Puck — September 5, 1877 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

10 THE MINSTRELS. Mixsreets have come back to town, And brought us back once more The agile Ethiopian clown, ‘The jest we loved of yore, “The music of * ile cotton grown’ "* Inthe days ** befo" de war." A thought of fond, fami- liar days Steals* suftly o'er our sense: Sets memory wandering in strange ways ‘Through years—ah, lung flown hence, When the Es up, and says: “What am de difier d-man rises ence We list—that Fly is not yet dead, In spite of doubt of scoff— N flown away, nor marrigd—- Who sits a long way off, ‘That the Hones may see him scratch his head, And the ‘Tambo hear him cough An odor of respect well won, Of undisputed truth, Hangs round each jest, turned gray. as one Long outgrown giddy youth— ‘Though more there lurks of roaring fan In pulling of a tooth. Dear genii of the calcined cork, Knights of the musty jest, Fresh come from Cincinnati's pork— From summeting in the west— Long may we have you in New York, Death pulls down your vest, THE UNDRE New York, Sept. sth, 1877. Dear Puck: It doesn't much matter whether you call it spectacle or burlesque. When it’ comes it brings blondes with it, more or less devoid of clothing. In spectacle an attempt is made to hide un- adorned loveliness amid scenic splendors. In burlesque they try to drown it in puns and rhymes. But in neither case is the attempt a success. ‘The throng that is lured to cither a burlesque or spectacle finds its chief magnet in the afore- said loveliness, unadorned. T have never had much respect for the specta- cular drama, from a literary standpoint, and, at best, only tolerated it on account of its useful- ness as a vehicle for the introduction of glitter and tights, But 1 have a great respect for burlesque, in PUCK. fact, so great a respect for true and legitimate | burlesque that I feel indignant when I see its purposes perverted by the foisting of undressed blondes upon the public, with the claim that they are the only requisite for this branch of theatric art. Lydia ‘Thompson is again among us with a | troupe of alleged beauties. , Some of them can sing, and some can dance. Most of them content themselves with stand- ing around, pictures of inanity, while the fair Lydia cavorts and tries to kick up her heels with the grace and precision of bygone years. ‘There is very little attempt at humor in the | present “Lydia ‘Thompson Burlesque Com: | pany.” | What little attempt there is doesn’t get much | further than an attempt. When an English actor isn’t naturally funny, there is nothing sadder to behold than his efforts to be funny. It is not just towards the art of burlesque to give exhibition of promiscuous idiocy and callit by a name it is not entitled to. ‘A burlesque is supposed to be an amusing satire on something serious. ‘hese undressed blondes—fresh imported for the purpose of exhibition - may be an amus- ing satire on something, but I have been unable to discover on what, unless it be mankind in general—which is too vast a field to be dealt with in a two hours’ entertainment, Ordinarily there is a good low comedian at the head of the company, who has to atone by | his genuine humor for all the feebler attempts | by the rest of the company. A few years ago Harry Beckett was the ‘Thompsonian comedian. ‘This year they haven't any—and there is a lack of mirth that is simply mournful. Iwill not insult. the managerial intelligence by supposing that Mr. Fred Marshall is intended as a substitute for Mr. Beckett. I suppose, though, it is expected that Mr. Willie Edouin will answer all purposes. He flings himself about with a most accommodat- | ing recklessness—and he twists himself into shapes that are well-nigh heartrending. All of which shows a commendable desire on Mr. Edouin’s part to make himself useful as a mem- ber of the Lydia ‘'hompson Burlesque Com- pany. But a contortionist, though he serves his pur- | pose in a play, will not atone for the absence | of a comedian, And_ the second-best part, though it be | padded to an enormous extent, still remains | the second-best part. ‘This was most painfully visible in“ Blue | Beard,” when Willie Edouin played the Cor- | poral, and Marshall played the title-role. If ‘Blue Beard had been well-played, the Corporal would have been enjoyable in his proper place; | but the Corporal’s desperate efforts to become | the central object of interest, coupled with | Blue- Beards dearth of humor, made both cha- racters tiresome. F Lydia ‘Thompson herself, aside from claims of personal beauty, she being the handsomest blonde of the company, possesses something like an idea of burlesque. She seems to realize | that the absence of dress will not entirely atone | for the absence of fan. | But none of the other lady-members do, For | which reason the term “burlesque company” is a misnomer. If the Undressed Drama were an established | branch, the present Lydia ‘Thompson troupe, | criticized from that standpoint, could be found | not altogether unworthy. I shall hail with much pleasure the advent of burlesque wherein author and actor combine in travestie—unpinioned by rhymes, tights, and puns. comedians of both sexes, redolent with innate humor, Something after the style of French opera- bouffists. But until the arrival of English bouffe- talent, don’t give us the Undressed Drama and call it burlesque. Don't make pretty young ladies sing senti- mental ballads in very short skirts, simply be- cause they have good voices and the time occupied by their song helps to fill out the evening's entertainment. Miss Alice Burville, of the Thompson troupe, has a very charming voice. ‘That is her only claim to artistic recognition. But the introduction, for her benefit, of Hervé's song, “1 am complete,” however well rendered, is totally at variance with the true spirit of burlesque. ‘This inconsistency seems to be totally dis- regarded by managers of burlesque shows, and until they can be made to understand that we have the same right to expect a story in a bur- lesque as in a drama or a farce, and that exag- geration does not mean extraneous idiocy, we may hope for no nearer approach to real bur- lesque than the “ Undressed Drama” affords. Perhaps, while we are on the subject, the question would not be inappropriate: How would it do to recognize the ‘“ Undressed Drama” as a form of art? Well, in that case we should have to class “Mazeppa,” “Godiva,” and the classic tableaux, among all the rest, and there is no telling what complications might ensue. But, on the other hand, it would present | an agreeable antithesis to the ‘ Overdressed Drama,” that now flourishes triumphantly, with fresh débutantes hovering over all theatrical re- gions, ready to drop upon us without a moment’s warning, with dresses made by Worth, and guaranteed to lift anybody who wears them right into the heart of dramatic glory. ‘And there's Mrs. Florence, doing the “Over- dressed Drama” in the “ Mighty Dollar,” as Mrs, General Gilflory, at an expense of so many thousands that I grow pale in calculation. All of which expense is avoided by the “Un- dressed Drama,” and whether the one or the other— But I am getting confused between the two. Let the public choose which they prefer. Perplexedly yours, SLAs Drier. P.S.—Possibly the ladjes will_ vote one way, and the gentlemen the other. ‘That's their own. affair. ‘The cause of art is only a minor con- sideration after all. Ss. D. 2d P.S,—All that I ask is, that the Undressed Drama be not called burlesque, for | have an affection for that word which will not permit of the outrag: S.D. DRAMATIC 01 Anna Dickinson will whoop it up to Ladi Macbeth this season. Mr. Day's company threw light on “The Dark City,” last night. “Pink Dominos” still keep everything cou- leur de rose at the Union Square. ‘Tue “ Crusnep ‘TraGeDIaN” got his open- ing at the Park, on Monday night. ‘THe coroner's verdict on “ Seraphine Chicago, was, “died of too much hayseed. ‘THe Londoners wouldn't have George Faw- cette Rowe in “ Brass,” ‘They hup and ‘issed ‘im, yer know. Guaore is having his grand blow-out up in | at the Garden, and raking in the shekels for his But this will require a company of real | trip to Europe. [ { m Bae é