Here's one of the BIG secrets of the flea circus:  You don't have to have fleas, to have a GREAT flea circus!  It's all in the act!
Two kinds of circuses have existed throughout history, one trains real fleas (which you can certainly try) and the other is a wonderful illusion and magic show.  What I'll describe on the following page is how you can become a circus owner today, with your very own MAGIC fleas!

This page will give you all the resources to make your own working flea circus.  All you'll need is a color printer, some cardboard, glue, paperclips and other normal things you can find around your house.

One really important note for first time performers:  The most important thing to REMEMBER in performing your flea circus act is that just like a magician doing a magic trick, you must NEVER give the secret away.  You must believe in your fleas every moment, and imagine everything about them and their personalities!  If you use your imagination, and do this well, an AMAZING thing will happen, your audience will SEE your fleas too!
Part of the fun of the circus is that some of your audience will believe in the fleas (even though they may not admit it) and another part of the audience will be skeptical.  But, if you're having fun with it, they all will too.  It is this element that makes performing the flea circus, above all other acts, really an amazing adventure to perform.

Let me give you a quick example of how powerful what I'm telling you is... since  I just happened to notice one of my fleas climbing onto you, and now I don't know where he's gone! Do you feel him tickling you?  Don't worry, he's friendly, but you may feel him tickling around in your hair or cloths for a while!  Don't scratch!  He's a trained performer.  I'll bet you'll soon feel the need to itch as he runs around YOU in the next few minutes!
If you want to get rid of him, we better build a circus quickly, so he has somewhere else to go before he gets hungry!

First, you might like a background for your circus.  I'm going to put two different backgrouds up for you to choose from.  You'll see two pictures below.  By clicking on either one, you'll get a larger picture (high resolution) that you can print on a color printer, then glue the print out to some wood or cardboard and you'll have a great circus background.  (Usually rubber cement will be the best glue since it won't wrinkle the paper or bleed through.  Follow the directions on the bottle carefully for the strongest tack.)
If you are using a computer with Windows, you can download the picture by pointing to it with your mouse, pressing the RIGHT mouse button and selecting "save picture as."

Your stage itelf can be anything from a cardboard or wooden box, to an interesting jewelry box you might find at Goodwill for a few dollars.  Here is a little stage that I made with a simple piece of masonite, white paint, and some cloths line for the ring!  The green is fake grass from the train/hobby store.
The items on the board are just what I imagined fleas might like to play on.

And now, for some MAGIC and acts for our fleas to perform!
On with the show!!!!!!!!!!!

The first act, the Flea Steeple Chase!!!

Nothing gets an audience going like a COMPETITION.  And in case you didn't know it, fleas are very competative!  Here's how you can make an awesome flea steeple chase/race:

You will need: A little bit of wire (a colored paperclip will do a great job), some glue, and a "crossbar" which can be almost anything.  (Part of a popsicle stick, a strip of white cardboard, paper, or plastic etc.)  Just go on a hunt for something that looks like a good crossbar!  Even a piece of tape will work!
A quick look at the animation to the left will show you everything you need to know about construction.  (Can you see the flea knocking it over?  Good!)
Make 3 or 4 steeples, then, at your command, each steeple will mysteriously fall as the "fleas" jump over it!.
(Make sure that you make the legs of your steeple so that the steeple will fall over VERY easily.  After all, fleas don't weigh much!)

The secret: As you point to a steeple, everyone will look at the steeple and your FINGER.  This is an important "misdirection" since at that moment you will secretly blow a little air through your lips and blow the steeple over!
No one can see air, and if you practice not moving your lips, it's a perfect illusion!  You can even hum at the same time a flea "ta da!" with each steeple falling if you're in a quite room and worried about sound of the air through your lips.

Two quick tips:  Make sure there is some sound in the room you're performing in so no one hears you blowing.  Why not play some circus music during your act?  Also, I've found that if you blow from your diaphram (like you when making the deepest sound you can), not by poofing your cheeks, you can blow VERY hard and not make a sound!  Practice this, because this makes LOTS of other magic tricks possible!  Fleas can roll a cigarettes or similar objects along a table, or knock over many light objects.  Just remember to make sure there's nothing else nearby to blow away, and always point with your fingers and "misdirect" your audience to look at the action, and not you!

Flea High Wire!

Here is a REALLY strong illusion, but INCREDIBLY simple!
Impromptu "flea on a high wire."
You will need: A rubber band (hopefully a long thin one, not a flat one).  Most stationary stores have these. And a person's borrowed ring, or home made balance bar (as seen in the photo).

Cut the rubber band with scissors so that you have one long piece.  Borrow a ring, and thread the rubber band through it.  Stretch the rubber band between your hands to form a "tightrope" with the ring in the middle between your hands.
Now, command the flea on the rubber band to carry the ring to the right, or to the left (you can even let your audience decide which way).
Slowly but surely, the ring will move, carried by the flea!

The secret: When you stretch the rubber band out, you leave a little of the rubber band dangling inside your closed fists.  To make the flea move to you left, you simply secretly loosen your grip on the rubber band in you right hand.  As you do this, the rubber band (which you have stretched out) will retract toward your left hand, and carry the ring along with it.  No one knows or can see the rubber band retracting, so it looks EXACTLY like a flea carrying the ring.
If you loosen the grip on the other hand, the ring will mysteriously move the other way.
With practice, your flea can even carry the ring up hill, which will stun your audience!

 Always remember to BELIEVE in your fleas at all times, and your audience will too!

Building up your fleas "charcters" is all important.  Here's a link to a page where I did a little write up on each of my fleas!  At the bottom of each page is a "buy now" button.  Don't press the button as this is just for people who'd like to own my "past performers."

More info and things to do!!!!

I'm currently working on more impromptu flea tricks and effects!  If you'd like even more tricks for your fleas to do, just jot me a quick note at admin@noonco.com and I'll let you know as soon as they appear here!
Also, if you'd like to visit my "big" flea site (including flea movies and history), you can click here to get instantly infested!  :-)  www.noonco.com/flea

Thanks for visiting!

Your infested friend in fleas,

Walt

Additional artwork contributed by John Norris and Rob D'Arc.
Use of information presented on this page is for personal, nonprofit educational and noncommercial use only. This material (including object files) is copyrighted by Walt Noon and may not be republished or used directly for commercial purposes. For commercial license, click here.