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Circopedia was originally created with the support of the Big Apple Circus Ltd.
and inspired and funded by the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation.

In The Spotlight

SERGE

Serge - Charivari Clowns.png
Serge (1901-1992) was, from the 1930s up to the late 1970s, a well-known figure of the Parisian entertainment scene, not as an actor—although his flamboyant personality would certainly have made one think he was a thespian—but as a journalist and chronicler, author of many books, and a prolific illustrator. He was also an exuberant circus enthusiast, and most of his work concerned the circus and its close cousin, the music-hall (vaudeville or variety).

He was born Maurice Féaudierre in Paris, France, on December 14, 1901, to Jules Victor Féaudierre, a paint merchant, and his wife Marguerite, née Bauvé. It is not clear where his nom de plume, Serge, came from. All his life, Serge was a Parisian through and through, although he had a great affection for London, a city to which he dedicated one of his books, Londres secret et ses fantômes (1946), which chronicled the great city as it was just after the end of WWII. He traveled often to see circus and variety shows all over Europe. His wife, née Blanche Barbas, was a dentist.

Serge, who was outgoing and always ready to strike a conversation with people he had just met if they shared his interest for (or worked in) his favorite performing art, had many friends in the circus world. He was also fascinated by the world of Gypsies ("Bohémiens," in French), but his books, whatever their subject, always returned to the circus. During his long period of professional activity, there was no Parisian circus or music-hall event to which Serge was not invited, and his ebullient personality always made his presence difficult to ignore—and always welcome!

He published his articles in several newspapers and magazines, notably Le Crapouillot, a popular pre-war satirical magazine, and Comœdia and Les Nouvelles Littéraires, two important literary journals. But over the years, his radio broadcasts truly made him a household name, at a time when radio personalities, before the development of television, were extremely popular. His radio shows, Panorama des Variétés, Les Jeux du Cirque, Jeudi au Cirque, Gens du Voyage, Circoradio, etc., and his inimitable style (written and spoken) particularly rich in flourishes, as well as his high-pitched voice reminiscent of a fairgrounds' barker, made him immediately recognizable: His voice and style merged perfectly with the rousing circus music that accompanied his enthusiastic descriptions and comments. An entire generation of French children and adults had been led to love the circus by the sheer magic of Serge's voice. (more...)

New Essays and Biographies

New Videos

  • [[Wu_Zhengdan_Video_(2006)|Wu Zhengdan & Wei Baohua|Acrobatic Adagio (2006)
  • Alma's Troupe, tissu(French) A double piece of hanging fabric, generally made of silk, used for an aerial act. (See also: Fabric, Silks) ensemble (2011)
  • Zhang Fan, slack wireA Tight Wire, or Low Wire, kept slack, and generally used for juggling or balancing tricks. (2003)
  • Luis Gerardo Cuevas, juggler (2020)
  • Andrey Jigalov, clown (2006)

New Oral Histories

Circopedia Books

A Message from the Founder

CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to contact us: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.

Dominique Jando
Founder and Curator