The Wasp — 1893 — page 328: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The cartoon depicts two figures in period dress (appearing to be 19th-century garb) engaged in animated conversation. The caption below reads: "Riley, have ye heard they've got 'Killarney' at the California Thayater?" with dialogue continuing about theatrical performance and a "ganger" (overseer/foreman). The joke references a theatrical production of "Killarney" playing at the California Theatre. The cartoon satirizes either the play's quality or the audience's enthusiasm for it—the figures' exaggerated expressions suggest mockery of theatergoers' reactions or the production itself. Without additional context about this specific 1880s production, the exact satirical target remains unclear, but it appears to lampoon San Francisco's theater scene or popular entertainment tastes of the period.