Oliver's Circus

Oliver's Circus is the name of a circus active in the eastern Cape in 1862, when it appeared in Port Elizabeth, in association with Sefton Parry, for a season of three months in a new theatre constructed for the occasion by Parry, opening on 2 June. They did so well that it was speculated by the press that the Circus and Parry must have made more than ₤5000 between them in the period.

After the season closed the Circus apparently moved on to Grahamstown, while Parry went to Natal.

Sources

Ludwig Wilhelm Berthold Binge. 1969. Ontwikkeling van die Afrikaanse toneel (1832-1950). Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.

D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1932. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman, 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [1]: pp.

F.C.L. Bosman, 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.

P.J. du Toit, 1988. Amateurtoneel in Suid-Afrika. Pretoria: Academica

Jill Fletcher. 1994. The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930. Cape Town: Vlaeberg.

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