The Washington critic., 1888-08-03
SOMETHING OF CITY LIFE.
An Account of a Performance Recent

an Account OF n performance RoCOntly
Given In Washington.
One Of the most entertaining shows that has
been seen In Washington was given the other
night. II was benefit. The house was half
full, and motley crowd II was Being the
only show In town the habitual theatre-goers
who always 90 20 a show on Monday night
went because they saw that the place was
open and the only one In town. The gallery
was packed, and black. The downstairs was
scantily, filed and mostly white.
They didn't have any bills, but the various
attractions were announced in turnb by gentle
man In an evening dress coat and vest, light
trowsers and blue-striped shirt.
The show was opened with little sketch,
the characters In which were piece of cheese,
dummy" rat, burnt cork comedian and
remarkably lively old gentleman, who was on
exceptionally good terms with his landlady,
who wore eyeglasses. A little girl sang a
song In the makeup Of a bootblack, the
burden OF which was that she regretted not
having been born boy.
grotesque song and dance artist came out
and "did his turn" under exceedingly great
difficulties. The orchestra consisted OF a
violnist and pianist, whose efforts gave color TO
the belief that they had exchanged places for
the occasion, and were playing each others
instruments. The orchestra made n false start
on the song and dance mans music and
played the dance when he tried to sing and
the song accompaniment when he tried to
dance.
A Hebrew impersonator who followed had
q false beard that didn't ft him When he
began to sing IL got into his mouth and stop
ped his nostrils and tried to strangle him He
struggled with 1t as he sang, and II so en-
crossed his thoughts that he sang "My Name
is Whiskers, Whiskers," instead OF "My Name
Is Moses solomon as the burden Of the song
ran. And still the false beard tried TO strangle
him and he strove to keep It In place, until in
sheer desperation he pulled II down under his
chin, and, presto, he was singing a "Sheeny'
song over the.regulation Irish ''glaway slug
gers"
The gallery applauded either the artist or
the beard 10 the echo, and he responded with
q song that vlllided the detective force In the
most approved Swampoodle manner and
again the applause showed that the "hy cop.
pers" did not stand high in the audiences re.
gard.
IL was n jolly, sarcastic, good audience, and
when one of the artists on the stage tried To
whistle and couldn't because he was laughing
gallery god put his fingers In his mouth and
gave an ear-piercing whistle. The actor
turned and thanked him, and In response to
the AUDIENCES tumultuous encore the gallery
god whlstled again.
A pretty-faced young lady, with a corsnge
bouquet OF red paper roses and very bad
case OF stage fright, sang a song in quiet
little voice that didn't get beyond the third
row OF chairs, and almost broke down, and
cried and laughed all at once. 1t was her
debut.
A tall, thin, loose -jointed young gentleman
did "talkn turn, freely interlarded with
Jokes about ''hamfat" actors, every one OF
which was applauded to the echo, and did DR.
Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde In black-face. The dis
tinction between Jekyll and Hyde was made by
a wide streak of chalk down each cheek and .
very disreputable hat that Hyde wore.
One by one, In twos and threes, and later in
DOZENS the audience went out, and the inevi
table old negro came out and prefaced his
song and dance with the statement that he
hadn't "seen de ole place fur ninety-ninC
years, an hit am changed" The frequent
references to "7-11n and crap were fully ap
preciated by the audience, and some of then
were so well pleased that they stayed to set
the beginning of the farce that ended the
benefit.