The Wasp — 1881 — page 157: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a theatrical audition or performance scene. A formally-dressed man sits at a piano, while a woman in a performance dress strikes a dramatic pose on stage before an audience of formally-dressed seated figures. The caption "THE DEBUTA" and the visible text "JURY" and "DEBURRER" (possibly "DE BURGER") suggest this is mocking a legal proceeding or court trial presented as theatrical spectacle. The woman appears to be the defendant or subject being judged, while the seated figures represent jurors or judges. The satire likely critiques how trials were sensationalized as entertainment, or how female defendants were treated as theatrical subjects rather than receiving serious judicial consideration. Without clearer context about the specific case or date, the precise reference remains unclear.