Local born showman, performer and Philip Astley expert Andrew Van Buren has produced an exhibition of items relating to the local legend which will be displayed in the windows of the Appetite led-project, Newcastle Common, on Astley Walk from Saturday 7 August. The month long exhibition features gems from Van Buren’s own collection, bringing together items about Astley and circus more generally.
The exhibition will feature in the windows of the larger Newcastle Common, on the corner of Lad Lane & Astley Walk, and opens on the day of AstleyFest, the one-day event celebrating the father of modern circus.
The jewel in the crown of the exhibition is the original life-sized statue of Philip Astley, sculpted by renowned artist Andy Edwards, whose more recent work includes the Beatles walking down the street in Liverpool, The Truce statue commemorating the World War I Christmas Day football match in ‘No Man’s Land’ between the German and British soldiers and most recently, the life-sized statue of the Bee Gees unveiled in the Isle of Man.
Appetite Director Gemma Thomas said: “It’s fitting that the first exhibition in Newcastle Common is about local legend Philip Astley. The Philip Astley Project, which Appetite is a part of, is all about shouting about this trail blazer of a man, and celebrating all things circus. AstleyFest takes place on 7 August but the exhibition will last for the whole month, giving people plenty of time to walk by and take it all in. It’s thanks to the generosity of Andrew that we’re able to share some of his amazing Astley collection for all to enjoy and hopefully be inspired by, to produce the next generation of circus enthusiasts”.
Philip Astley expert Andrew Van Buren said “I commissioned and funded the making of the statue in 1991 as part of our 1992 celebration of Philip Astley’s birth. He lived hidden from sight until I dragged him out of storage in 2009 when I started the drive to create tourism and a unique selling point for Newcastle-under-Lyme through locally born Philip Astley – the Original Ringmaster, Military Hero and creator of the circus. I truly believe that Astley can do for Newcastle what Shakespeare has done for Stratford-Upon-Avon and it is wonderful that so many people have begun embracing the idea. Working with Appetite and the Philip Astley Project has proved a wonderful collaboration, especially with our town centre and online event AstleyFest happening Saturday 7 August”.
“I am so pleased that for the entire month of August our exhibition can be seen in Lad Lane, especially with the statue as a focal point standing in the very lane that Astley lived in as a young boy. Astley really has come home and the world is watching”.
The exhibition opens on the day of AstleyFest, delivered by Appetite on behalf of the Philip Astley Project. Held in 2018 as part of the 250th anniversary celebrations of Astley creating the circus, this year sees the event move from Lyme Valley Park to the Town Centre, with events and films also being shown online. In the town centre free entertainment can be enjoyed from 11am to 3pm including The Acrochaps, Van Buren Victorian Wonders Show, Circus Skills Workshop, Daniel Jones & May ‘Poetry in Motion’, Staffordshire Poet Laureate Mel Wardle Woodend, Stanworth’s Funfairs, plus a chance to take part in the Philip Astley Treasure Trail. Events and films can be enjoyed online through the Philip Astley Project Facebook pages, along with the premier of a brand new film ‘Astley Town’ by Rotten Park Road Films.
Karl Shaw the New York Times Best Selling Author of the Philip Astley biography The First Showman says: “From the perspective of our age it is hard to grasp just how huge the circus once was. Before TV and cinema it was the world’s most popular spectator event and as we glorify footballers and actors today, the public once worshipped performers of the circus ring. Philip Astley invented it all. He was the first person to put a clown in the ring and combine comedy with horsemanship. His Taylor’s Ride routine is arguably the progenitor of all slapstick comedy. In fact so many things he brought to the circus are still exactly the same today. The traditional colours of the circus, the red, blue and gold were his army regimental colours, the ringmaster’s military coat and black riding boots, the smell of sawdust, first used to cover the floor of his original circus, even the size of the ring at 42ft or 13metres, still identical the world over – all Philip Astley’s creation. It’s fantastic to see his life celebrated once again in his home town.”
