Specialiteiten Gezelschap Frits van Haarlem

history

From 1893 to 1915, the Specialiteiten Gezelschap Frits van Haarlem organised annual performances at the Circus Carré in Amsterdam. These speciality shows consisted of revue acts, from music hall singers and comedians to jugglers, acrobats, and animal tamers. The artists were usually hired for a period of two weeks, after which new performers were brought in.

Beginning in 1896, general manager Frits van Haarlem also started including short films on the programme, just like his colleagues F.A. Nöggerath Sr. and Carl Pfläging were doing at the Amsterdam theatre Variété Flora and the Circus Variété in Rotterdam. For these performances, foreign exhibitors were often hired, including the German Skladinowki brothers and Madame Olinka. Van Haarlem also produced a number of short films and short feature films that formed part of theatrical revues.