Wood’s Museum and Metropolitan Theatre

Com. Foote, Miss Nestele, a host of Living Human Phenomena, menagerie of wild animals, automaton Leotard, Happy Family, Aquaria, and 1,000,000 curiosities. In active preparation for 28 Dec. is Ernani, or the Horn of a Dilemma. Performance commences with the farce, The Quiet Family.

Ernani is an excellent burlesque. Lydia Thompson is in the lead role.

Ernani, or the Horn of a Dilemma was given last night for the first time. It was well received. The play has little plot and less argument and is a mélange, after burlesque style, of banditti and Spanish grandees, worked up with local hits, interspersed with songs and dancing. The talents of Lydia Thompson and her troupe carried it through, and that is all. After Ixion, it is a let-down.

“The new burlesque at Wood’s, called ‘Ernani, or the Horn of a Dilemma,’ is based upon the familiar operatic story, which serves as a framework on which to fling a drapery of light jests, of lively jokes and far-fetched puns. The piece was originally written for London, but it has been localized by plentiful allusions to home events, and is pleasantly interspersed with songs and dances. Miss Lydia Thompson takes the leading part of Ernani, the bandit, sacrificing to its exigencies the flowing golden locks which are such a marked feature of her personal appearance. Miss Lisa Weber, one of the most popular members of the company, has a part well suited to her dashing style, and Miss Harland and Mr. Beckett render important aid. The burlesque will probably enjoy a run but little inferior to that of ‘Ixion.’”

“’Ixion’ has been withdrawn at the high tide of its success from the stage of Wood’s Museum, to make way for a new and, if possible, more extravagant extravaganza, called ‘Ernani, or the Horn of a Dilemma.’ As its title indicates, the piece is a burlesque upon Victor Hugo’s ‘Hernani,’ better known in the operatic dress given to it by the Italian composer Verdi. Miss Lydia Thompson takes the leading part of the romantic nobleman-brigand, Ernani, and looks most bewitching, as usual. Miss Weber represents the king, Carlos, and displays, in a rich Spanish costume, her handsome form to the utmost advantage. Miss Harland is the Elvira, and attired like a Spanish danseuse, brings down the house in a storm of applause by her animated and graceful performance; while Mr. Beckett, as Iago, shows an abundance of the exuberant, rollicking fun which made his Minerva, in ‘Ixion,’ so irresistibly laughable. The piece is crowded with new comic songs, one of which, ‘Up in a Balloon,’ promises to become as popular as ‘Taffy was a Welshman,’ and other favorites of ‘Ixion.’ The house was crowded as usual, and will probably continue to be so for many evenings to come.”

“Miss LYDIA THOMPSON and her troupe of active beauties appeared here last evening in a new burlesque, called: ‘Ernani; or, the Horn of a Dilemma.’ It was listened to by a very crowded audience, that encored the best things and applauded everything else freely. The entertainment which is furnished in the new extravaganza does not differ in any material particular from that which has been offered for thirteen weeks in ‘Ixion,’ and the popularity of that piece, probably, accounts for the friendly reception given to old the favorites retained in ‘Ernani.’       There are the familiar breakdowns, choruses, dances and duets, and in lieu of humorous situations, or a witty dialogue, the author tells his story in twisted speech, which is contrived incessantly to divert attention from the sense of language to its sound. The true judgment against punsters as usually ‘men of small intellects,’ was set forth long ago, by STEELE, in the Spectator, and there is no need to repeat it. This sort of recreation keeps the attention lively, however, and so there seems to be a kind of fascination in burlesques for some people. ‘Ernani’ will doubtless exercise its share. The company works very hard to assist the American adapter who has supplied the piece with local allusions, and they plunge his jests about Erie, and OFFENBACH, HOFFMAN, and Hon. MENARD, M. C., into the ears of the audience as though none of them were capable of taking a quiet hint. The art of burlesque acting consists in letting the jokes slip out as though they were wholly unintentional. Apparent premeditation in such cases is the worst of sins. Miss LYDIA THOMPSON is the Bandit Chief of course—and she acts the part in her own peculiar style of neat extravagance, which, though full of gesture and contortion—gives little or no proof of true comic power. Her dresses were extremely tasteful, but her flowing locks have been so long looked upon as part of her costume, that their concealment under Ernani’s crisp wig seemed to be looked upon by many as quite a deprivation. Miss WEBER appeared as the King, much given to slang, made the part quite as interesting as it could be done. The song of ‘Cherry Ripe,’ quite out of place, ‘tis true, was introduced by this lady and was undoubtedly the best sung piece of the evening. Miss HARLAND, Mr. BECKETT, Miss WELLS, Mr. HILL and Mr. MESTAYER had other parts in trust, and made them as entertaining as strained puns and depressing situations would admit. No attempt seems to have been made to give scenic aid to the piece, and it is evident the management intend it to travel on its own merits, or the merits of the actors. The latter will probably carry it longest.”

Detailed casting and scene listing.

No mention of music.