I posted earlier about commonplace books and here’s a little more from the commonplace book of Sir James Crichton-Browne. Crichton-Browne’s book is an eclectic mix – many of the anecdotes coming from his career in medicine and medical administration. But one of the great pleasures of commonplace books are captured moments which take us straight back to the moments their authors were present to observe.
Although Crichton-Browne has muddled his dates I think because Zazel was nowhere near twenty years old in 1870 but it’s a fascinating glimpse of a genuinely extraordinary performer. Rosa Matilda Richter (1863-1937), stage name Zazel, was an aerial performer and acrobat who in 1877 become celebrated for being fired out of a cannon at the Royal Aquarium and Winter Garden in Westminster – possibly the first performance of its type.
The Royal Aquarium and Winter Garden was an extraordinary source of spectacle at this time. It had opened the year before Zazel’s debut in 1876 and which had composer Arthur Sullivan among his directors. It has been intended originally as offering the most high-minded entertainment and cultural activity. A year later the Royal Aquarium had had to change its ideas as its original plans were unsuccessful and instead turned to a menu of music hall and circus turns of the most dangerous sort.
An advertisement in The Globe of Monday June 4th 1877 shows how varied the attractions were. Punch and Judy shows, performing fleas, picture galleries, aquarium tanks where white sharks were expected, snake charmers, conjuror, the Mountaineers of the Apennines, Lieutenant Cole and his Merry Folk, a play by Farquhar in the evening and Zazel.
Zazel was enough of a sensation to need no explanation of her act in the advertisement. She gave two performances at 5.30 pm and 10.30pm.
She went on also to enjoy great success with a high dive and acrobat act. A very remarkable career.
The Solitary Reader 