Telling stories, weaving fantasies, astounding and amusing. These were the aims actors on the fairground.
Portable theatres, also known as Fit Ups were very popular on the 19th century fairground. They travelled widely while seating up to 1000 people. They presented melodramas, condensed classics and pantomimes. Often they combined elements of acrobatics and clowning. By the 1930’s they had largely disappeared.
William Haggar was a very famous showman in Wales. He travelled with a portable theatre in the 1870’s and later a bioscope show. This photo shows the cast in costume.
Holloways was one of the most famous and longest lasting portable theatres. Here it is in 1903 showing at Birmingham Fair under the name the Empire Theatre.