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{{Short description|Miniature circus sideshow}}
{{About|flea circuses in general|the [[Tex Avery]] animated short|The Flea Circus}}

[[File:Flea circus.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.8|The flea circus of Maxfield Rubbish, San Diego, CA (2009)]]
A '''flea circus''' is a [[circus (performing art)|circus]] [[sideshow]] attraction in which [[flea]]s are attached (or appear to be attached) to [[Scale model|miniature]] carts and other items, and encouraged to perform circus acts within a small housing.

== History ==
[[File:The Go-As-You-Please Race, as seen through a Magnifying Glass.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|"The Go-As-You-Please Race, as seen through a Magnifying Glass", engraved by J. G. Francis, from an article by [[Charles Frederick Holder|C. F. Holder]] in ''[[St. Nicholas Magazine]]'', 1886]]

The first records of flea performances were from [[watchmaker]]s who were demonstrating their metalworking skills. In 1578, the London blacksmith Mark Scaliot produced a lock and chain that were attached to a flea.<ref name="nickell">{{Cite book |last=Nickell |first=Joe |title=Secrets of the sideshows |date=2005 |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |isbn=0-8131-7179-2 |location=Lexington, Ky. |oclc=65377460 |author-link=Joe Nickell }}</ref>{{rp|315}} 

The first recorded flea circus dates back to the early 1820s, when an Italian [[impresario]] named Louis Bertolotto advertised an "extraordinary exhibition of industrious fleas" on [[Regent Street]], [[London]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Lawton |first=Graham |date=22 December 2012|title=Fleadom or death: Reviving the glorious flea circus |journal=New Scientist |volume=216 |issue=2896 |pages=53–55 |doi=10.1016/S0262-4079(12)63266-7 }}</ref> Bertolotto's flea shows included "four card-playing fleas, a flea orchestra (allegedly playing audibly), and a reenactment of Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo".<ref name="nickell" />{{rp|315}} Bertolotto's book ''The History of the Flea'' (c. 1833) also promoted flea circuses.<ref name="nickell" />{{rp|314}} Flea performances with military themes such as staged "sword fights" among fleas, were popular in the 19th century.<ref name="nickell" />{{rp|314}}

Some flea circuses persisted in very small venues in the United States as late as the 1960s. The flea circus at [[Belle Vue Zoological Gardens]], Manchester, England, was still operating in 1970. In 2013, there was still at least one genuine flea circus still performing (at the annual [[Oktoberfest]] in Munich, Germany<ref name="Birk">{{cite web |url=http://www.flohcirkus.de/geschichte |title=Geschichte |publisher=Flohcirkus.de |access-date=2013-10-25 |archive-date=2013-10-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029190714/http://www.flohcirkus.de/geschichte |url-status=dead }}</ref>) and Svensons in the UK occasionally use real fleas, but most flea circuses are a sideline of magicians and clowns, and use electrical or mechanical effects instead of real fleas.

== Techniques ==

=== With real fleas ===

Fleas typically live only for a few months. They are observed to see if they have a predisposition for jumping or walking. Once sorted, they are harnessed by carefully wrapping a thin gold or copper wire around their neck.<ref name="natgeo">{{cite journal |last1=Duplaix |first1=Nicole |title=Fleas: Lethal Leapers |journal=National Geographic |date=May 1988 |page=690 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303692614 |access-date=29 December 2020}}</ref><ref name="nickell" />{{rp|317}} Once in the harness, the fleas usually stay in it for life. The harnesses are attached to the props and the strong legs of the flea allow them to move objects significantly larger than themselves. Jumping fleas are used for kicking small lightweight balls. They are carefully given a ball; when they try to jump away (which is not possible because of the harness), they shoot the ball instead. Running fleas can pull small carts and vehicles or rotate a [[Ferris wheel]].<ref>Hund, Katze, Maus. 10 February 2010 VOX</ref>{{full citation needed|date=June 2019}}

There are historical reports of fleas glued to the base of the flea circus enclosure. Miniature musical instruments were then glued to the flea performers and the enclosure was heated. The fleas fought to escape, giving the impression of playing instruments.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.noonco.com/flea/faq.htm |title=Flea-Circus.com |publisher=Noonco.com |access-date=2010-08-26}}</ref>

=== Without real fleas ===

Some flea circuses may appear to use real fleas, but in fact do not. A variety of electrical, magnetic, and mechanical devices have been used to augment exhibits. In some cases, these mechanisms are responsible for all of the "acts", with loose fleas in the exhibit maintaining the illusion. These circuses are known as "Humbug" flea circuses. [[Michael Bentine]] gave a mechanical flea circus a regular slot on his television show ''[[It's a Square World]]'' in the 1960s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2LF04Y9n5hJTHK1l6ffLhPc/the-rise-and-demise-of-the-flea-circus |title=The rise and demise of the flea circus |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=BBC Radio4 |publisher=BBC |access-date=19 December 2015}}</ref>

== Performers ==
[[File:Fleas in dresses at Ye Olde Curiosity Shop.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Fleas in dresses at [[Ye Olde Curiosity Shop]], Seattle, WA]]

Current flea circuses:
* Professor A.G. Gertsacov's Acme Miniature Flea Circus has been touring the United States and Canada since 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trainedfleas.com|title=Acme Flea Circus Page|website=TrainedFleas.com}}</ref>
* Svensons have been performing in the UK since 1999, and have appeared in media and on television with Sir David Attenborough.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.svensons.co.uk/5.html|title=A little about Svensons|website=Svensons World Famous Flea Circus|access-date=2019-08-17|archive-date=2019-11-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191125073149/http://www.svensons.co.uk/5.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Swami Bill's Flea Circus is featured at the Denver County Fair.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.denvercountyfair.org/#!special-events/c457|title=Denver County Fair - Denver's own fairly weird County Fair at the National Western Complex|website=www.denvercountyfair.org|access-date=2015-12-07|archive-date=2015-12-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208071240/http://www.denvercountyfair.org/#!special-events/c457|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://westerngardeners.com/flea-circus-is-a-must-see-at-denver-county-fair.html|title=Flea Circus is a Must See at Denver County Fair|first=Jodi|last=Torpey|date=August 8, 2013|access-date=December 7, 2015|archive-date=December 9, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151209001253/http://westerngardeners.com/flea-circus-is-a-must-see-at-denver-county-fair.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Professor B's Flea Circus has been performing in Northern California, USA for the last few years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playland-not-at-the-beach.org/entertainer_bio_prof_b_01.html |title=Professor B's Flea Circus |website=Playland-Not-At-The-Beach.org|access-date=2010-08-26}}</ref>
* The Flohcircus Birk at the Munich Oktoberfest in Germany.<ref name="Birk" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://munich.mydestinationinfo.com/en/oktoberfest-fun-rides |title=Oktoberfest Fun Rides |publisher=Munich.mydestinationinfo.com |access-date=2011-10-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303081945/http://munich.mydestinationinfo.com/en/oktoberfest-fun-rides |archive-date=2011-03-03 }}</ref>
* Professor Humbug's Flea Circus performing at Seattle's famous Pike Place Market.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gallery.passion4art.com/members/puppeteer/index.html|title=Puppets and Masks by Rob D'Arc|website=gallery.passion4art.com|access-date=2018-03-24|archive-date=2019-01-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107100737/https://gallery.passion4art.com/members/puppeteer/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Captain Franko performs the flea circus across Europe from his base in France <ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-13 |title=Cirque aux Puces - Captain Franko Spectacles |url=https://captainfranko.com/spectacles/cirque-aux-puces/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |language=fr-FR}}</ref>

In the 1990s, [[María Fernanda Cardoso]] toured the world with her [[installation art]] flea circus.<ref name="FullertonOlsson2004">{{cite book|author1=John Fullerton|author2=Jan Olsson|title=Allegories of Communication: Intermedial Concerns from Cinema to the Digital|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ABf4XCG4Hz0C&pg=PA288|year=2004|publisher=Indiana University Press|isbn=978-0-86196-651-6|pages=288}}</ref>

Professor Heckler's flea circus (in residence at Hubert's Dime Museum in [[Times Square]], New York, until 1957) can be seen in the background of the films ''[[The Thief (1952 film)|The Thief]]'' and ''[[Easy Rider]]''. L. Bertolotto ran a famous flea circus in [[Regent Street]], London.<ref name="BertoNote">[[#BERTO2|L.Bertolotto The history of the flea]]</ref>

==In popular culture ==
{{main|Flea circuses in popular culture}}

Flea circuses have featured in cartoons, films, television shows, music, and novels.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.koerferfilm.com/e/flohzirkus.html |title=Thomas Koerfer filmography – The Death of a Flea Circus Director |publisher=Koerferfilm.com |access-date=2010-09-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=11762 |title=Trumpet Warriors: Flea Circus |publisher=Barbican |date=2011-03-03 |access-date=2013-10-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029193838/http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=11762 |archive-date=2013-10-29 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/fifi-the-flea-mt0003246389 |title=Fifi the Flea – The Hollies &#124; Listen, Appearances, Song Review |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2013-10-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Kast |first=Marlise |url=http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/media/San-Diego-Magazine/February-2008/Calendar/index.php?cparticle=2&siarticle=1 |title=Calendar – San Diego Magazine – February 2008 – San Diego, California |publisher=San Diego Magazine |access-date=2010-09-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110916153352/http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/media/San-Diego-Magazine/February-2008/Calendar/index.php?cparticle=2&siarticle=1 |archive-date=2011-09-16 }}</ref>

Flea circuses are also prominently mentioned in the 1993 film ''[[Jurassic Park (film)|Jurassic Park]]''.

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite journal |title=Fleas: The Lethal Leapers|volume=173|issue=5|journal=National Geographic|date=May 1988|ref=NATGEOMAY88}}
* ''Jay's Journal of Anomalies'', {{ISBN|1-59372-000-9}}
* ''Wild Tigers & Tame Fleas'' by William Ballantine, (1958)
* ''Annals of the New York Stage'' by George C. Odel (Columbia University Press, New York, NY, 1928)
* {{cite book |last=Bertolotto |first=L. |title=The history of the flea: With notes and observations |publisher=Crozier |location=London |edition=2nd |ref=BERTO2}}
* {{cite book |last=Bertolotto |first=L. |title=The history of the flea: With notes and observations |publisher=John Axford |location=New York |edition=5th |year=1876 |oclc=11028632 |ref=BERTO5}}
* The Compleat Flea by Brendan Lehan (London: John Murray, 1969)
* The Faithful Annalist: Or The Epitome Of The English History (Whitwood, 1666)
* "Old-Time Vaudeville Looks Young Again" [https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/24/theater/theater-old-time-vaudeville-looks-young-again.html New York Times, Nov 24, 2002]
* "Revive the Charm of an 1800s Show with These Modern-Day Flea Circuses" [https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/modern-day-flea-circuses-180967355/ Smithsonian Online, November 29, 2017]

== External links ==
* [http://www.britishpathe.com/results.php?search=flea+circus ''British Pathe News'']
* [http://www.showhistory.com/FleaCircuses.html ''List of Historical Flea Circus Performers''] ShowHistory.Com
* [http://www.fleacircus.co.uk/ ''Flea circus research and directory of current performers''] fleacircus.co.uk

{{Insects in culture|state=expanded}}
{{Circus skills}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Circuses]]
[[Category:Fleas|Circus]]
[[Category:Performing arts]]
[[Category:Sideshow attractions]]
[[Category:Animal training]]
[[Category:Insects in culture]]