The life of the Osmani's (2) Money matters In the days of the Osmani's, working in Britain was the tops, it was the country of the variety shows. In Britain you where a real artist, even if your act was simple. In those days it was even more important than Berlin. But it's a big world, and via a German agent, who had contacts in the Far East, the Osmani's landed up in Hong Kong and Thailand. Far away from home again, while Jan, Julia's husband, 'stood guard' back in the Netherlands. One of the most important things Jan taught them was: 'It's no big deal to go a bit hungry, save money first so you can always return to Holland!' This good advice helped them in Hong Kong, where their boss told them there was no money to pay them. A German couple also wistled for their money, but because the Osmani's had been travelling for some months already, they had saved some money for the homeward journey. Nevertheless this whole business touched Connie and Julia on the raw. They had been working for it, so they wanted their money. Connie, who did all the financial business, went to the manager. All kinds of things where offered to her, but she didn't accept the coffee nor bread and stayed in his office. The next day she went there again, and after about a week they got some money. The costs had risen because the trip to Thailand had to be postponed and they had to pay rent for their room. Eventually they got the full amount of money, via their impresario, after they had arrived in Thailand. They where lucky to work with good and reliable agents, so this kind of problem only happened twice in their entire career. Trouble in Caracas The second time was when they where in South America in a Chinese show. There where two acrobatic acts and both groups would work in shifts of fourteen days. Dutiful and because they where accustomed to it, the Osmani's saved $ 50 for the homeward voyage, which was necessary because they had to take home an entire family. The manager of the show was an Italian, who was a good artist himself, but unfortunately not a good businessman. After one and a half year he told the Osmani's that there wasn't any money. The alternative he had was: he had rented a theatre for five days, the Osmani's could post at the box office to collect their money. After those five days everything was settled and they could return. But at that moment a man came to Julia. He possessed a big amusement park and contracted them for shows during the weekends. That was easy, and nice for the children, who could use everything in the park for free. After two more months in Caracas (Venuzuela) they could accept their well-earned journey home. Back in Holland In those days you could easily pick the artists, but as an artist you had to work hard. The Osmani's worked hard, they took all assignments. They had to do so to earn a living, but they wanted it this way because a group was quickly forgotten when they weren't seen for some time. So next to the shows they had the daily trainings and making, reparing and looking after their costumes and shoes. They took care that their presentation and act looked very good, because they would have a good position to negotiate this way. Later in their career they could permit themselves to choose nice places and countries to perform. Their curiosity, the longing for alternation and the adventure brought them all over the world. At one moment they worked in a circus (especially good at younger age), with strong family ties with many young people, with enjoyable parties after the shows, and where the last performance was doomed to fail. The next moment they worked in a cabaret (nicer at older age), a bit more classy, where they often where the only act, which was also charming of course. They never performed on the streets, Jan didn't want that at all and that kind of amusement wasn't a fashion then. The Netherlands wheren't very theatre-minded at all, contracts here where only for a short period and they paid considerably less. Moreover the chance of getting well-known was higher abroad, because agents travelled all over the world. When the Osmani's were in Holland and it was mecessary to work, they went to the Rembrandtplein where impresario's and artists joined for business. Among other things they performed in a movie theatre (just before the main film), the Royal Theatre (a variety theatre at that moment) en the City Theatre. But foreign countries kept tempting, and at age 52 and 54 they where in Egypt. Julia's daughter, together with her husband and two children where in Israel, where she got ill and called Julia for baby-sitting. Connie and Julia, being 'hardened' by the artist way of living (teh show must go on) thought it would't be that bad. Howevere, back in Holland, the daughter called again, from Germany, with the same message and question. Jan told them to go there. When they arrived in Berlin, the daughter turned out to be overworked and they went back to Amsterdam together. A.O.P. (Old Age Pension) Julia felt that her daughter and grandchildren were the most important of all. She wanted to take care of her grandchildren to relieve her daugther and make it possible for her to go to work. That's why Julia herself decided to stop working. Connie agreed with her, and after all: they grew older and had to stop someday anyway. In the Netherlands they already had a pension scheme and later they got an allowance. After they had taken care of the children for a few years they had a bit more rest. At that moment they got called by someone who wanted to make a clownish show with acrobatics in it. Connie and Julia started training these people. After that more and more interested people called and the Osmani's went along with it. That's why they now accompany three groups per week. In them they recognize the same enthousiasm that kept them going on in the artistlife. If they had to do it all over again, they would do it the same way: the Osmani way! Yvonne Swinkels