Harlequin Highlander: Spectacular geographies at the Edinburgh Equestrian Circus, 1790–1800

Abstract

In 1790, a dedicated circus building was constructed in Edinburgh by the equestrian performers and circus proprietors, George Jones and William Parker. The new Edinburgh Circus operated as an adjunct of both Sadler’s Wells and the Royal Circus in London, transferring both performers and repertoire from those venues. As a sound business practice, the proprietors of the circus remained responsive to the demands of the Edinburgh audience – including the presentation of elaborate spectacles with Scottish settings, which had been successful in the London houses. But how did a troupe from London, producing Scottish-themed productions that had originated in London, represent Scotland to the Scottish? During this decade the war with France was also echoed in the Edinburgh Circus, in lavish spectacles that clearly emphasised a patriotic appeal to an idea of ‘Great Britain’. This article examines the intersection of imaginary and spectacular geographies presented in the entertainments of this first circus in Scotland.