As a production this must have been breathtaking. What the "fill in" animals did is not much of an issue in comparison to how they looked doing nothing. I understand there was even a "flying carpet" that he and the half dozen dancing girls to the ring came down from the roof in.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Brian Casartelli Exotics
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
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20 comments:
So the giraffes don't need a herd or space to roam in if they are well-dressed?
Yes it is darling and fabulous looking BUT I think you have double standards.I mean sometimes it is fabulous to be adorable if you are a human and sometimes it is not! sometimes it is ok to be a cool looking animal that is just making a fabulous statement and sometimes it is not !!!I think in show business fabulous and magnificent can come in all differenr shapes, species ,abilities and sizes!!And I am proud to admit that I can totally enjoy some cute fowl stutting across the performing space and I can also enjoy a trained animal cutting some flips !WHY you ask ? cuz it's showbiz baby!
Anonymous and Rebecca,
Where did I say they didn't need the space to roam, which by the way hasn't been determined what that space is, and 2 is a herd, Pal. It is not show biz baby unless it is presented at the highest standard, not the standard that is affordable. The Rolling Stone do concerts as do the Rusty Drums at the local pub. There is a difference and the public is aware of that difference. That baby, is show business. Similar but of so different. Broadway and off Broadway. Same idea but miles apart. And no effort to try to convince the public they are the same thing. No need to even waste the time, that baby is also show business.
Wade
Wade,
Please don't ever ever throw me in the same pile as an anonomous.
and baby I'll just let you know that showbiz does come in different flavors.if it wasn't for all the avart garde beyond edgy stuff that is /has and will be going on downtown in the big city and on the streets some of the greatest works in showbiz would not exist...
respectfully,
Rebecca
Rebecca,
What does that possibly have to do with circus all being perceived as being all the same? What does what is going on in the streets have to do with what is proper space for a giraffe or if how it is presented relevant to the public perception of it and us? Or should I ask your boo ku anonymous bud?
Wade
Wade,Wade,Wade,
What did I say about space?I will admit there is some bad ,ok alot of bad stuff out there...And that whole delightful exotic deal looks fab fab fab....
I am saying that yes looks and presentation are hugely important,no argument from me(and care of course).but I am emphazizing that there are many levels of shows that are good and great and different sizes.Public knows, they know huge ,impersonal and far away in a cold building, they know warm and intimate in a tent.
And downtown downtown in the small somehow making it amazing shows, that is the inspiration ,that is what makes Broadway great.
Rebecca
I'm sorry but I have to be nasty and sarcastic here even with no reason to do so other than the photos of something that must have been quite beautiful to see. Giraffes eating, (bleached) ostraches dooing what? and some menagerie of whatever. Visually, this must have been quite spectacular - at least as I can imagine from the photos. But, was it educational? Was it reflective of natural behaviors of the animals? From what I see, this must have been a visual wonder and absolutely spectacular presentation but is it respectful to the natural behavior of that menagerie of animals?
Warren
I have a video of the whole act . Maybe some one is interested. It is al beautiful act but the tricks are not amazing.
Thomas
I get a feeling that a certain person is less than happy because Santa didn't bring the saucy Sarah Palin calendar he requested!
The Ringling show did have some reproduction with their giraffe and some good longevity records in the first half of the 1900s. No big herd or endless savanna, but their needs were met. The daily handling and desensitizing to close human contact could be useful. A challenge with giraffe is hoof care. Circus giraffe would be acclimated to being in a stall with humans close by.
The white birds appear to be rheas, a South American ratite -- like ostrich. Rheas in the wild are a light gray color. If these two birds were in a US zoo they probably be called "Gonha" and "Diah".
You know, I'm just trying to understand here. Two weeks ago, you were criticizing a (naked) giraffe act - more than one giraffe (and I beg to differ on your position that 2 makes a herd), and you said:
"They are even cooler looking and more fun to look at, in addition to being educational, in a herd, in a large tree/grass filled exhibit, with babies nearby. Granted it's not Africa, but it's not bad. " The rest of your comments on the subject left me with the impression, perhaps incorrect, that you were criticizing the use of such animals in a circus setting where these needs (space and herd) could not be met. Now you post an admiring comment about these beautifully presented giraffes. Is it all about the presentation? Does the care actually matter, or are we getting into the territory of "if the cirque du soleil had animals people would assume they are well cared for"? Is this ultimately all about the spin of a nice costume or good lighting? I just don't get it. Do we care about the animals' needs being met, or do we just care that they look so fabulous that the public won't wonder about it?
Anonymous,
I said they were inappropriate if they did nothing but be exhibit animals. Having them is not wrong if their needs as described are met, and they are something other then exhibit animals. They can do nothing in a zoo and be exhibit animals. Space/husbandry is of course the major consideration. But if we assumed they had it here, in addition to the costuming, and the choice of animals it is more along the lines of educational as well as entertaining. And yes how the animals are presented, not "where" as some have suggested Solei might appropriate, will reflect how the audience accepts them and us.
Rebecca made mention to small and intimate tents. That is the format of this production. Where have you seen a similar "grandeur" in America since King Tusk, which was in a big empty cold building.
Wade
Warren,
Where do you seen a giraffe eating? The white rhea's are the same thing as White Tigers, Champagne Lions. Actually more appropriate then ligers or tigalons which you asked about one time.
If you envision the historic days of the spice trail treks, and the Morocon trading posts, the animal collecting trips of Hagenbeck, etc. it is more appropriate.
Wade
In the first photo, the giraffe in the back appears to be receiving a treat from a container held in the hand of the gentleman (Mr. Casartell, I presume). Perhaps the giraffe is not eating, just curious. Sorry that I cannot tell the difference between a Rhea and an ostritch. I have never had any interest in the big flightless birds. I never thought about there being white ones - just never really thought about them at all.
Perhaps it is wrong to voice an opinion of a presentation based upon a few photos but as impressive and well dressed as the animals in Mr. Casartelli's menagerie appear to be my reaction was "why?". But I felt the same way about King Tusk. A big, impressive animal made even more impressive with wardrobe and production surrounding him but basically just a prop. Of course I saw him every day for a year without the surrounding spectacle so it was a part of the everyday environment.
Not even Santa could have brought me what I wanted for Christmas but it sure wasn't a Sarah Pallin calendar. I would rather look at photos of big flightless birds.
Warren
Anonymous,
If a herd animal is no longer living alone, you have met the requirement regardless of 2 or two hundred.
Wade
Warren,
I knew "Tommy" before he became "King Tusk," and the reverence and audience/public appreciation of him was much greater after he became "King Tusk." And yes you can make the public appreciate an animal more by how it is presented, if it isn't capable of doing anything. Zoo's have proven that, as has fine productions such as this, King Tusk, or the Living Unicorn(which granted lacked much educational value.
Wade
Thomas,
Please post the act--I am always interested!!!!
Happy 2009,
Chris
Speaking of the Unicorn, which was a beautiful production number if somewhat pointless and gained some of the best press coverage I ever remember. The goat did nothing but stand on that fancy float with the beautiful Miss Heather but people went nuts over this thing. I was working for Tommy Hanneford at the time at the Houston Shrine Circus and Houston was plastered everywhere with Unicorn billboards for the upcoming visit of RBBB to the now fortunately defunct Summit Arena. Tommy and the Circus Chairman had me make horns out of floss cones and attach them to an elephant, a horse, a dog, and some other animal for some gag photos. Well somehow (probably the Shrine) these got to the local media who ran with it and got enough media attention that we got a cease and desist order from Feld Entertainment.
Warren,
I would assume so. Wasn't there a C with a circle around it at the end of The Living Unicorn? Didn't you like the Summit. I thought the dressing rooms were great. Note much for stabling room, but performance wise I thought it was adequate.
Speaking of education, how much do you think the world learned about Oryx and animals in general in a effort to discredit the unicorn?
Wade
Wade, my issues with the Summit were entirely logistical. The train was parked at the Amtrac station downtown, and I ended up renting a car to get back and forth to work since the one bus was a complete joke over that distance and with the traffic. There was almost no parking for the show, animal space was very tight, and the arena was run down. The positive thing was the proximity of the Audience which did make for a good show experience.
I don't know about the educational value of the unicorn but it was a masterful piece of production. I was not on the show with the animal and don't claim to know exactly what it was other than what Dr. Hauck (sp?) related with his tales of the thing. It was a beautifully groomed animal and masterfully presented while doing nothing but standing still with a lovely lady at its side.
I didn't know you could copyright an animal. The photos I referenced were, to my knowledge, intended for fun and private use. I know that Tommy never released them to the media so I can only assume that the Shrine did so. I wish I could find some prints because they were funny and no animals were harmed or humilitated in the process. By the time this happened, the unicorn was widely known and there were all kinds of jokes and rumors as to what the animal really was. Since Ringling/Feld never released any information as to the actual species of the animal, I refered to it as a goat because that is what it appeared to be.
I thought that the Unicorn and King Tusk were among the greatest marketing ploys ever created by a circus. Tommy, the elephant, was impressive even in the barn - but I knew enough to keep my distance - but he was remarkable and spectacular in the show and I hope was appreciated for his size and the beautiful ivory even with the extensions as an example of magnificent animals. I'm sorry more people in Japan did not come to see this amazing animal just stand there., whatever. The unicorn was just plain fun. Did anyone learn anything from seeing it ride around the track on a float? Probably not but it did stimulate conversation and it was a beautiful whatever it was - goat,onyx, whatever. Do you know how many there actually were? I vaguely remember speculation that there was more than one of thes things created but I'm not willing to trust my memory about this.
I guess I need to clarify what I mean about the educational value of animal exhibitions in circuses or zoos. I feel that offering people the opportunity to see first hand and up close the amazing diversity of animal life on our planet is a worthy goal. I temper my belief with the desire to make sure that the animals are provided care, conditions, and housing which meets or exceeds what they would experience in the wild in their natural habitats. The human population shares this planet with more diverse species of animals than we can imagine. We are not the sole owners of this dust speck in the universe. Let us see their beauty, grace and magesty through extradionary care and husbandry, let them show us their natural abilities, and let them thrive and prosper in the care of man so that they will survive our own ignorance. The animals are our partners, not our enemies and we should learn and appreciate them. The exquesit work of classic horsemanship that demonstrates the power of a horse, big cat acts that show disciplined yet natural behavior of these incredible felines working with respectful trainers and handlers, these are worthy endeavors. I treasure the relationships I have made with performing animals and those who care for them properly far more than I ever will care about the trapeze hung up in the barn back home.
Warren
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