What the British in Lahore Did for Fun, April 7 1886

Civil & Military Gazette. April 8, 1886

LAHORE AND MIAN MIR.
Engagements of the Week

 Thursday April 8

Thursday, April 8.--Police Band, Anarkulli Gardens, 6-15 P.M.
M. Volpi's Theatre des Singes, Railway Theatre, 9-15.
Friday, April 9.--Polo, Mian Mir, 4-30 P.M.
Guest night, Lawrence Hall Gardens.
Satruday, April 10.--Police Band, Lawrence Hall Gardens, 6-15 P.M.  

PROFESSOR VOLPI'S ENTERTAINMENT
Last night Professor Volpi, well-known to all India as the Professor of a highly intelligent troupe of dogs, monkeys, &c., gave one of his performances to a crowded house at the Lahore Railway Theatre. The words and expression of an actor or actress may be described in black and white with advantage, but the preternatural intelligence of dumb beasts, who grotesquely parody the actions and emotions of men, is a thing that must be seen to be properly appreciated. Though, for some reasons unpleasant to look at, the performance was an intensely interesting and amusing one. 

Always interesting to see the presence of animals in everyday life in British Lahore (see the earlier scrap about cow-catchers & railway accidents for another example.

There are only a few venues available for anything British to transpire -- the Anarkali Gardens, the Railway Theatre, and the Lawrence Hall Gardens. Two of those are daytime venues. The show at the Railway Theatre is surprisingly late, 9:15 PM.