Venue(s):
Tony Pastor's Opera House
Event Type:
Variety / Vaudeville
Status:
Published
Last Updated:
26 January 2016
“The bill at this place of amusement last night was as varied and entertaining as could be desired; and in equally good taste on the part of the public, a full house assembled to “see it cut.” The Ethiopian sketch called The Black Rip Van Winkle brought out Johnny Wild in his “best,” and enabled him, with his grotesque faces and peculiar accentuatics [sic], to keep the audience in a continuous state of laughter. The Wonderful Japanese Troupe (Tony Pastor’s own, born in America), followed; and what with good singing by Miss Jennie Engel, and fun and frolic of every kind, including Heartless Gardeners, Flying Spuds, and True Blues, the performance was all that was necessary to meet the approval of the “east side of the town.”
“NOT LONG SINCE Mr. Joseph Jefferson gave us his excellent rendition of Rip Van Winkle, but it remained for the management of Tony Pastor’s Opera House to do it up in cork. Johnny Wild, Billy Sheppard, Willie Armstrong and Naomi Porter, performed all last week a lively sketch called ‘The Black Rip Van Winkle.’ Johnny was the representative of ye aged Rip, and the way he made things rip for a little while would have made even Mr. Jefferson take a back seat. The manner of taking off the Excise Commissioners, by Armstrong and Sheppard, was enough to make the ‘indomitable’ Kennedy tremble in his patent leathers. His plate spinning and other feats in jugglery were very cleverly produced. Billy Sheppard has a firm hold on the affections of the habitues of this establishment, and is called out several times each evening. Tony Pastor is as popular as ever in his comic songs, and in the dramas played. T. G. Riggs, G. F. McDonald and the Company have prominent parts. The business at this establishment continues very good, the house being crowded last week.”