Vernacular
Words of the Australian circus
Australia’s travelling circus people linked far-flung groups of people together. In an age when mobility was restricted, travelling circus people were both collectors and distributors of news and information—and the spoken word—for isolated communities around Australia.
Within their transitory world, Australia’s circus people inevitably developed a distinct argot.
Vernacular
Words of the Australian circus
Australia’s travelling circus people linked far-flung groups of people together. In an age when mobility was restricted, travelling circus people were both collectors and distributors of news and information—and the spoken word—for isolated communities around Australia.
Within their transitory world, Australia’s circus people inevitably developed a distinct argot.
| Circus Term | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|
| ’ampster | a showman’s accomplice who pretends to buy tickets in order to persuade others in the crowd to do likewise (from hamster); also known as a ‘jerry’. |
| amalgamation | temporary partnership between two circuses |
| arabs | tumblers |
| blow down | tent demolished by high wind |
| boom girl | a female performer who is built up in the circus advertising to promote the show |
| boozer, booze artist | heavy drinker, alcoholic |
| bounce the town | to show in a town without prior billing |
| bridge | a show’s outward image |
| canary | a bath taken in a metal tub |
| captain | a showgirl’s boyfriend; someone who pays the bills |
| cheap jack | a sideshow man |
| circus terms | paying for purchases as convenient |
| close them up | to defeat an opposition circus for a town’s patronage |
| colour | a sizeable audience |
| commonwealth show | box office takings and expenses divided equally between circus employees |
| con merchant | confidence trickster |
| concessions | vending stalls outside a circus |
| day bill | a small bill to hang in a shop window |
| dead heads | members of the audience admitted for free |
| dead wood | a non-contributing member of a circus company |
| drack town | as for freeze |
| drag picnic | attendance of an entire family at a circus performance |
| dummy | non-talking clown |
| dummy fall | an acrobat’s make-believe fall |
| earwigging | eavesdropping |
| fake | resin powder used in bareback riding acts |
| fake acts | illusionary acts such as memory and blindfold acts |
| fakers | musicians who play by ear, not with music |
| flunky | jack of all trades |
| fold | to close up business |
| freeze, doing a | townspeople withholding patronage |
| front business | the work of the advance agent |
| gays | contemptuous term for non-show people |
| gear man | assistant to a troupe of performers responsible for the maintenance and erection of their gear |
| gee | to promote a showman’s troupe by using a decoy planted in the crowd |
| good-taking act | an attractive act |
| good Mickey Mouse | a good house |
| gut the tent | to remove paraphernalia from interior of a tent prior to it being dropped and rolled up, or before a storm threatens a blow down |
| handrush | to deceive |
| illywhackers | chocolate- and spinning-wheel showmen |
| jacks | detectives |
| jinker | long, low-wheeled haulage cart |
| jump the ground | to occupy ground without permission |
| last man off the lot | the last person appointed to leave the circus lot, responsible for the collection of any forgotten items of equipment |
| line-up board | a long, open-air platform where performers display themselves prior to the commencement of a performance, used in circus although more commonly by boxing troupes and sideshows on the showgrounds |
| lug | to play music by ear, to improvise |
| masher | an aggressive type, bully |
| mogs | victims of sideshow tricksters |
| mugs | townspeople |
| night flitter | departure of a circus during the night, without paying debts; also called ‘moonlight flit’ |
| nobs | the elite of society |
| northish | in a northerly direction |
| nut | head |
| one-nighter | a one-night stand |
| open on spec | to open without prior notice |
| pinch artist | a performer who pinches another’s act, costume, etc. |
| porch | front entrance to the circus tent |
| pull down (also ‘tear down’) | pulling down of circus tents after the performance |
| rexona town, a good | a town where the circus boys have a good time with the local girls (after the billboard advertising for a famous brand of soap that once appeared at the approach to country towns) |
| ring waiters | men who set up gear in the circus ring |
| road show | a show that travels by road |
| roading | travelling by road |
| run | a succession of towns visited in a district |
| scratch act | a circus act not fully broken-in |
| show town | a town where the visit of the circus coincides with the local agricultural show |
| showman’s graveyard | a town renowned for poor circus patronage |
| sight trick | a good trick for the public’s appreciation, although not necessarily a difficult one |
| snipe | to remove or alter a rival’s bills |
| spruiker | a man placed outside a show to announce the program |
| squealer | a person who betrays confidence |
| straight act | an act devoid of comedy |
| stray | an illegitimate child |
| strong game | a showman’s gambling game that can’t be won |
| strong show | tough opposition from another circus |
| take the nap | to take a fake hit or slap, as in a clown’s routine |
| tarpaulin/tentpole muster | a conference between the members of a circus troupe to decide a course of action or resolve a mutual problem; collecting donations from audience for a charitable cause |
| tent boss/boss tentman | the person in charge of erecting the circus tents |
| touch/touch show | exorbitantly priced |
| turned it up | gave it away |
| wallopers | policemen |
| warb | derogatory term for a circus hand; now called tent riggers |
| winter camp | to close up a circus for the winter |
| wood-and-water joey | menial circus rouseabout or auxiliary |
