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Venue
Three venues within the Winter Garden Complex will host the event: the Spanish Hall, the Baronial Suite and the Horseshoe Pavilion and Theatre.
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The Performers
Marawa The Amazing
A human dynamo. This lady can work 100 hoola hoops at once - once more she can do it on roller skates. All the way from Australia we are very pleased that her first UK gig is to be at The Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

Hui Ling
Hui Ling is a member of the Chinese Circus and had been since the age of 6. Hui Ling is an amazing acrobat and her foot juggling needs to be seen to be believed.

Delia De Sol
This beautiful pliable performer has performed worldwide - her contortions are out of this world.

Seffi
Marvel at how this powerful lady has tamed boa constrictor and dances with it.

Dr Rupert G Hooper's The Fortune of the Sphinx
This talking sphinx will use its ancient knowledge to tell you future.

Red Sarah
This lady will entertain with an amazing fire show.

Miss Polly Cupcake
Host of many of London's most exciting cabaret nights Miss Polly will be there to excite the crowd and lead them around this most curious of cabinets.

Dr Rupert Hooper
This quack doctor tour guide will be showing the public a 'Storm in a Tea Cup' and selling them lightening in a bottle.

Marisa Carnesky
Marisa is a director and producer as well as a performance artist. She will be treating us to her take on some of the original magic and illusion pieces that could have been enjoyed in Blackpool up until the turn of the century.

Paul Tkachenko
Multi-instrumentalist Paul Tkachenko grew up in Australia, Hong Kong and Germany and has performed internationally in projects ranging from Classical to Circus, Bluegrass to Brass Quintet and Salsa to Skiffle. In Blackpool he will be playing the saw, a dog, a sheep and some bells.

Mental Floss
Under the guise of Mental Floss Karl will be treating us to his 'Man Made Monsters' including a pickled punk.

The Whoopee Beaux Belles
This talented dance troupe will be spotted around the Cabinet of Curiosities all day in various guises (does that bearded lady remind you of anyone?) One of the much anticipated highlights of the day is to be their re-enactment of the sideshow favourite - the skirt dance. This dance is where the 'can can' originated.

Miss Lilly Farthing
This otherworldly beauty emerges spinning from an enormous metal flower she is worked by a massive key, which sticks out from her back and turns as long as she is turning.

Fancy Chance
Roll up roll up - come and see the tattooed lady perform a fan dance.

The Winter Gardens will be the venue for a reconstruction of a Victorian museum of curiosities with side-shows, novelty acts and an exhibition of material from the National Fairground Archive's rich holdings. With the expertise of the Whoopee Club, London's premier agency and Jon Marshall of MagicCarpet Inc, this wondrous hall will be transformed into the equivalent's of Barnum's American Museum with highlights including the Girl in the Goldfish Bowl, The Headless Wonder and the Whoopee Beaux Belles.

Other venues in Blackpool will host free and additional curated events with selected highlights of forthcoming attractions on offer including street theatre and busking licenses interspersed with selected professional street entertainers. An exhibition on the history of the Winter Gardens will also accompany the shows with additional features including an illustrated lecture by Dr Vanessa Toulmin `Freaks Geeks and Wild Women A History of Sideshow Amusements' at the Studio Theatre at the Grand and also Cyril Critchlow will present a nostalgic look at Blackpool's Golden Mile on the Sunday afternoon.

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Photos of the Show

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Home | Cabinet of Curiosities | Sensation and Thrill | Variety at the Grand Theatre | Blackpool and the North West on Film | Fantasy and Illusion | Cabaret | Street Theatre | End of the Pier | Top of the Bill / Showtown | Halloween Ball | About the Project | Gallery: Blackpool's Heritage | Gallery: Blackpool Shows
All shows presented in association with the Whoopee Club, National Fairground Archive and Blackpool Theatres Group. Website and photography copyright of The University of Sheffield, 2007.
The Blackpool Admission All Classes project was completed successfully in November 2008 - we would like to thank everyone for their support. This website remains as a documentation of the project..

Shows Home
Cabinet of Curiosities
Sensation and Thrill
Variety at the Grand Theatre
Blackpool and the North West on Film
Fantasy and Illusion
Cabaret
Street Theatre
End of the Pier
Top of the Bill
Halloween Ball

About the Project
Download the brochure
Download the guided walk
Download the Heritage Trail Booklet
Gallery: Blackpool's Heritage
Gallery: Blackpool Shows


supported by the following organisations
supported by the University of Sheffield supported by Blackpool Council
supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council supported by the Whoopee Agency