ACADEMY OF MUSIC.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1722, 10 July 1874, Page 2

ACADEMY OF MUSIC.

The " Siamese and Asiatic" Troupe " appeared at the Academy of Music last night. If we had not been told that these people were Siamese and Asiatics—the latter of which terms would, one would think, include th© former—we should have called them " Japs." But by whatsoever name they ? may be called, and from whatever country they may come,. they are undoubtedly and unmistakeably clever, and give a performance very similar in character to that which was so much appreciated when Mr. Smith (recently amongst us) introduced the first troupe of Japanese, and familiarised us with the balancing, turiibling, top-spinning and pyramid business.of these wonderful people. There have been other troupes since Mr;. Smith's, but the Siamese and Asiatic now performing have more juveniles than we have ever seen in a company of the kind before. These youngsters are very clever in tumbling and contortion business.;. One would almost; be inclined to think that they had ,^been broken on the wheel andstretched, and then patched iip,with extra joints. Last night one very small Asiatic youth almost tied himself in a knot: to describe his performance would be impossible. Another did the old London street trick of the Catherine wheel, on one hand and both legs, at the same time using a fan with the disengaged hand. ■ There were full-grown Asiatics who did very neat juggling feats, and spun tops of a construction unknown to s boys of the present age ; and a balancing man who,could make a' bit of tissue paper stand on the end of his nose, and do many other exceedingly clever things. The performance lasted W6 hours and a half, and the company didn't show the half of" what they can do; so that those who were present last night may depend upon seeing something fresh on a future visit, and others who have not been will see a very entertaining exhibition when they do go. The powers of those orientals have not been exaggerated. '