National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-03-29
THE WICKED SHOW.
4 ELtT PERPORHANCEA At THE AVE-
NCE THEATRE LAST NIGHT.


Brought About by the Depressing Presence
Of the Police Omeials-The Indecent
Jokes Are Not Cracked, and tire Female
Dancers are Forced to Keep thcir Skirts
Down - which Greatly Disappcbats q
Large Audience.
In Yesterdays REPUBLICAN attention was
called to the gro,s indecencies Of an exhibition
at the "Avenue theatre" The attractions were
inmodsst and lascivious dances and ribah and
vulgar tests, which served to inname the passions
OF the audiences, composed TO large extent OF
boys. At the close Of the performance was a
dance which, In lite lasciyiousness and suggestive
ness, surpassed BY far the famous -Can;Ssn" or
his native Paris dared to invent.
ltwas said about town yesterday that the notice
would only be an advertisement for the theatre,
and so II proved. A morbid curiosity was excited,
the opshse Soy and waters Wepe forced To give
M their business, as they could not get through
the crowd.
ENocHs ExrLAINs TO TIVE roLirE.
Yesterday MAJOR Richards received a letter
variety theatre, covering full page Of fooi.eap,
denying the statement made In Yesterdays Ma.
stating that il was not immoral or in any way
Indecent, but was suitable for any lady To wilt
ness He invited the Major and the Board OF
Police Commissioners, and the lieutenant Of the
precinct the fith) In which his theatre is 10
Gated. to visit his place and witness the perform
ance. so as to sec Tor themselves that there was
hing indecent In the performance.
Mr.. Enochs was particular to request them to
notify him at what time they would make their
visit, in order that he might reserve for them .
private box to enable them TO sec the performance
TO better advantage.
LAST MIGHT.
The theatre was packed last night. The usual
RouPPs was p.t Presented to The audience. There
was great curiosity to see whether the proprietor
Of the pace would dare to present Isl Salem"
Impatient during the early part Of the evening.
that the police FL cs ,s
proprietor Of the place, last night.
THE roLIcE OFFICIALS
About nine o'clock Major Richards and Mr..
Gatchel, ofthe Police Board, entered the build
ing and were shown to the box at the right Of the
siege. The two men were pretty we'll known,
and as soon as they entered the box they At.
trsctcd as much attention AZ any OF the per-
other err ssntismen afterwards Joined the police
tnat"Si Salem would be 4 rather tame per.
iormence that night.
"si sALEx."
Isl Salem" Is a sort Of farce or sketch, gotten
up in q wretched way, answering merely the
purpose Of introducing indecent scenes and
dances. 81 Salem is . countryman who comes TO
the city to sec the elephant and he is shown
the sights. The sights seen by him are repre-
scnted on the stage. 81 has a very loose tongue,
and utters many obscene Jests.
There are several scenes, and the indeceney
keeps growing more apparent up TO the close,
vu nfn RI T Is scene %sei would be quite e
fectiye In any other place. That IL where 81 gets
| down on his knees and prays, while the mother
ola little street girl in whom he has taken IN
The audience is generally pretty well brutal;
The eject III Is os The gallery boys eer at it, and
considering the surroundings, 1t Is really sAcri-
| legious to Introduce any such representation.