The Masuda Troupe

THE MASUDA TROUPE OF TOKYO, JAPAN will exhibit for a short season only; every night a change of Programme with glittering costumes. Junction of Tank & River Valley Roads commencing on Monday the 6th January, 1896. This troupe has spared no pains in getting together the best acrobats, equilibrists, and wonderful rope dancers in order give an agreeable entertainment to the public of Singapore. One of the performers will jump from a height of 40 metres to the ground as per illustration programme. Such a rare feat has never been performed here. Everywhere the. Also will be shown: The they have had the BIGGEST SUCCESS. The first time this troupe visiting Singapore. [Mid-Day Herald, January 7, 1896, p. 3]

Performed in Singapore 7-13 January 1896.

THE MASUDA TROUPE – The above clever troupe from Tokyo, Japan, gave their opening performance last evening in a spacious tent erected at the junction of River Valley and Tank Roads. There was a good house and we have no doubt that this troupe will be largely patronised during their stay in Singapore. Of the performance, it needs to be seen, and we are sure our readers will agree with us that the troupe is the cleverest that has ever visited Singapore. The various feats were performed with a precision and neatness, the trapeze performances, the acrobatic display and the many other things done were good. We think it would be advisable for the management to issue programmes of the performance, as many would wish to know the names of the clever performers, especially the younger members of the troupe… The performance concluded alstroemerias night by one of the troupe taking a clever leap from a scaffold some eighty feet high… [Mid-Day Herald, January 7, 1896, p. 3]

THE MASUDA TROUPE – The above named troupe of clever Japanese artistes are carrying on their performances at some little disadvantage. Last night, there was a fair audience, but no band turned up. The newly-arrived Tamil-Band was engaged to enliven the entertainment, for as must be owned, however clever the whole of the artistes may be, a performance without music would be as bad as a Quaker’s meeting, but at the last moment information was received that the Tamil Band was playing at a “dignity” hall in Kampong Glam. The manager of the circus decided to have no performance as soon as he received the information and to give tickets to the audience for tonight. But many present would not leave until they had seen something, so at about half past nine, two the juvenile performers gave a clever exhibition of their skill on the trapeze. [Mid-Day Herald, January 10, 1896, p. 3]