The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-01
A BOWERY CHEAP THEATRE.
SUCH AMUSEMENT As ATTRiCTS THE
PL1IGOLIiS or THE EAST SIDE


front Of n building in the Bowcry lighting the
strcotvcry brightly. and bringing into consplcu-
business n large sign. which said that this was n
variety theatre. -Four other variety theatres in
tho Bowcry were making u similar display OF
fire at their entrances. and altogether in this
city ten such establishments were open. not
counting tho bccr gardens and concert halls in
which the performances are minor matter. 1t
Is not long ago that Tony Pastors Theatre was
the only variety house of Broadway The bust
ness has picked up wonderfully fast. Only
ihrco Of the entire thirteen have boon closed
this summer. while eleven of the thirteen thea
tres devoted 10 the drama were shut until a few
days ago.
1t was nearly o'clock. and multitude Of
men and boys with here and there Il woman or
girl. were crowdng in. Across two-thirds Of
The front gaped harroom. through which most
ef the persons entered, and the other third was
\ passage for those who proforrcd more sober
entry. That arrangement is common to nearly
all Of those resorts. The prices Of admission
were lcttcrcd on tho ticket office: Fifteen cents
" the gallery. twenty five to the orchestra aud
twenty-five to- the boxes. The writer paid the
latter sum and entered.
The interior would have surprised visitor
who had como with narrow ilea IT it. Tho
seating capacity was fully 500, about equally
aivided between "a deep gallery. which was
crowded with boys and the orchestra. which
Vas crowded with men principally the remain
der being women. girls and moro boys. The
place did not look badly The chairs were of
tho folding kind. the coling and walls were not
outraGcously painted. and the decorations
around the eight boxes wcrc not quite a. tawdry
AZ possible; but the curtain bore a picture T.
stab the eyes Of an artist
Twelve musicians played an overture very
veil, and up rose the curtain 10 he seen no more
1ntil the end Of the entertainment; for there is
10 waiting between acts in variety theatres. Tho
stage was rather small and the scenery neat
farce, presenting anger. a German. and other
neither funny Tor interesting characters was
played. 1t did no, last long. and not much at
IGNITION was paid to Il by either performers or
audience. Walters in white aprons PASSED
through the niscs. taking orders for beverages
and cigars Drinking and smoking seemed to
be generally considered desirable preliminarics
70 the evenings diversion. Lager beer was the
ommon drink and the hustle Of the traffic.
added to that Of the tardy corners made il hardly
Eorl while To play the opening farce az all. II
WAS Thursday evening and that dry the Fat
eursion. Four I'm. members. moustrous bulk-
accompanied hy several friends of ordinary -izs.
nude cons ideruhlc noise getting into one Of the
boxes. subsequently. circumstantiM evidence
WAS convincing that they had returned from TIL
trip with some oil tho actors.
However. all was quiet when the first young
woman tripprd out on the stage, except tor ap-
rlause In tgr gallery. She nodded IL that di-
rectlOn, AMI smiled aflahy. Ii WAS clear that
she was u inyorite ~ thc boys. The playful
made the moro general assertion that She was
trim OF figure. and clothed in silk dress
short enough To- show embroidered sto kings
Her sauciiy poised head was covered " It'll yell
was decidedly prctty. Al eyes ana ears were
opened at her. The, confusion ceasing. she
sang in n womb riully big voice. considering
nfr own httI'hes-. a song about q, swell oi
whom the chorus said contemptuuu~ly: pa.
"a. Charley She trilped to and fro behind
and wink ed now and then. She was a Bpwrry
Lotta, The a.'Iery. aided litilo ly the orehos-
ira, called her Dack twice. Indeed two encurcs
were given 10 all he performers excepting
those in the fnrc's. That seemed TO be- an es-
taiNshel custom. Her last song wns That Of
prison experience, and while singing the fol-
lowing chorus she put ny her hands. a. though
close IN front. and made peculiar steps. which
seemed to be recognized rs those " marching
prisoner:
Itls one. two ami three. four. ail NO "a lnc.
A. .tn!sd ~, AZ F pra 'n l -,in- (" .;n.
%. "A nine Institution Is the Isle OF Blackwell
Two negro minsirels gave a short sketch
made ~ OF two things that To- some Observers
and very risky dancing. Tho hymns wcrr
sung with mlmlcry of African Methodist f,r-
yor. and Tie dancing, wa. miv'G IA among the
danced -'fNr %rv.,n,I l. sail IL I'
"Amsri.o's pr,,,,,', M, r, ~, o,i ~, o,
dannc mis-, On "a rs. ,n,r1, 10 , r,S '
utthlic InNr h.-i.,v'I -. ,',-t n iiri,-, ,'
inents He SAM. I'm ~. y"i.,,,,, ,r,,,sf H
,1iri nm iar'nI ,,ith "a ,srnaf I,l - ,.r. 80
Irecisinn' ~ wa " '0"' "0"' - e'"'o "'"
Two oi IN. men,h,rs Of the Fat Men, A--o-
eation snt Sid, bv .t,i. In ths front If ~. i@v
nnI 0ileI no .na'.. 'fu,rnetN tn, ~. ~ 49,.
inrthcr Lnck 'Thn rast 81 H.. bnv ,vns chtnrtf
In viii their loan p,,,r,,i',rs 'fhn SN,.iir.,
had fatigled them, "ytd,ntiv and tho Ia, nn.,.
bulccl over their cnnir- fix. mort inn-..-
bllnkiur lnzily In mo strong nrAt III the f,,,.
LIGHTS iiI.t ui,,lnr Tho L.x Tjln Mnvo vuiknI
ont on the st,t,,a ho,v.,.r iilI th,v v.r, IN
sinntiy alivS. Shn Was iutr0duced by ia. iiil
ms "A "seriO-conls uur.u" and curiosity
to see such an o'il Kind Of nnin.-
ty may have hglu,l ID awaken tho dele
gates from tho Fut Mons Asen,ntiDn Her
MAJESTY was l.ru. ions Snu disirlitit.l "A -f-'iIn
over the house win striklnp intrrrt iuiii,.
some queen. would la,, h.airIel oI,lv on tl1t
boxes or AT most ON tho orchestra MI fhis on.
was equally Kind 10 tlrgu!lnry Sb', WIN, n ,,,ii,,
and t,retty pirl win ID .nnrwhuf st,frlv L.,,r
ing which mnv Lnya ni-r,, rod tLn eiitN.r ~ He
Ill in his bn.t9N,in,. ri fli, r,rniti1" 81. -nn,
three songs. Of .nufs.; on. uniutiy,iy .yi,r,l-"
IN n NvisG H. H.. ,oi.u i,.. H. tt,, ,'',l t,,i,.
In some Of th@ ycrsrs ii was "Rolno' "i and
iunher' ono nbonf n ,l,n'lv l''vor NH IT, m
"Iiioen AlannaiH Her vni., ,va- -fr,',,,, ma /
sweet ana hnd lann ronsil.r,iIy cnIiiSnt'
She sam with GOOD cxuressi'.n loo ma Lrr