CHINESE MAGICIANS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 270, 4 February 1928, Page 15

CHINESE MAGICIANS

KWONG SING WAH TROUPE Headed by its giant leader, the Kwong Sing Wah troupe of Chinese athletes, acrobats and magicians will open its Auckland Reason at the Regent Theatre on Monday evening. One of the highest-paid acts ever engaged by J. C. Williamson, Ltd., their performance is an astounding one, overshadowing the brilliance of Long Tack Sam. The members of the troupe are drawn from Suehow, Peking, Tientsin and Shanghai, all being of the race of Northern Chinese, men who are giants compared with the average Chinese seen in Auckland streets. Kwang Sing Wah himself is a great specimen of manhood, 6ft in height and built like an Atlas. The troupe recently toured America and Europe, returning home when their bonds expired. Their troubles began in their homeland, two of them being shanghaied into the Northern army. They at last reunited and got clear of the squabbles. The two amazing boys of the troupe, Ah Loong and Sun Shun, had to be smuggled away from China. This was not difficult for Sun Shun, who is a marvellous contortionist*, he stayed quietly in the bottom of a kit bag until he was safely on board the steamer. Regular and asfeiduous training keeps the acrobats keyed up to the form which is necessary for the dangerous acts of divipg through circles of knives and keeping sensational balances. But heredity lias a lot to do with efficiency. Acrobats are taught their profession from the cradle in China, and the father’s occupation is handed down to the son. The ancestors of the troupe have been acrobats for generations and generations. The performance is extraordinarily wide, embracing exhibitions of magic, juggling, contortionism, plate-spinning, magical acrobatics and balancing, and diving through rings of knives and fire.