New-York tribune., 1903-02-19
THE DRAMA.
Negroes Win Favor-New-York Theatre

Williams and Walker, two oolorcd comedians
who have long been known to the patrons OF the
cheaper priced houses throughout the country
last night made their first appearance on Broad
way. at the New-York Theatre. at the head OF
their company composed. entirely OF
colored players in musical piece called In
Dahomey." the work of coored authors, and
with coored conductor waving his baton over
the-for purposes OF contrast-Teutonic orchestra
The large audience like the orchestra. was also
white skinned.
ALL all were there! The first night faces
looking wise: and the critics 'the newspaper
chain gang" the merriest member calls them
sat them down in the seats of the scornful. For
there feeling abroad that this shadowy in
vason of Broadway would brrn2 shadows of gloom
and dark would be the way and 5eset with ragtime
which the audience must travel before they could
reach repose and refreshment. Perhaps that
the best joke of the performance. For Williams
and Walker-somebody will call them sooner or
later the coored Weber and Fields.' it might
as we'll be done now-won a spontaneous greeting
of laughter at their first appearance. and there
after doubt could possibly exist that they had
vndicated their right to appear on Broadway
The climax reached when the originator of the
chain gang phrase was seen himself to Iaugh-nay
not only seen but heard. Whatever he says this
morning. he laughed. OF course. a may laugh
and laugh and be critic: but it's rather mean to-
the less
The music of I'm Dahomey'' is by w. VI. Cook,
and If it lacks something of the paintive Tilt Of
plantation songs it has plenty of ragtime life ana
joty The work is by J. a. Shipp-"the coiored
McNally,' shall he be called? And the lyrics are
by Paul Laurence Dunbar; they are good lyrlcs too
with characteristicaIy racial wit and metrical
humor. OF course, the chorus are not goWned IKE
a Lederer chorus nor will they be watched so
eagerly from the front rows But they nave
quantity enough of sound to atone for several
degrees of quality. And Of the girls has blond
hair! The scenery, too, would hardly pass muster
IN Mr. Belasco's playhouse. nor is the book or the
play in general nor the work OF the minor char-
acters all that the Saxon heart could desire But
there are Williams and Walker.
Williams is the Weber of the pair-the butt, the
abused one. He manifests a resentment weber
never shows however, and pathetic knowledge
that something is wrong somewhere with the eter-
nal scheme of things. He sang song, with the
sad refrain,
a good. substantial full hedged. real.
First class Jonah
which was redemanded dozen times; and those
who had come to scoff were loudest in their ap-
plause He was very melancholy about it; he was
very dance at the end the angular illustration
any point as these two negroes. and as they never
keep consistently to their respective characters
they are far less artistic. Backed up by elaborate
scenery and attractive choruses, they have never
shown the stage genuinely merry a musical
hodge-podge "In Dahomey," nor one as COM
para lively free from vulgarities.
AS a matter of record. it may be stated that the
first act the piece is laid in Boston, the second
act in Florida and the third in Dahomey. Africa
thus proving that history repeats itself by going
backward.