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- A party of serenaders, under the leadership of Mr. G.W. Pell, late of the St. James’s Theatre, gave one of their peculiar exhibitions on Monday evening in the Free-trade Hall. They are six in number, and are mostly happy in the possession of nigger-like physiognomies. The “making-up” of their leader was extremely ludicrous. With literally a yard of shirt collar and frill, it was scarcely possible to witness his extravagant grimaces, without a most undignified unbending of the facial muscles, and many were the handkerchiefs employed to conceal the smothered laughter of their fair owners. The party have some good voices among them, and they harmonize well together; indeed, the melody of several of the chants, and other concerted piece, was so pleasing to the ear, that they were loudly encored. But the great feature of the entertainment, and that which we imagine attracted the large and respectable audience present, was undoubtedly “Master Juba,” the immortalized of Boz. This “phenomenon” (as the bills describe him) is a copper-coloured votary of Terpsichore,–the Monsieur Perrot of negro life in the southern states; and possesses the additional attraction of being a “real nigger,” and not a ‘sham,” like his vocal associates. He is apparently about eighteen years of age; about 5 feet 3 or 4 inches in height; of slender make, yet possessing great muscular activity. His head is very small, and his countenance, when at rest, has a rather mild, sedate, and far from unpleasing expression. His first performance was “Miss Lucy Long, in character.” With a most bewitching bonnet and veil, a very pink dress, beflounced to the waist, lace-fringed trousers of the most spotless purity, and red leather boots,–the ensemble completed by the green parasol and white cambric pocket handkerchief,–Master Juba certainly looked the black demoiselle of the first ton to the greatest advantage. The playing and singing by the serenaders of a version of the well-known negro ditty, furnished the music to Juba’s performance, which was after this fashion:–Promenading in a circle to the left for a few bars, till again facing the audience, he then commenced a series of steps, which altogether baffle description from their number, oddity, and the rapidity with which they were executed. The highland fling, the sailor’s hornpipe, and other European dances, seemed to have been laid under contribution, and intermixed with a number of steps which we may call “Juba’s own,” for surely their like was never before seen for grotesque agility, not altogether unmixed with grace. The promenade was then repeated; then more dancing; and so on, to the end of the song. His other performances were called the “marriage festival” and “plantation dances,” in which, in male costume, he illustrated the dances of his own simple people on festive occasions. They were even more extraordinary than the first,–the grotesque element, in the character of the steps, largely predominating, and the physical exertion apparently much greater. The same peculiarity, of the alternate promenade and dance, was observable in both. To us, the most interesting part of the performance was the exact time, which, even in the most complicated and difficult steps, the dancer kept to the music. He appears to be quite an enthusiast in his art, and every round of applause he received seemed to stimulate him to fresh exertion. Altogether, Master Juba’s Terpsichorean performances are well worth a visit.
Manchester Guardian. 18 October 1848.p5col4
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