Monkey theater

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Behind the scenes in the monkey and dog theater, 1887

Monkey theater is a historical type of commercial animal show for entertainment and amusement purposes.

In Europe , monkey theaters, which were mostly carried out as traveling shows, were quite widespread , especially in the second half of the 19th century . Disguised monkeys performed acrobatic tricks and imitations of human actions in small scenes . Monkey theaters were usually show booths at annual fairs , and in winter the principals also presented their performances in inns or city theaters.

Monkey theaters no longer exist. In contrast, the term has in the language set for an exaggerated behavior, for example in the idiom What a farce! .

exhibition

  • Monkey theater and other critters. On the cultural history of the menageries and Berlin zoological gardens. Exhibition by the Berlin City Museum from November 15, 2006 to February 7, 2007 in the Ephraim-Palais

literature

  • Julius R. Haarhaus : Menageries and animal shows in earlier times . In: Velhagen and Klasings monthly books, issue November 3, 1906, pp. 337–353
  • Pierre Hachet-Souplet: The dressage of animals with special consideration of dogs, monkeys, horses and wild animals . German Leipzig 1889
  • Richard Conniff: What a monkey theater: How animal behavior patterns determine our everyday office life . Campus Verlag; August 2006. ISBN 3593379058 .
  • Stefan Nagel: Saluting mandrills and riding baboons. In: Die CircusZeitung No. 1/2013, vol. 58, January 11, 2013, pp. 34–36

Web links