The Wasp — 1881 — page 195: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains primarily **literary criticism and theater reviews** rather than political cartoons. The main content discusses a "quest travesty performance" of *Romeo and Juliet* staged in Oakland, featuring amateur actors from the Stock Exchange and other local figures. The satire targets the **quality of amateur theatrical productions**, mocking the cast's "perverse and obstinate" acting and the incongruous set design (Egyptian mummies, striped stockings, bombazines). The page also reviews contemporary literary works and includes gossip about public figures like George Henry Lewes and discussions of *Dickens'* *Christmas Carol*'s manuscript value. This represents **19th-century magazine criticism** rather than visual political satire—humor derives from witty written commentary on local cultural pretensions rather than illustrated cartoons.