“CLARKE FROM ASTLEY’S.”
This was a large show, with the back against the side of “Samwell’s
Company,” and its front in a line with Hosier-lane, and therefore
looking towards Smithfield-bars. Large placards were pasted at the side,
with these words, “CLARKE’S FROM ASTLEY’S, _Lighted with Real Gas, In
and Outside_.” The admission to this show was sixpence. The platform
outside was at least ten feet high, and spacious above, and here there
was plenty of light. The interior was very large, and lighted by only a
single hoop, about two feet six inches in diameter, with little jets of
gas about an inch and a half apart. A large circle or ride was formed
on the ground. The entertainment commenced by a man dancing on the
tight-rope. The rope was removed, and a light bay horse was mounted by a
female in trowsers, with a pink gown fully frilled, flounced, and
ribboned, with the shoulders in large puffs. While the horse circled the
ring at full speed, she danced upon him, and skipped with a hoop like a
skipping-rope; she performed other dexterous feats, and concluded by
dancing on the saddle with a flag in each hand, while the horse flew
round the ring with great velocity. These and the subsequent
performances were enlivened by tunes from a clarionet and horn, and
jokes from a clown, who, when she had concluded, said to an attendant,
“Now, John, take the horse off, and whatever you do, rub him well down
with a cabbage.” Then a man rode and danced on another horse, a very
fine animal, and leaped from him three times over garters, placed at a
considerable height and width apart, alighting on the horse’s back while
he was going round. This rider was remarkably dexterous. In conclusion,
the clown got up and rode with many antic tricks, till, on the sudden,
an apparently drunken fellow rushed from the audience into the ring, and
began to pull the clown from the horse. The manager interfered, and the
people cried--“Turn him out;” but the man persisted, and the clown
getting off, offered to help him up, and threw him over the horse’s back
to the ground. At length the intruder was seated, with his face to the
tail, though he gradually assumed a proper position; and riding as a man
thoroughly intoxicated would ride, fell off; he then threw off his hat
and great coat, and threw off his waistcoat, and then an
under-waistcoat, and a third, and a fourth, and more than a dozen
waistcoats. Upon taking off the last, his trowsers fell down and he
appeared in his shirt; whereupon he crouched, and drawing his shirt off
in a twinkling, appeared in a handsome fancy dress, leaped into the
saddle of the horse, rode standing with great grace, received great
applause, made his bow, and so the performance concluded.
This show was the last in the line on the west side of Smithfield.