By David Cain
I have come across photos in my archives of the jugglers Miss Okabe and Peggy Sun, but I recently learned that they are the same juggler. Changing stage names over the course of one’s career was a frequent occurrence in the past and makes for challenges when doing research.
Peggy was a member of the Okabe Troupe / Family of Japanese jugglers that left Japan in 1890 to perform in North America and Europe. They were popular for several decades and generations of the family.
1899
In 1927, one of the members of the family, who would later be known as Peggy Sun, began performing a solo act as Miss Okabe. She performed under this name until at least 1936. Here are two photos of her when performing as Miss Okabe.
A review of her act from 1933 stated the following: “We saw again at the Olympia the Four Hazel Mangan, their whirlpools acrobatic movements among the fluttering of the unfolded fabrics and, a piquant contrast, the fine juggler Miss Okabé, who has become a slender boy in strict Rastellian clothing. This new appearance suits Miss Okabé excellently, whose the bachelor look often struck us when she wore the dress. Nervous, free, agile as can be, it is a charming and skillful juggler that she gives us now the illusion of applauding; only her knotted curly hair is surprising and seems to detract from the clarity of a few sets of balls on the nape of the neck and around the head. Will we have to go all the way and sacrifice this last feminine sign to the purity of work? In any case, Miss Okabé is an artist of rare value and the only woman we currently know practicing successfully this classical specialty.”
At some point she briefly performed as Miss Hoshi Sun, as you can see below.
Before long, she started using the stage name of Peggy Sun. It was under this name that she found the most fame.
Peggy Sun mixed traditional Japanese juggling with more Western elements of the art to create a career that lasted into the 1940s. Nothing is known about what became of her.
David Cain
David Cain is a professional juggler, juggling historian, and the owner of the world's only juggling museum, the Museum of Juggling History. He is a Guinness world record holder and 16 time IJA gold medalist. In addition to his juggling pursuits, David is a successful composer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and singer as well as the author of twenty-six books. He and his children live in Middletown, OH (USA).