Currencies of Cruelty: Slavery, Freak Shows, and the Performance Archive by Danielle Bainbridge examines enfreakment, the nineteenth century freak show stage, and the performance archive from the times of legalized slavery through the dawn of the twenty-first century.

Danielle Bainbridge is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Northwestern University with additional appointments in Performance and Black Studies. She holds a PhD, a MPhil and a MA from Yale University in American Studies and African American Studies. Additionally, she is a writer, playwright, web series creator, filmmaker and performer.

The materials in this deeply complex scholarly work are presented with expert-testimony.

Within the treatise there is focus upon six nineteenth-century freak show performers with intimate connections to slavery:

•Millie Christine McCoy "The Two-headed Nightingale" (1851-1912)

•Thomas "Blind Tom" Wiggins, musical prodigy (1849-1908)

•PT Barnum performer Joice Heth "George Washington's childhood nurse" (1749?-1836)

•Chang and Eng Bunker the original "Siamese twins" (1811-1874)

This work, the people, and the issues discussed within it are worthy of thoughtful attention, respect, acknowledgement, and inner reflection.

NYU Press
January 27th, 2026


Thank you NYU Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.


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A very in-depth look at slavery and freak shows. I learned so much.. also very horrifying how the human race can treat each other and rationalize it. These kinds of books are so important for everyone to read and acknowledge. Thank you for writing this book.

This was everything. I think a lot about the history of "performance" and I know it was never amazing. All the way back in ancient China, performers were government slaves. They would entertain nobility and commoners and they were never free. I cannot imagine the life they all had to live. It got worse with American circuses. We like to imagine these people being employed and being free but they never really were.
I loved everything about this because I learned and also I felt a lot of emotions about it all, which is always good in any book. It makes the information stick.
Thank you so much for the ARC.