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