Ching Lau Lauro
[3] In an early entertainment bill of 1827 he is promoted as a "primo buffo from Venice;" however, the misspelling on that playbill of "Lau" as "Law" might indicate an anglicised pronunciation of the name.
[18][19][20][21] He made good money and was also sometimes a philanthropist: in 1834 he donated £4 8s 6d, the proceeds of a single day's performance, to the York Dispensary which gave medicines to the poor.
"[23] Thomas Frost says that he started with posturing and balancing performances in 1828, then by 1835 he was a conjurer and ventriloquist, showing at "theatres and assembly rooms of many provincial towns, varying his entertainment with buffo songs."
[29] However the originality of Robert-Houdin's magic has been discredited, and Ching Lau Lauro advertised similar feats before anyone else in Europe did.
[8][27] He began his theatre career by diverting the audience with a few tricks between plays, but by 1834 he was providing the whole programme at Wolverhampton's Assembly Rooms.
This was followed by numerous illusions, including A Game at Whist, Time Flies, The Wax Candles Enchanted, Elephant of Knowledge, Vulcan's Forge, Miraculous Printing, Flying Watch, Magic Bottle, Apples of Beelzebub, Magic Eggs and Loyal Metamorphose.
[30] This popular party piece was developed via a "variety of scenes and characters drawn from nature, introductory of His Surprising Powers of Imitation" in which he contorted his face, told stories and performed tricks of ventriloquism.
[43] This was the old Shakespeare Memorial theatre which burned down in 1826, to be replaced in April 1932, just over 100 years after Ching Lau Lauro played there.
[49] On 18 and 20 February 1835 he was booked to give "his wonderful performance" at the Theatre Royal, Derby, and described as "the Pacanini (sic) of all professors in rhabdomancy, ventriloquism, imitations etc.
[54] On 19 November 1836 he gave the last of several shows at the Hoop Assembly Rooms at Peterborough, after which he was to fulfil "many engagements at Bedford, Huntingdon etc.
On 3 October 1836 at Herne Bay, Kent, he performed on the Pier as part of the celebrations after Ann Thwaytes laid the foundation stone of the Clock Tower.
On the Pier there was ... ... a new light called koniaphostic, by which the whole pier is overwhelmed with a flood of beautiful white light, in the midst of which Ching Lau Lauro will exhibit his feats in the character of a Buffo sitting in the air upon nothing, at the same time as performing various feats of juggling and standing on his head on a pole 20 feet high surrounded by showers of fire.
Playbill by printer G. Smith of Herne Bay, 3 October 1836[1][2][65]No viler tissue of nonsensical stuff could be foisted on the patience of an insulted audience.
[The second act] 'Harlequin in the Shades' descended to the lowest vault of the Capulets, amidst the universal hisses which such execrable trash duly called forth, in spite of Ching Lau Lauro swallowing his own head.
We truly cannot find language to enable our readers to form any adequate idea of his performance, and we must therefore recommend those who delight in such exhibitions, or who possess some curiosity to know of what the human frame is capable, to visit the theatre tomorrow evening.
We know not to which legion of the spirits of darkness he belongs, but at all events he is a harmless devil, and in speaking well of him we are only giving the devil his due.Repeated in Derby Mercury 18 February 1834 and in Essex Chronicle 2 May 1834[45][51]This extraordinary personage, whose feats have attracted crowded audiences in almost every large town in the empire, has announced his intention of giving five performances in Newcastle, next week.
Our contemporaries in Leeds, York, Manchester and other places, have been superlative in their praises of Ching, and although his name would intimate that he is from the Celestial Empire, several have not scrupled to ascribe to him rather too near an affinity with the prince of darkness.
After reading their elaborate notices of astonishing feats, we incline to the latter opinion; and shall not give credence to all that is asserted, until we have had ocular demonstration.
We understand Ching's arrangements will leave him sufficient leisure to attend upon private parties at the neighbouring mansions, and, as to his public performances we doubt not they will be patronized as they deserve.
Newcastle Journal 8 November 1834[49]The performances of this unrivalled Magician are still numerously attended, and the recent reduction of the admission prices has tended to increase the nightly assemblages.
If amusement of the highest order be an object of attraction, we can with confidence recommend to universal notice, the pleasing variety of entertainments supplied by the talented performer in question.Belfast Newsletter 6 April 1838.
