Grande loge de la troupe des Cinq-Nations, alternatively named Troupe des Arabes, Grande Troupe Arabe and Théâtre Arabe, was a troupe of around forty Touareg, Kabyle, Italian, French and Anglo-American acrobats formed in the 1850s by Mustapha Amar and Joseph Bracco in France.
History On 29 June 1850, the Cirque des Champs-Elysées presented an "extraordinary troupe of nine Kabyle acrobats who arrived in Paris just a few days ago". The acrobats were often described in posters and newspapers as being Arab, Tuareg, or Kabyle, while they were often Moroccan artists who perform human pyramid or aerial acts on the stages of European circuses.
Mustapha Amar (Ben-Bel-Aïd), who was part of the troupe performing in Paris, was hired by Italian circus director Joseph Bracco and together Mustapha and Bracco became the directors of the troupe. They named their troupe Grande loge de la troupe des Cinq-Nations, alternatively Troupe des Arabes, Grande Troupe Arabe, and Théâtre Arabe. They used to often carry the subtitle du Mont Atlas and later Les Merveilles du Desert.
A review of a performance by a "Troupe des Arabes du Sahara" in Bourges in January 1853 described many of the acts later associated with the company, including somersaulting acrobats, a dagger-jumping act, and a human pyramid of six people supported by a strongman compared to Atlas. The reviewer noted having seen the same troupe previously in 1851, suggesting that a troupe of Arab acrobats was active several years before the earliest documented appearances.
One of the earliest documented references to the company appears in Metz in May 1853, where a newspaper mentions the Troupe des Arabes being directed by Mister Bracco. The same notice announced a benefit performance for the "intrepid Moustapha", featuring a large-scale military spectacle involving eighty participants.
The programme published in 1857 describes the Troupe des Arabes du Mont Atlas et des Bouffes Anglais under the direction of Mister Bracco. The programme already included acts that would remain associated with the company for decades, including Les Pyramides de Cristal and a concluding Grande Pantomime. The troupe was said to consist of thirty-eight performers.
In 1865, Joseph Bracco advertised the Troupe des Arabes Touaregs Kabyles at the Calais fair. In an open letter to the public of Calais, he stated that he had previously appeared there two years earlier and returned with an enlarged troupe of "artists of the highest merit", encouraged by the welcome he was given, and by the many letters sent to him by several members of the public, he says to "return among old friends". The fairground theatre was described as enclosed, heated and illuminated by 200 gas burners which indicates the size.
The last known press mention is from 1885. The troupe was advertising itself as the "true Arab Theatre" of Bracco and Mustapha and explicitly warned audiences not to confuse it with other acrobatic theatres. This suggests that competing travelling companies were presenting similar "Arab" spectacles during the same period. The company is described as consisting of forty performers together with trained dogs, goats, and pigs. The travelling theatre reportedly accommodated 1,000 spectators, was illuminated by 200 gas burners, and required nine railway wagons to transport its equipment and structure. The article also noted that the troupe had previously performed in Nîmes two years earlier, indicating a return engagement.
In 1890 a newspaper item mentions that the formerly known Théâtre Bracco-Moustapha was performing as Théâtre Saïd.
Acts The circus consisted of several acts and acrobats.
Acrobatic acts LES PYRAMIDES DE CRISTAL In the 1857 programme this act is described as an exercise of the highest difficulty. As per the 1875 programme, this act was performed by the young Bracco.
LES ÉCHELLES AMÉRICAINES This ladderact is described in the 1875 programme as a new act, created and first performed at the Cirque Napoléon by the Anglo-American performers.
In another programme and an 1873 newspaper the act is named the "GRAND TRAVAIL DES ECHELLES ANGLO-AMERICAINES", and described as being performed by several artists of the Anglo-American troupe and by the Bracco brothers.
Le reck américain Mentioned in the 1883 article.
les cordages américains Mentioned in the 1867 review, this balancing act was performed by Isodore.
L'HOMME AU TAMBOUR This act was featured on the programme published in 1857. It is described as a gymnastic performance by Joseph Bracco.
Le Tambour Aerien This act described on their programme and an 1873 newspaper was performed by the young Adolphe.
LA BARRE FIXE Performed by Adolphe Bracco, this act was described as dizzying and unforgettable on the programme and 1873 newspaper. In 1875 the act was performed by Francis de Madrid.
LE TOURNIQUET According to the programme and an 1873 newspaper this act is performed by Colombe, a spanish gymnast.
Le Double Trapèze This act was part of the 1875 programme and is there described as being performed by Charles and Henri. Another programme mentions the young Adolphe and Eugene as performers. It is also part of the 1883 article.
Strength acts LES PYRAMIDES HUMAINES Their programme features an image of the human pyramid. It is described as being performed by the Arab Troupe and Mustapha. Mustapha is described as the one "who will distinguish himself every day by his muscular strength; he will finish his marvellous exercises by carrying a group of ten people on his sturdy shoulders". In 1860 the act carried the name "les grandes pyramides arabes" and was performed by the full Arab troupe. In 1883 "La pyramide de la troupe arabe" was performed at the end of the show.
LES COLONNES DU TEMPLE DE JÉRUSALEM The act "Columns of the temple of Jerusalem" was performed by all the Touareg artists as per the 1875 programme. The act is illustrated. It features Mustapha, known as le Samson du Désert, who demonstrated his muscular strength by carrying a group of ten people on his shoulders. A 1869 review highlights this act as the one that attracted the greatest attention: "The final tableau is especially worthy of attention: ten persons are stacked one upon another on the shoulders of the extremely sturdy Mustapha".
La jeune fille la plus forte du monde A newspaper in 1882 describes miss C. Dupaty as the strongest young woman in the world. Her act features her muscular strength and her skill in handling cast-iron and steel weights—feats which as the article describes until now have been regarded as the exclusive domain of men and of Hercules. It features the manipulation of a phenomenal dumbbell of enormous size and weight, as well as a cast-steel cannon weighing 150 kilograms.
LES DEUX GLADIATEURS The "two gladiators" was according to the programme an 1873 newspaper performed by Adolphe Bracco and Eugene Said.
Balancing acts L'HOMME A LA BOULE The programme and an 1873 newspaper describes Louis Bracco performing "the ball man", a ball balancing act. The act is described as coming from the Hippodrome.
La mappemonde An 1868 review highlights Mr. Louis performing on the globe, where he carried out his gymnastic exercises with great agility and dexterity.
LE TONNEAU MAGIQUE As per the 1875 programme, this act was performed by M. L.
BALLON ET TAMBOURIN Described as difficult on the programme in an 1873 newspaper, this act was performed by the elder Bracco.
MARCHE SUR LA MAIN PENDUE According to the 1875 programme, either this act, or "LA MERVEILLE DE LA STATIQUE" was performed during the show, by the elder Bracco. It translates to "walking on the suspended hand".
LA MERVEILLE DE LA STATIQUE According to the 1875 programme, either this act, or "MARCHE SUR LA MAIN PENDUE" was performed during the show, by the elder Bracco. It translates to "the wonder of static balance".
LE GLOBE MERVEILLEUX This act is featured on the 1875 programme and has the subtitle "Ou la manière de remplacer les mains par les pied". Translated it means the marvelous globe, how to replace the hands with the feet. It was performed by Pierre Bracco.
les exercices d’équilibre et de bracopédestrianisme Mentioned in the 1867 review, this balancing act was performed by Francis and Bracco junior.
Les équilibres de chaises Mentioned in the 1883 article.
Arabian and African themed acts La Fantasia arabe Listed on their programme and an 1873 newspaper, the "arabian fantasy" was performed by Arabian and Kabyle performers.
Le Moulinet du fusil Arabe et le Saut des Poignarts This act was performed by Saïd Mahomet, father of Emma Saïd Ben Mohamed and greatgrandfather of Édith Piaf. His stage name was le Petit sans Pareil, literally meaning the little incomparable one. He is described as such on the programme.
His act consisted of "le Moulinet du fusil Arabe", meaning the lightning-fast spinning of an Arab rifle. A contemporary review of the Troupe des Arabes at the Foire du Trône (1877) singled out Saïd's rifle-manipulation act as "the most remarkable part of the performance", describing him as performing "a thousand feats of dexterity" with an Arab rifle while the troupe answered his cries in chorus.
Another part of his act was "le Saut des Poignards", a daggerleap, which is an acrobatic act in which daggers are on the ground and the acrobat jumps over or between them.
Le Saut des animaux du desert - La course de la Gazelle Listed on their programme and an 1874 newspaper, the "The Gazelle Race, a desert-animal jumping act" was performed by the entire troupe of Arab performers.
Le travail des touaregs-kabyles Mentioned in the 1883 article.
Animal acts ROCAMBOLE: TIGRE ET PANTHERE This act described on the programme and an 1873 newspaper included trained dogs and was presented by Louis Bracco.
LA CHIENNE FLORE This dog act, Flore the dog, is described on the programme as being trained and presented by Louis. Another programme in an 1873 newspaper describes that Flore, during the winters of 1869–70, performed at the Théâtre de la Gaîté in Paris in the fairy spectacle La Chatte Blanche, where she achieved outstanding success every evening for six months.
Le travail des chiens dressés The "trained dogs act" was performed by Bracco in 1883.
Dance acts LA COCHINCHINOISE: BALLET COMIQUE The "girl from Cochinchina: a comic ballet" was according to the programme and an 1873 newspaper performed by the Anglo-American performers.
LA KOLOKAKAO Described in the 1875 programme as a Cochinchinese festival/ballet performed by the American artists.
LA RENCONTRE DE LARFAILLOU & CLAUDINE The programme from 1875 describes a Breton dance performed by Miss Laurence and Louis Bracco.
LA BRETONNE On the in 1857 published programme, the Breton girl was described as a comic dance.
GRAND PAS DE DEUX This act is featured on the 1857 programme and is described as a character dance.
Contortion acts L'HOMME SERPENT In 1875 the "snake man" was performed by Charles, described as an exceptional contortionist by the programme.
In 1883 it was performed by Waring.
LE CELEBRE CAOUTCHOUC Described by his stage name le serpent du Desert, the rubberman was performed by the young Antony.
Specialty acts Le Triomphe de Bacchus Listed on their programme and an 1873 newspaper, the "Triumph of Bacchus" is performed by Adolphe Hablad.
LE VÉLOCIPÈDE SANS PAREIL This act was performed by a 5 year old child, on a vélocipède with two wheels.
LA TRANKA HISPAGNOLA This act is described on the 1875 programme as being performed by the "cadet" Bracco, meaning the younger Bracco.
On another programme and an 1873 newspaper the act is advertised as "LA TRANKA ESPAGNOLE" and was performed by the elder Bracco.
La Bataille d'Isly