows. A performer and founder of a circus group, Steve Ward draws on eyewitness accounts and contemporary interviews to explore the triumphs and disasters of the circus world. He reveals the stories beneath the big top during the golden age of the circus and the lives of circus folk, which were equally colorful outside the ring:

• Pablo Fanque, Britain’s first black ci...