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NEW YORK TIMES ONLINE
By DOUGLAS MARTIN
"You won't believe your eyes and you'll be scratching your heads in amazement!" the barker beckons.
The appeal is irresistible &emdash; a genuine flea circus on 42nd Street. Has time spiraled in reverse? Maybe. We venture into the Palace of Variety and take in the cluttered lobby. Prominently displayed is the sturdy stool that once supported Helen Melon, the fat lady of Coney Island.
"She's so big and so fat that it takes four men to hug her and a boxcar to lug her," a sign proclaims.
We plunk down $4, and within minutes are listening to Professor Adam Gertsacov, every bit the fantastical impresario, in his purple top hat and cash-register voice, introducing us to the wondrous insects itching (sorry) to perform. Yes, they can pull objects more than 100,000 times their weight, and, yes, Shakespeare wrote his most famous line about the species: "To flea or not to flea."
Midge and Madge are the stars of the Acme Miniature Circus of Performing Fleas: they pull chariots, walk the high wire and, truth to tell, are visible only through the magnifying glass Professor Gertsacov uses to move them about with tweezers. The finale comes when he puts the fleas in a cannon and blasts them through a ring of fire.
Were there really fleas? Maybe, maybe not. What surely existed was
a high-spirited glance back at an entertainment form that had been
dead as a doornail on 42nd Street since Professor Hecker's Show at
Hubert's Dime Museum closed in 1957. It is part of a revival of
old-time show business in New York City &emdash; with plenty of
echoes nationally &emdash; that includes vaudeville, burlesque,
sideshow, baggy-pants comedy and the circus arts, all with more than
a dash of the urban self-consciousness associated with performance
artists.
...an amazing article ensues about the
revival of vaudeville, including the Bindlestiffs, Todd Robbins, NY
Goofs, Trav.S.D, Joel Jeske, HAPPY HOUR, and a few other people.
This is how the article ends:
"So step right up, folks!" the barker barks. "Witness the historic and triumphant return of the flea circus to Times Square. It's only $4, but we'll take $8. And, yes, ladies and gentlemen, the creatures perform naked."
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The last real, honest-to-goodness flea circus to play Times Square (professionally, at least) vanished almost 50 years ago, when Prof. Leroy Heckler closed up shop and left Hubert's Dime Museum, which he and his fleas had called home for some three decades.
Well now, a mere two blocks from the site of the original Dime Museum, the old-timey Victorian flea circus is making a comeback. Every Saturday and Sunday through December, Professor A.G. Gertsacov and his Acme Miniature Circus will amaze and astound even the most cynical and nearsighted of visitors.
Watch! As Midge and Madge&endash;Prof. Gertsacov's two professionally trained fleas&endash;pull a tiny chariot! Gasp! As they frolic on the tightrope! Marvel! As they perform several other amazing circus tricks! Wince! As the Professor cracks an endless stream or corny jokes! So maybe something good is finally happening in Times Square, in the wake of the Real Rain. And if we're lucky, maybe it marks the beginning of a new historic cycle. Sat. & Sun. at 12 and 1 p.m., through December. 125 W. 42nd St. (betw. 6th Ave. & B'way), 726-1935; $8, $6/s.c, children under 12, and the unemployed, www.trainedfleas.com.
Lord of the Fleas-- Times Square empresario leaves 'em scratchin'
by Joshua M. Bernstein
If you think there's no filth left in Times Square, meet Adam Gertsacov and his traveling troupe of performing fleas.
Professor A.G. Gertsacov, as he is professionally known, is the proprietor of the Acme Miniature Circus, the first flea circus to hit Times Square in more than 40 years.
The stars are Mdige and Madge, trained fleas who race chariots (the wheels are made out of shirt buttons), walk a high wire while carrying a pole and miniature chair, and in a perilous finale, are blasted from a cannon through a flaming hoop.
Does the audience hunger for flea flambé?
Surprisingly, no: "They cheer for insects they'd [otherwise] kill," says Gertsacov. "I get the audience to love them."
Gertsacov's act, equal parts huckstering and bluster, transports audiences to the 1890s, when flea circuses were popular entertainment-- until the advent of vaudeville (and increased cleanliness).
Clad in a top hat and vest, Gertsacov alsosells merchandise at his "flea market", and delivers a non-stop stream of trivia (a Swedish queen once hunted fleas with a crossbow; fleas can carry 131,000 times their body weight). He even recites "flea verse"-- a short poem that goes "Fleas: Adam had 'em."
The Providence RI resident came up with the idea 10 years ago, when, as a clown for a Rhode Island circus, he was asked to develop an animal trainer routine. So Gertsacov bought a dozen fleas-- the Pulex irritans, or human flea, which lives for two years-- from an entomological supply company. Then he consulted an ex-flea circus owner, but found him "pretty close-mouthed. I think he was trying to make me pay him for his secrets."
While Gertsacov is equally loathe to share, he syas that he spent several years observing the flea's behaviour. His training consisted of positively reinforcing the insects with "treats" we suspect blood) until they performed tricks. Though it was hard, "it's not like I'm teaching them to do math," he says.
When Midge and Madge are off-duty, they reside in a fur-line wooden traveling case. Every 15 days, the bugs feast upon Gertsacov's blood. Not a bad life for a breed of performers who scarcely made it into the 21st century.
"Let's face it," Gertsacov says, "You can see a lot more amazing things on TV." But he says the show draws punk rock kids, families and seniors-- and that they never leave disappointed.
"The audience comes not knowing what to expect, " said Gertsacov, "and, as I like to say, they always leave scratching"
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ACME Miniature Circus
For theatergoers with an itch for Victorian amusements, Professor A.G. Gertsacov reanimates his flea circus. The academician's crackerjack cast performs mite-y feats of daring-do including poetic recitation, a perilous high dive, and a re-creation of the chariot race from Ben Hur. As with past productions, we trust this installment will be sufficiently lousy&emdash;in a good way. Palace of Variety, 125 W. 42nd, (Soloski)
An itch to entertain
The flea circus comes back to Times Square
By CAMERON BLOCH (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)
NEW YORK - Saturday was turning out to be a hard day for Professor Adam Gertsacov.
Half of his cast was on strike, the other half went missing and he had yet to discover that the cannon - which hurtles his charges through a flaming "ring of death" - was destined to malfunction.
But Gertsacov, who calls himself a "psycho entomologist," was determined that the show would go on, especially since it was the debut of his Acme Miniature Circus at the Palace of Variety, a newcomer to 42nd Street near Times Square.
Midge and Madge, two sisters of the species pulex irritans - fleas Gertsacov purchased from an entomological supply house - would need to put on the show of their young lives to satisfy the New York audience.
The picture of a showman
Gertsacov is 37, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. But he
is also a graduate of the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Clown
College.
He dresses in what might be called the layered clown look. From purple top hat to red-white-and-green shoes, he is the picture of a carnival showman in a black silk shirt, bow tie, gold lame vest, magenta corduroy tails and floppy, plaid pantaloons.
On this day, he is running behind schedule, and the noon show will start a half-hour late. But the delay has given the professor (a vaudevillian honorific) time to promote his show on the sidewalk outside, offering discounts and banter.
"It's only $4. We'll take eight, but it's only four," he barks. "The fleas perform naked ... with no clothes on."
Gertsacov explains that his show is the first flea circus to appear in Times Square since 1957, when a Professor Heckler ended his long run at Hubert's Dime Museum because "the nude shows were giving his fleas a bad name."
While the history of the flea circus is somewhat hazy, there are reports of such shows in Europe in the 1820s. They died out in the middle of the last century, according to Gertsacov, apparently victims of television's success.
Gertsacov credits a grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts with helping him develop the Acme Miniature Circus. Since 1996, he has put on the show some 500 times in 35 states and brought it to Montreal, Canada, and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
No opportunity missed
Now, he's doing two shows a day on weekends at the Palace of Variety
through the end of December. His opening performance drew a dozen
spectators to the small theater, including at least one infant,
several children and their parents and some obvious vaudeville
enthusiasts.
They applaud as the showman enters with his tray of souvenirs.
Not one to miss an opportunity, Gertsacov offers miniature programs for 10 cents each. Written on the back of the programs are "Some Fun Flea Facts." Other wares include magnifying glasses (25 cents), flea tattoos (25 cents each or five for $1) and "Save the Fleas" buttons.
The button money is necessary, he says, "because flea eradication has reached enormous dimensions."
Striving for audience participation, the professor moves on to a brief history of the tiny insects, illustrated by an oversized "Book of Fleas."
Contrary to popular opinion, "fleas have many positive qualities," he lectures. "If a flea was the size of this woman," he points randomly into the audience, "she could jump over one of the pyramids."
Fleas, he notes, are so strong they can pull an object more than 100,000 times their weight, an ability they are to demonstrate in the upcoming show.
Reassuring the crowd that during the performance none of the fleas will be harmed or abused, Gertsacov moves to the spindly table center stage where he has mounted the elements of his circus on a table: a "high" wire, a performance ring, a pair of miniature chariots parked in front of the infamous Cannon of Doom and a tiny house trailer. Here the stars, Midge and Madge, are resting until the maestro extracts them with tweezers for Act 1, the chariot race.
At this point, Gertsacov divides the audience into two sections and coaches each side to root for their designated flea during the race to come.
Despite encouragement from both audience and master, one of the fleas - Gertsacov takes a look with his magnifying glass to determine that it is Midge - has gone on strike and refuses to race. He apologizes that this happens more often than he likes; the insects are testy.
A star escapes
To put the crowd in a better mood, the professor provides an
interlude of "flea verse," reciting a clever paraphrase from
Shakespeare's "Hamlet": "To flea or not to flea ... "
Meanwhile, Madge, star of the high wire act, has escaped into the audience.
"I need to think like a flea to catch a flea," says Gertsacov, who ultimately tracks her down with the magnifying glass in the hair of a bemused man in the front row and recaptures her with his tweezers.
Placing the recalcitrant flea on the wire stretched between two foot-high standards, the professor views the action through his glass, describing Madge's tortured traverse under the weight of a balancing bar and tiny chair. Almost as an afterthought, he notes that she is blindfolded, to the roar of her happy boosters in the audience.
The crowd derives a moment of calm from another interlude featuring a pair of "Tibetan dancing beetles" who face off in the circus ring.
And then, the exciting finale: the Cannon of Doom.
Gertsacov carefully places the fleas, now apparently on their best behavior, into the cannon. But first he calls for a moment of silence in memory of Leopold, the brother of Midge and Madge, who died doing the cannon trick two years ago.
The maestro lights the Ring of Death and the audience is primed for the blast that will send the fleas through the flaming ring back to their trailer.
But alas, the cannon fails to go off. Only momentarily bewildered, Gertsacov promises the audience they can return for the next show when it surely will work.
"Sorry, I haven't worked the bugs out of the system," he quips.
The crowd gives Gertsacov (and the M&M sisters) a round of applause.
But 4-year-old Sophie Berg, in town from Philadelphia with her family, is a bit puzzled.
"Mommy," she says, "I couldn't see the fleas."
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ACME MINIATURE CIRCUS--Flea Circus (Palace of Variety in Times Square, 125 W. 42nd St., 726-1935) Professor A.G. Gertsacov is ringmaster and trainer of this authentic Victorian-style flea circus starring trained fleas Midge and Madge, who pull chariots, dance on a tightwire, and perform other circus-like stunts. "This is a humane show. I treat the fleas as if they are my own flesh and blood," says Gertsacov, "and in many ways, they are." Sat. & Sun., noon and 1 p.m.
TIMEOUT NY
SEPTEMBER 19, 2002
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Sat 21 Acme Miniature Circus Bindlestiff
Family Cirkus Palace of Variety 125 W 42nd St between Sixth and
Seventh Aves (212-726-1935). Subway: N, Q, R, W,42nd St S, 1, 2, 3,
9, 7 to 42nd St-Times Sq. Sat, Sun noon, 1pm. $8; seniors, children
under 12 and unemployed $6.
Get ready to fight the power of itchy suggestion at this Victorian-styleflea circus, in which stars Midge and Madge perform daring but hard-to-see feats such as a tightrope walk, a chariot race and a flight out of a cannon. Master of ceremonies and flea trainer Adam Gertsacov is a seasoned clown whois the big cheese at Acme Clown Company and a worldwide performer. He promises the little buggers won't get loose to snack on anyone in the audience, but he does ask that you leave your dog at home.
NY OBSERVER
SEPTEMBER 19, 2002
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"The WASP's and the fleas: Two WASP-y shows today, one the real thing and the other faux but more WASP-y than the real thing: Lilly Pulitzer and Ralph Lauren. And meanwhile, near the flea circus of Fashion Week, it's an actual flea circus in Times Square! "I started off as an actor," said ringmaster Adam Gertsacov, "and then I realized that all of my work as an actor was about being a clown, and I went to the Ringling Brothers Clown College, and then I realized that I really wanted to not be a small cog in a larger wheel - I wanted to be the large wheel!" That's why he bought two fleas named Midge and Madge-watch those little buggers pull teeny chariots!"
[ ... flea circus, Palace of Variety, Times Square, 125 West 42nd Street,
noon, 726-1935.]"
Acme Clown Company {Theatre • Mum Puppettheatre • $10.00 }
Roll up, roll up: the true spirit of the Victorian Flea Circus, recreated before your very eyes! Under the gentle guidance of ringmaster Adam G. Gertsacov, the antics of two performing fleas, Midge and Madge, provide the springboard for thoughts on our oppression of the species (through the use of soap) and the psychology of two microscopic divas. Brilliantly warm-hearted: to paraphrase Gertsacov, this is suitable viewing for your "inner child."
PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 11,
2002
Editor's Pick:
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AN INFESTATION OF FUN
Hold your breath for this one. Really. Professor A.G. Gertsacov's "Midge and Madge" star in the ACME Miniature Circus, a flea circus here in town for the Philadelphia Fringe Festival before settling down at the Palace of Variety in Times Square. Though these matchbox ensembles were popular in the Victorian era, Gertsacov claims his is one of only four or five travelling shows now performing. He and his parasitic entourage have performed throughout the U.S., Canada, and South America walking tightropes, pulling chariots, and the like. "I treat them as if they are my own flesh and blood," he says. He requests no pets be brought to the show. So Lassie will have to step aside for something smaller, if not cuter.--Dylan Thomas Parker
AOL'S DIGITAL
CITY.COM SEPTEMBER 8, 2002
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THESE PERFORMERS COULD FIT ON THE HEAD OF A PIN
Victorian-style flea circuses first appeared in Europe in the early 19th century, and gradually became less common as we entered the modern age. Professional clown Adam Gertsacov keeps the amazing curiosity alive with entomological entertainment that dazzles, disgusts and confuses his audience. His tiny performers are real fleas -- human-blood sucking fleas. But they are also real performers, racing on chariots, balancing on a tightrope and being shot out of a cannon. Gertsacov uses a high-powered microscope and tweezers to coax his little big top stars to do their magical feats. And Midge and Madge happily oblige, as long as they are fed a few drops of Gertsacov's blood. (This is too ludicrous and perversely fascinating to miss, folks!)-- R. Howkins
Special Event: Children, Comedy, Festival, General Arts &
Culture: Children, Comedy, Festival, General, Music, Parade,
CONNECT Savannah, August 31, 2001 "A Visit
To An Old-Fashioned Flea Circus"
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by Linda Sickler
There's no doubt that Adam Gertsacov has one of the most unusual jobs in the world.
He performs as Professor A.G. Gertsacov, the ringmaster of the Acme Miniature Circus. His stars are Midge and Madge, trained fleas extraordinaire.
The show opens with a miniature chariot race, which covers an eight-inch course. Next comes the high-wire act, in which Madge -- at least we think it's Madge -- balances a pole and a miniature chair.
In the finale, Madge and Midge are shot out of an air cannon, through a flaming hoop of death. They land safely to thunderous applause.
The one question Gertsacov is always asked is, are Madge and Midge real? "They are real fleas," he said.
"They are not glued down. I only use two fleas in the show. They do three tricks. My focus is not on tricks, but on the audience experience. My show is really funny."
Gertsacov is a professional actor, director, and clown, based in Providence, RI. After founding the Acme Clown Company, he has appeared at theaters, fairs and festivals around the world.
What kind of a person runs a flea circus? After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania (Class of '86) with a major in theoretical communication and a minor in theater, Gertsacov earned a master-of-arts degree in theater and group communication at the Rhode Island College/Trinity Rep Conservatory.
After completing Bryant College's entrepreneurship program, Gertsacov applied to the Ringling Brothers Clown College in 1989, not realizing how competitive it was. "There were 2,000 applicants for 54 spaces," he said.
Despite the odds, Gertsacov was accepted and made a profound discovery. "I realized all the acting work I had done was about being a clown," he said.
Gertsacov also has studied at the Dell'Arte School of Physical Theatre, and the Boston School of Bartending. He served as an apprentice to the Czech clown, Ctibor Turba, and also studied with several other well-known performers, including Dario Po and Avner the Eccentric
There are other acts that Gertsacov presents, but it is the flea circus that gets the most attention. "I started doing the show using imaginary fleas," he said. "It was all mime. I was pretty happy with it."
It was Avner the Eccentric who convinced Gertsacov that he should use real fleas. "He said, 'This is good, but you've got to get rid of the clown stuff and do a flea circus,' " Gertsacov said.
"You're big, the fleas are small," Avner said. "That's your act."
Gertsacov began doing intensive research to try to crack the secretive code of the flea circus. "I met a guy from Rhode Island who had a flea circus in the 1950s," he said. "He wasn't real forthcoming about how it was done, but he convinced me it could be done. I put together a grant proposal to build the program."
With the grant funding, Gertsacov was able to hire Dennis Hlynsky, an artist and professor at the Rhode Island School of Design, to design and build the suitcase that houses the marvelously detailed flea circus and its props. Everything, including Gertsacov's costume with top hat and purple vest, is designed to suggest the Victorian era, when flea circuses flourished.
"The history of the flea circus is kind of murky," Gertsacov said. "It is a low form of entertainment. The first reference to a flea circus I can find is 1828, when Senor Bertoletto performed in Covent Garden in London.
"Among other things, he redid Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, using fleas. It was all the rage in London in 1828."
Flea circuses reached the peak of their popularity in the 1890s, Gertsacov said. "I have read that most every town had its own flea circus," he said.
"Professor LeRoy Heckler's was the most famous," Gertsacov said. "He appeared at the 1903 Chicago Exposition, then moved to New York. He left Times Square in 1957, saying that nude girls had given his fleas a bad name."
ORIGIN OF TERM 'FLEA MARKET'
At least one other aspect of the old-time flea circus still exists today. Flea circuses were often booked as sideshows at markets and fairs where merchants sold their goods outdoors, which gave rise to the term "flea market."
"In the last few years, there has been a resurgence of flea circuses," Gertsacov said. "There are at least three to four people doing flea circuses today."
Yes, the fleas are trained to do their tricks. Gertsacov's training methods are a trade secret, but he will say that the tricks are based on basic flea behavior, and taught through positive reinforcement.
"I'm not training them to do mathematics," he said. "They do chariot races. Do they know they are racing? It's hard to say."
It takes three months to train a flea. "It took me six months to figure out how to train them," Gertsacov said.
Madge and Midge are "Pulex irritans," better known as the human flea. "There are over 2,000 species," Gertsacov said. "Human fleas are the traditional circus fleas."
Human fleas make the best performers because they are larger than other species. Today, human fleas are rather rare, but at one time, they were all too common.
"About 100 years ago, everyone had fleas," Gertsacov said. "Very ritzy ladies wore a flea trap in their bosom. It was a piece of jewelry that was baited with blood and honey. The blood lured the fleas, who got trapped in the honey.
"Today, we don't have fleas so much," he said. "We wash, do laundry and wash our bedding."
The most common flea found today is the cat flea, which is found on both cats and dogs. Not only is it too small to be trained, it lives only six weeks.
By contrast, the human flea lives much longer. "It lives 24 months, only on humans or pigs," Gertsacov said.
Fleas survive on blood, and Purina doesn't make flea chow, so Gertsacov has developed a unique feeding method. "I feed them once every 15 days," he said. "I prick my finger. It takes only a drop. Fortunately, I don't have to put them on myself to feed. I have a system with a Petrie dish."
Since the flea circus began, Gertsacov has never had a flea escape. Perhaps that's because they are housed in a luxurious, custom-designed, fur-lined trailer between shows.
"I buy fleas from an entomological supply company that supplies fleas to scientists," Gertsacov said. (The going rate is $5 per dozen.)
Incorporating art and theater, Gertsacov started his company in 1991. He creates and performs his own shows, tours and teaches clowning at workshops.
"I would say it's a hard job because it's a business, like any other," Gertsacov said. "But at least part of the time, I get to do what I love."
What he loves is creating an unforgettable experience for his audiences. "My other shows include the Puppet Tragedies," Gertsacov said. "I do 'Oedipus Rex' in 12 minutes, using Barbie dolls. I also do the 'Vegetable Macbeth.' "
Gertsacov also is an author, and currently is writing a book about, of all things, Rhode Island. "I was recently appointed the Clown Laureate of Greenbelt, Md.," he said.
In addition to watching the fleas' performance, spectators can buy souvenirs, including buttons, T-shirts and bumper stickers. The most popular reads, "Save the flea!"
Not that the flea is in any danger of becoming extinct. But Gertsacov believes that in addition to entertaining the masses, his circus proves that fleas can be put to good use.
"There is no Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Fleas," he said. "This shows a positive use for fleas. It is so amazing what they can do."
Linda Sickler is senior staff writer at Connect Savannah. She can be reached by phone at 527-2800, Ext. 131, or by e-mail at lindasickler@yahoo.com.
Rhode Island College March 15, 2001
"Where Are They Now."
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by George LaTour
What's News Associate Editor
You could say Adam Gertsacov of Providence has just been clowning around since earning his master's degree in 1990 from Rhode Island College.
And, you'd be right!
But the clowning has been honed into an art form with Gertsacov practicing it all over the world.
Gertsacov graduated from the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania in 1986 with a degree in theoretical communications with minor emphasis in theatre.
He obtained his master of arts degree in theatre and group communication through the RIC/Triity Rep Conservatory Cooperative Masters Program, and attended Bryant College for its entrepreneur program-- "This is a business. I'm a small businessman who provides a service and I'm also an artist." he explains.
His biography states that he is "one of the most educated clowns in America... barring certain elected officials."
Gertsacov was an actor at Trinity Rep and not "working on plays I was interested in" when "on a whim" he applied to clown college.
"I wanted a skill, like how to juggle," he says. "I didn't have those kind of skills, but I realized when I was there that all of my acting skills were really about clowning. I'm not really a juggler."
He is now a graduate of the Ringling Brothers Clown College and the Dell'Arte School of Physical Theatre. And he has taken master classes with many international clown luminaries such as Dario Fo in Copenhagen; Bill Irwin, a MacArthur Fellow; Daniel Stein, world renowned mime, and Fred Curchak, whom he first met at RIC where Curchak was performing a one man show based on Shakespeare's The Tempest called "Stuff As Dreams Are Made On."
He has performed and taught "all over the world." Past engagements have included those in Canada, Chile, and Brazil. This summer he will perform in Ontario.
And, starting April 1 for six weeks he will be the official "Clown Laureate" of Greenbelt, Md, and "in general, make a fool out of himself" for Acme Clown Month, according to publicity from the Greenbelt Arts Center.
Gertsacov will conduct workshops, perform shows, curate a clown art exhibit, host informal talks, show films, and act in an "official capacity as Clown Laureate."
"This marks the first time anybody has ever been a clown laureate anywhere in the world," boasts Gertsacov.
Among the shows he'll perform in Greenbelt is his award winning Acme Miniature Circus, which is one of only a very few authentic Victorian-style flea circuses in existence.
In addition to the flea circus, he'll perform an act he calls "Barbie Oedipus" a Greek tragedy performed with Barbie dolls.
DETAILS magazine called this show "one of the top 10 alternative circuses in the country."
"The mayor will give me a Green Belt to the city, which I will wear like Miss America to all public events," says Gertsacov.
Seriously, though, Gertsacov says he's "pretty happy."
"It's a good job, but it is a job."
Gertsacov can be reached via his web sites appropriately named http://www.acmeclown.com or http://www.trainedfleas.com
CURRENT SCIENCE 12/15/2000 -- CIRCUS
MINIMUS
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There are no small parts, only small performers, in the Acme Miniature Circus.
by Hugh Westrop
First there was Barnum & Bailey. Then came Siegfried & Roy. Now make way for Midge and Madge!
Midge and Madge are the featured players in the Acme Miniature Circus. They're fleas, wingless insects no bigger than a freckle. Their traveling act is one of the weirdest and wackiest in show business.
UNDER THE SMALL TOP
Midge and Madge were flicked to stardom by Adam Gertsacov, the circus's owner. In the guise of Professor A.G. Gertsacov, he also presides as ringmaster over each of Midge and Madge's shows.
The professor opens each performance by hawking a line of flea souvenirs- flea buttons, flea tattoos, flea T-shirts. Then he recites such flea doggerel as "Fleas? Adam had 'em," followed by flea fun facts. "Did you know," he asks the audience, "that fleas are the world's champion jumpers? If a flea were the size of a woman, it could jump over the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt in a single bound."
Then gasps of wonder arise from the spectators as the professor exposes the contents of a large suitcase. Inside lies a beautifully detailed miniature circus ring-- and Midge and Madge.
Guiding the two fleas to the ring, the Great Gertsacov assists them in a series of jaw-dropping stunts. Like horses at the ancient Roman Circus Maximus, the fleas are hitched to tiny chariots and compete in a race-- a real nailbiter. The audience hoots and applauds.
Next comes the tightrope act. Madge carries a tiny chair and pole across the high wire. The audience oohs and aahs. For the grand finale, Midge and Madge are lowered into a miniature air cannon. 3....2....1.... Pop! A puff of air shoots the fleas over the ring, through a flaming hoop, and into their sumptuous, fur-lined trailer. Loud hurrahs!
OLD SHOW
Similar spectacles were common 200 years ago, when flea circuses entertained the hoi polloi of Europe and North America. Pulex Irritans, the species of flea that infests humans, was common back then too. "People didn't bathe often," explained Gertsacov, "so they were crawling with fleas."
That changed during the last century with the advent of improved personal hygiene and inventions such as the vacuum cleaner and the washing machine. Pulex irritans became, if not endangered, then much rarer. Today, the most common of the 2000 known species of fleas is Ctenocephalides felis, which infests cats and dogs, said Gertsacov.
Midge and Madge are Pulex irritans, ordered from an entomological supply company. "It took about three years of experimentation to figure out how to train a flea," said Gertsacov
TRAINING TIPS
How does one train a flea? Gertsacov said he employed the same techniques all animal trainers use. First, he studied the flea's natural behaviors. Then, through operant conditioning, he encouraged the fleas to perform those behaviors on cue with circus props. Operant conditioning is a form of instruction in which the subject is encouraged through the use of positive reinforcement-- rewards-- and negative reinforcement--punishments. (Gertsacov says he doesn't use negative reinforcement.)
"It's not as if I train the fleas to sing or fly the space shuttle-- things they aren't equipped to do," explained Gertsacov. "They perform things in their act, such as lifting objects, that they do in nature."
Gertsacov won't reveal what reward he gives his fleas, but an educated guess is blood. Fleas are hematophagous -- they feed on blood. A flea that can't find a warm-blooded host becomes dormant (inactive and can stay that way for up to a year.
In the early days, Gertsacov let Midge and Madge bite him for their meals. Now he pricks himself for the blood that he feeds them.
When not in training, Gertsacov's fleas enjoy the lifestyles of pampered celebrities. Fleas are ectoparasites. A parasite is an organism that lives at the expense of another organism. An ectoparasite is a parasite that lives on, as opposed to in, the host organism. But fleas also spend time off their hosts-- in carpets, beds, sofas, and in Midge and Madge's case, fur-lined trailers.
DISEASE CARRIERS
The Acme Miniature Circus is a true slice of showbiz magic. Where else do audiences root for such creepy characters? Fleas can transmit bubonic plague ("Black Death"), one of history's worst medical scourges. Just last summer, a flea-borne outbreak of bubonic plague turned several prairie dog towns in Montana into ghost towns.
Needless to say, spectators feel more than enthusiasm at an Acme show. Gertsacov ensures that Midge and Madge don't get loose during a performance. Still, people are suggestible around fleas and other wee beasties. "When I look out at my audience," said Gertsacov," I see a lot of scratching."
Adam Gertsacov won’t tell you exactly how to train your
pet fleas. That’s a trade secret. But he’ll give you this
hint: “Reinforce them.”
Gertsacov is ringmaster of the Acme Miniature Circus, one of two
traveling flea circuses in the world (the other is in Australia). He
oversees a pair of fleas, named Midge and Madge, performing sixty to
seventy shows each year, at events all over the globe.
Gertsacov, a graduate of Ringling Brothers Clown College and Trinity
Repertory Company’s Conservatory program, lives with his fleas
in Providence. His association with fleas began in 1992 with a mock
circus, complete with fake fleas and a seventeen piece band. Then, a
friend suggested he use real fleas. So he did. He found that the
human flea, pulex irritans, was best for the circus, because
it can live up to two years (dog and cat fleas live three to five
days)
The flea circus is a virtual cornucopia of amazing feats. Midge and
Madge each race a tiny wooden chariot over a tabletop. Later, one
walks a tight rope, balancing an inch-and-a-half pole on one side and
a tiny chair on the other. For the grand finale, Gertsacov inserts
his tiny cast into a little cannon and shoots them through a flaming
ring of fire and into a flea motel, after which they are stunned, but
none the worse for wear.
Doubtful? Gertsacov assures that Midge and Madge are living,
breathing, blood-sucking fleas who, though it takes some time, are
quite receptive to being trained. By the end of a performance,
naysayers are turned into big fans. If you doubt it, go see for
yourself. But while you’re there, please-- don’t scratch
that itch. Acme Flea Circus, 351-2596, www.trainedfleas.com--Frank
Belsky
On those magical nights when everything
clicks, Adam Gertsacov can hold both an audience and his star
performers in the palm of his hand. People crane their necks for a
better view of the Acme Miniature Circus' curious wonders. They
thrill to the exciting flea chariot race and marvel at the
flea-on-a-wire aerial act.
They gasp at the death-defying finale
(which, by the way, took a few deaths to perfect, but why
quibble?).
Suddenly, Gertsacov said, "people start
caring for these two bugs they'd probably try to kill if they weren't
performing for them."
And just as suddenly, they are
transported to the Victorian age, when traveling showmen mixed a dash
of hokum with a healthy dose of bravado to create entertainment on
the fly. Gertsacov revives that spirit with what he believes to be
one of only two flea circuses making the rounds today. (The other, he
says, is based in Australia.) His act is part sideshow, part history
lesson and part spectacle of entomological derring-do. And it all
fits on a tabletop stage not much bigger than a TV tray.
Gertsacov, 35, unfolded that table this
week in Costa Mesa at the 22nd annual International Showcase of
Performing Arts for Young People, which continues through Saturday.
All around him, acting troupes and dance companies hawked their
talents, hoping to land bookings at theaters and festivals.
But even as they were setting up, they
ducked their heads into Gertsacov's booth for a glimpse of his
self-contained fold-out big top, though stars Midge and Madge,
trained fleas of the species pulex irritans, were resting in
Gertsacov's hotel room, safe in the fur-lined comfort of their wooden
traveling case.
Gertsacov, who drove from his home in
Providence, R.I., to attend the showcase, spends the first 10 minutes
of his show pitching a plethora of products, from "Save the Fleas!"
bumper stickers to show programs the size of Post-it notes.
This is the "flea market part" of the
performance, he said. "People go to a flea circus expecting to be
hornswoggled. If they aren't, they go away disappointed."
But the show still is more fleas than
fleece. Clad in lavender felt top hat and matching corduroy coat,
Gertsacov shares flea trivia and tidbits from history. For instance,
fleas can pull 131,000 times their own weight, and a Swedish queen
once hunted them with a tiny crossbow. He glosses over that whole
black plague episode; the blood-sucking parasite thing is kind of a
downer. He even recites flea poetry, or as he calls it, "flea verse."
A sample:
Fleas?
Adam had 'em.
The banter builds to the show's climax:
the exhibition of Midge and Madge's strength and skill. The 6-foot-2,
250-pound Gertsacov gently places his minuscule stars at the helm of
chariots with shirt-button wheels, which they race. That is, when one
of them isn't being obstinate.
"Madge is slightly more temperamental,"
Gertsacov said. "But each can be a bit diva-esque."
Sometimes, the competitive juices flow,
with half the crowd chanting, "Midge! Midge! Midge!" and the other
half exhorting, "Madge! Madge! Madge!" (When Gertsacov performed in
Brazil two years ago, "the crowd cheered like it was a soccer game,"
he said.)
Then it's on to the high wire, which
they negotiate while carrying a tiny chair and balancing pole.
There's scarcely time for a rest before Midge and Madge are whisked
into a miniature cannon for the grand finale.
Before our heroes are fired through the
flaming hoop of death, Gertsacov pauses for a moment of silence for
all the high-flying fleas who gave their lives for low art.
"It took a while before I could figure
out how to get them to land in their trailer without getting hurt,"
Gertsacov said, pointing to the door of a palatially decorated model
Airstream emblazoned with a metallic "M." Figuring out how to safely
fire his fleas into the trailer's open door was just one of the
problems facing Gertsacov when he began putting the show together in
1994.
He was performing as a clown when a
circus in Providence asked him to come up with an animal-trainer act.
He concocted an imaginary flea circus, using mime to move his
make-believe fleas. He showed the act to a clown friend, Avner the
Eccentric, who advised, "Get some real fleas. You're big, the fleas
are small, you love the fleas. That's your act."
Gertsacov bought the fleas, which live
about two years, from an entomologist supply company in Connecticut,
put them in an enclosed space and just started watching. He did
plenty of other research (females are preferable to males because
they are larger) but learned mainly that flea trainers are loath to
share their secrets. That's a tradition Gertsacov continues. "I will
tell you that through art and patience, you slowly begin to figure
out what they can do," he said. He usually has seven or eight Midges
and Madges in training.
Gertsacov also discovered that his show
plays equally well with children and college-age crowds. He traveled
last year with the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, which describes its
acts as spanning "the exotic to the erotic."
"Mine is definitely the exotic,"
Gertsacov said, "although the fleas do perform totally nude."
Audience reaction usually builds from
bewilderment to fascination and glee, he said. But there's one
response he can just about always count on: "I see a lot of
scratching."
By Mark and Carolyn Hammer
In the grand tradition of The Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey, the
Moscow Circus, Hagenbeck-Wallace, Cirque du Soleil, and the Big
Apple, the Acme Circus has just completed its limited run in New York
City. Playing a traveling tented circus in Manhattan for a short span
of 16 shows spread over six days is no easy task. The logistics of
housing and transporting the performers, props, costumes, and so on
defy the imagination.
This show is presented in the classic one-ring format, which has
served them very well, judging by the success they have enjoyed
playing before and on the crowned heads of Europe. Upon entering the
performance venue, the two-pole top with rounded ends, 12 quarter
poles, and 24 side poles was brightly maintained and had an open air
feeling. As soon as the doors were opened, the orchestra immediately
began to play, putting the audience in the mood right from the
beginning. The bigger shows should take a cue from Acme in this
regard.
As the lights dimmed, Ringmaster Adam Gertsacov introduced the first
act, an exciting chariot race around the hippodrome track reminiscent
of the famous spectacles staged in the Colosseum of Rome. This
fast-moving presentation had all the thrill elements of the modern
day production counterpointed with the tradition of the grand era of
the circus.
Similar to the way that Gunther Gebel-Williams, Michu, and Grandma
have had the larger shows build shows around them, the Acme Circus
has built its show around two performers, Midge the Marvelous, and
Madge. This duo performed spectacular circus stunts and stunning
feats that amazed and thrilled the crowd.
Next up was Midge, who performed a graceful pas de deux on the
tightwire while precipitously perched on a chair! A hush came over
the crowd when at one point the sway pole moved past the treacherous
63 degree spot. A dramatic entry was made by Madge in a costume that
this reviewer thought was too brief for an afternoon performance. It
was only then that we learned why this particular show has been
recommended for adult audiences only.
After Madge's dramatic and daring entry, both of the show's stars
performed their next acts completely naked, except for their shoes!
The audience gasped in surprise as Midge and Madge, in the buff,
prepared for their death defying flame filled finale. For the finale
both stars were shot from a cannon, through a ring of fire, and
straight into their trailer! Never before has this daring and
foolhardy feat been attempted on these shores.
The crowd was silent as Ringmaster Gertsacov stepped from the ring
curb and rushed to the trailer to make certain that the pair had
landed safely.
The atmosphere was tense as many fearfully anticipated a scene of
mangled flesh or twisted steel. But the ringmaster carefully lowered
his magnifying glass to the performer's trailer and inserted his
tweezers into their doorway. His big grin signaled the crowd, the
orchestra played the fanfare, and a rousing cheer went up.
Midge and Madge, performing fleas of the Acme Miniature Flea Circus,
had landed safely.
New York will never be the same.
Accompanying Fans Mark and Carolyn Hammer to this
flea circus on Manhattan's Lower East Side were Al and Maxine
House.
Saturday June 15, 1996
Preview article by Pat Donnelly
On your mark. Get set. Go!
Sixth edition of the Montreal Fringe Festival begins today at noon.
By the time the beer tent closes tonight, a staggering 34 shows will
have opened at five McGill area venues.
Some people adjust their lives to pursue the fringe for its nine-day
duration. Others simply pick whatever show fits their agenda when
they happen to be in the area. Most, however, would like to have some
idea what they're heading into. Zappy titles may be fun to read, but
they don't necessarily lead to the good stuff. The Buzz notes, or
instant reviews, posted in the beer tent should be taken with a grain
of salt. Many are written by people connected to the shows.
As a veteran Fringer, with a limited amount of inside information, I
have put together 10 sure bets and 10 enticing risks. This may help.
Or not.
1. The Acme Miniature Circus
This Rhode Island act wins hand down as the curiousity of the
festival. Evidently, Midge and Madge, the two performing fleas who
star in this show, could easily get lost on the head of a pin. Not
recommended for the near-sighted or the chronically itchy.
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Monday, June 17, 1996
Review article by Pat Donnelly
He said it was Madge. But maybe it was Midge. How was I to know?
Or come to think of it, how was Adam Gertsacov to know which of his
two performing fleas was holding up the dollhouse-sized chair on the
tiny tightrope? Was his eyesight that much better than mine?
P.T. Barnum once said there was a sucker born every minute. Some of
them end up as journalists.
Not surprisingly, Gertsacov, who is presenting his Acme Miniature
Circus at the Fringe Festival, is a graduate of the Ringling Bros.
Barnum & Bailey Clown College. When not doing his solo act, he
travels with the Pan-Twilight Circus of Rhode Island as a giant
bumble bee.
On Friday, he gave a private tour of his miniature circus, pointing
to the toy trailer where Midge was supposedly taking a nap before
showtime. As starring acts go, these two are apparently cheap to
keep. All they need is a little blood--human blood.
"These are human fleas," Gertsacov explained, "But I pin-drop the
blood. I don't put them on myself to feed."
Still, Gertsacov has clearly bonded with his pets. He sells "Save the
Fleas!" buttons and bumperstickers. He recites flea-inspired works of
literature and gives an illustrated lecture on the history of the
flea.
According to Gertsacov, when flea circuses were in vogue, sadistic
trainers used to glue their performers to the spot. He would never do
that. Midge and Madge travel by tweezer to their chariots at race
time. And the audience is divided into two cheering sections so that
both ladies receive equal encouragement.
The Acme Miniature Circus is pure feel good nonsense, amusing for
adults, suitable for children. At 30 minutes, Sunday's performance
seemed too short-- a criticism not often applied to Fringe shows.
INDEPENDENT CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE MONTREAL FRINGE
June 18, 1996
Review by B. Toben
This gem of a mini show.... only 30 minutes, but with price to match
.... features high wires, cannons, chariot races, carnival music and
an amusing history of fleas. Audience participation energises viewers
as they cheer the flea of their choice. Us Shakespeare freaks were
particularly excited by the recitation, in revererent tones, of the
lost solo from Hamlet.... "To Flea or Not to Flea."
T shirts, stickers, and other memorabilia of the wonderful world of
fleas are also on display.
The amiable Mr. Gertsacov and his entourage of Pulex Irritans desert
us for Minneapolis all too early. (Today and tomorrow at 18:45 and
last call Thursday at 14:00 so fly to see the fleeeeting fleas.)
Tuesday, June 25, 1996
Review by Peter Vaughan
"Acme Miniature Circus"
This one man introduction to the flea and its performing capabilities
is what the Fringe should be all about. It's funny, off-beat and
skillfully delivered by Circus Master Prof. Adam G. Gertsacov of
Providence, R.I. You have probably heard of a flea circus, but have
you ever attended one? Bring the kids and avail yourself of this rare
once in a lifetime opportunity. No bug spray allowed. FAMILY FARE. --
PV
Friday, June 28, 1996
Article by Paul Sanders
Adam G. Gertsacov of the Acme Miniature Circus drove for 24
consecutive hours from Montreal to perform with his two fleas in the
Third Minnesota Fringe Festival.
The pair of fleas, Midge and Madge, were shot from a miniature cannon
Tuesday evening through a flaming hoop into their "dressing room" --
a tiny model trailer.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Gertsacov told the mesmerized audience of 30
people in the University's Nolte Experimental Theater, "I'm happy to
announce that Midge and Madge are OK!"
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