THE MEXICAN HERALD

Mexico City, Mexico

5 April 1901

(page 2)

THE NORTH POLE.

Great Scenic Pantomine to be Given at Orrin's

Icebergs in the Tropics—Thrilling

Scenes of Danger and Rescue.

There will be something new for the Chevalier O'Rourke [pseudonym of Aleister Crowley] and his friend Eckstein [Oscar Eckenstein] to climb next week. It will be in this city, too. It will be nothing lower than the North Pole which the enterprising Orrins have brought to this city. The pole has to be kept on artificial ice to prevent its thawing in this equatorial weather, but it is guaranteed to last until the circus season is over.

The production of the North Pole at Orrin's Circus next Sunday promises to be the biggest spectacular production ever put on in Mexico. The Orrins have been working on this for two years past. For the past three weeks they have had over a hundred men at work on the scenery and "business" of the production. Holidays don't count when a big thing like this is being prepared and while all other work was at a standstill yesterday the circus building rang with the hammers and saws of the carpenters, hummed with the noise of sewing machines and smelled of paint.

A sort of story runs through the production. An arctic exploring party is lost in the frozen north. A relief expedition is sent for them. The first scene is a polar scene showing the first ship embedded in the ice. All are dead but the hero of the story and one man, and the man is dying. The entire ring and the stage is used for the setting. The ring is surrounded with a gauze netting suspended from the roof. By means of paint and light effect it is filled with great icebergs. The gauze is to prevent the icebergs from toppling over into the audience. The relief party heaves in sight on another vessel. Then—but it won't do to anticipate the story too much. Suffice it to say that the remainder of both parties escape by means of sledges drawn by artic dogs. These dogs are the real thing. Six genuine artic dogs have just been received by Manager Fred Hodgson from his friend—W. A. Clark, who has the government mail contract from Hudson Bay to Winnipeg. The dogs were driven down from the Lake of the Woods to West Selkirk, Manitoba, with mail. From West Selkirk they were shipped to Mexico. Four of them are perfect matches, big, woolly fellows who are almost roasting alive in this torrid climate. The other two are a trifle smaller and with less hair. All six of them are fine animals.

Somewhere along about the twelfth or fifteenth act—that is to say some time later, the party is rescued by a British man-of-war. Then they are taken to Edinburgh or somewhere. This time they arrive on the stage, that is to say at the station, in a real railroad train. Then there is a reception for them in a real—that is to say, s stage part, the heroine marries the hero or some other equally happy event takes place and the performance ends. Ice souvenirs may be given away but this is not positive. At any rate they can be obtained for a consideration with lemonade and gin fizzes at the bar.

Over seventy people are to take part in this production. The cost will reach over $20,000. The costumes and property have cost a large sum and will be complete and realistic. There will be no flies on the iceberg scenery—it will be too cold. The stage of the Recacimiento theatre has been in use for several days by the scenic artists of Orrin's who are preparing the scenery for this production, in addition to every available inch of space in the circus building.