JAPANESE VILLAGE AND CIRCUS.

Evening Star, Issue 7183, 11 April 1887, Page 2

JAPANESE VILLAGE AND CIRCUS.

Willard’s Japanese Village and Circus was opened on the reclaimed land near the Harbor Board’s oflicea on Saturday evening. An unusually large amount of patronage was extended, the tents being crowded. The exhibition throughout is of a novel character, and on this account is bound to draw well. Before the circus entertainment commenced patrons had the opportunity of inspecting the Japanese village, and naturally the men and women working at their different handicrafts excited a good deal of wonder. The many pieces of fancy work for which the Japanese seem to have a special faculty, and which arc much prized as household gods, were to be seen in process of manufacture, and it was exceedingly interesting to witness the delicate manipulation of the operatives. Most visitors had hardly time enough to exhaust their curiosity in regard to this part of the entertainment, for they were summoned to the adjoining circus tent promptly at eight o’clock. Here a varied jugglery, acrobatic, farcical, and equestrian programme was gone through, which lasted two hours, We must confess that we were hot much impressed with the tricks whioh were dorm by one performer, they being of the most simple description. The pedal feats performed by an adult with the passive aid of a juvenile were, however, remarkable for their neatness, and the short acts of a tight-rope walker and a top-spinner were also very interesting. Shillito is a wonderful clown, for he not only makes himself absurd after the approved fashion, but shows his powers as an executant on a variety of musical instruments. His trickery on the violin and playing on a row of bottles are especially worthy of notice. The performances of Mr Fryer’s ponies, with which the programme concluded, were certainly not the least attractive part of the show. These animals do more than any previous equine visitors we have had here, and everyone was highly delighted with the ready manner in whicji they executed the bidding of their master, Tfce most wonderful performance was that of one horse exercising another on a see-saw, and a novelty which caused some surprise was the riding by a oouple of goats, whose training must have cost a good deal of trouble. Mr Fryer’s horses went through a number of semi-military movements, and altogether their performance gave the utmost satisfaction. The programme was concluded by the management offering to give amateurs a first lesson in riding, with the aid of a contrivance by which they were prevented from falling off. This item in the evening’s entertainment was palpably introduced tor the purpose of providing some amusement at the expense of the amateurs, and it had the desired effect. Afternoon and eye ping performances are announced for to-day,