Roll up, roll up for the show of a lifetime...

Sheffield is staging an exhibition of the life and legacy of PT Barnum –the world's first showbiz millionaire – showcasing original posters and handbills used by the celebrated entertainer to endorse his shows more than 100 years ago.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Mar 2010, 13:09 BST
Updated 5th Mar 2010, 13:10 BST

The exhibition, at the University of Sheffield's newly-refurbished Western Bank Library, has been conceived and created by Professor Vanessa Toulmin, director of the National Fairground Archive at the university.

Humbug! Celebrating 200 Years of PT Barnum, will make its home in Sheffield for 13 weeks, and feature some never-seen-before items and exclusive memorabilia from the archive.

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This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Barnum, the self-made impresario, businessman and entertainer, whose impact is still felt today in the world of entertainment.

The exclusive items at the exhibition will include a handbill of the bearded seven year-old girl from Barnum's Great Moral Exhibition. It will also showcase a playbill promoting a show featuring General Tom Thumb, described as "the American Man of Miniature, 14 years of age and 25 inches high, and weighs only 15 pounds".

The exhibition will also showcase a specially commissioned sculpture by Sheffield's Anthony Bennett.

His installation, Humbug – What is it?, reflects Barnum's love of hoaxes and human curiosities. Half man/half insect, Humbug is a portrait of the consummate showman, impresario of the extraordinary, transmutating into one of his own freaks, an Entomological Angel.

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The artwork is funded by Showzam: Blackpool's Festival of Circus Magic and New Variety, where Humbug has been on display, the University of Sheffield and the Arts Council.

BAFTA winning artist Mark Copeland will also showcase a series of trade-union-style cloth banners depicting some of Barnum's greatest attractions and key moments in his life. These contemporary designs carry Mark's interpretations of Barnum's most notorious exhibits, including General Tom Thumb, Joice Heith, The Feejee Mermaid, Zip

and Siamese twins Chang and Eng.

The legacy of Barnun, who was renowned for his hoaxes and circus acts, will be further celebrated on the big screen in a film starring Hugh Jackman.

Professor Toulmin said: "By showcasing these never-before-seen items, this ground-breaking exhibition will revitalise Barnum's historic legacy."

The exhibition is open now.

Related topics:SheffieldUniversity of Sheffield