flea circus
Providence, Rhode Island via Barcelona, Spain
Watch renowned psycho-entomologist Professor A.G. Gertsacov as he displays his trained fleas, Midge and Madge, the diminutive stars of his Victorian-style flea circus. These educated insects will perform death-defying circus stunts and stunning sideshow antics as seen before (and on top of) the crowned heads of Europe.
The first documented flea performances date back to 16th-century Europe, and the efforts of watchmakers to demonstrate their skill in fine metalwork. In 1578, Mark Scaliot chained a flea using an 11-piece lock made of steel, iron, and brass that weighed only “one grain.” Around 1830 the fleas, not the watch works, became the stars of the show when Italian showman Louis Bertolotto brought his “extraordinary exhibition of industrious fleas” to London’s Regent Street, spawning generations of “flea circuses.” These live flea circuses led by a human “professor,” or ringmaster, were highly popular throughout the Victorian era, and continued as a popular carnival attraction until the 1930s. By the 1960s, most flea circuses had died out, as modern hygiene led to the demise of most of its miniature entertainers. There are now only a handful of flea circuses still performing throughout the world, and Gertsacov’s is arguably the most famous.
Professor A.G. Gertsacov’s educated insect stars pull chariots, dance on a tightwire, and perform other circus-like stunts. While he does not reveal his method of training (a proprietary secret), he assures the curious and the civic-minded that he uses only methods of positive reinforcement to teach the insects their routines. “I treat them as if they are my own flesh and blood,” Gertsacov says. “And in some ways, they are.”
The Rhode Island native (now based in Spain) has devoted decades to mastering circus arts, as a student, teacher, and artist in residence. His amazing insect stars have performed throughout the country, and in Canada, Chile, and Brazil. He spent three months performing in Times Square, less than two blocks from where the flea circuses of the early 1900s proliferated. Gertsacov has also been filmed for documentaries on the History Channel, the Travel Channel, and numerous news programs. He received a Rhode Island State Council on the Arts grant for the Acme Miniature Flea Circus.
Professor Gertsacov invites curious parties of all ages to come and see the show that has appeared in front of amused audiences all over the world. But he asks that you leave your dogs and cats at home—“I don’t want anyone to steal the show,” he quips.