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by
BBC South Yorkshire
contributor Ali Davies |
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There
is always something nostalgic about the fair; one whiff of candyfloss,
engine oil, fatty hotdogs and sick all fused together and you’re
back.
The
speed, colour and noise that invade the towns of the UK through
the year, has now come to Sheffield.
Pleasurelands
displays memorabilia and documentary from over 200 years of fair
history.
It
shows the transformation from the agricultural markets, events with
menageries (animals) and freak shows, to the sound and light spectacle
it is today.
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| Spectacular,
Spectacular: The Big Wheel, photograph by Richard Hanson |
It
reflects the popular culture of the masses and reveals what it was
that made the punters eyes light up.
This
exhibition is about looking back, with an emphasis on reminiscing.
Documentary
films show fairs from 1920s, 1950s and present day, with a fantastic
piece of footage of an early Gravity Wheel, from the twenties.
The
flashing lights and the noise of naff chart hits fused with dissonant
barrel organ music played here disorientate you back to your youth.
Scream
if you wanna go faster
My
own visions of the fair come flooding back to me: screaming, shrieking,
laughing with eyes tight shut, feeling sick giddy dizzy hoarse throat
shouting tears stream down face cheeks red raw.
“Scream
if you wanna go faster” - or scream if you wanna throw up.
But
I digress…
It’s
not all merry-go-round horses and rubber ducks, there are some secrets
behind the fair's attractions.
You
can find out how rides work, what makes
the funny mirrors funny and how some illusions were set up.
It's
a multi-sensory display including photographs, archive film, music,
costumes, slot machines, a Mutoscope (one of the early attempts
at moving pictures) and a rather cheeky peep show!
Flashing
lights and fairground folk
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| The
Shufflebottoms on stage, photograph National Fair Archive. |
Pleasurelands
explores the magical illusion of the fair and the reality of life
behind the scenes.
It
focusses on the real characters behind the tacky façade,
not just the vile coloured toys and dying goldfish.
Roll
up, roll up for Billy Smart (of Big top fame), the knife throwing
Shufflebottoms, Titania and her husband (the worlds fattest couple),
the lion faced woman and Sheffield’s plucky Bill Bellhouse,
AKA Cyclone Billy - a speedway rider who found fame in Europe for
riding the Wall of Death.
Pleasurelands
is a guaranteed trip down memory lane, although I wish there had
been a candyfloss stall at the end, I’ve been craving it all
week.
-
Ali Davies
PLEASURE
LANDS is at the Millennium Galleries, Shefield until 18 January
2004.
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