Sinbad the Sailor

“The Clodoche troupe of grotesque dancers wind up the evening’s entertainment as usual with one of their mirth-provoking contortion quadrilles.”

Brief. “‘Sinbad the Sailor’ and the Clodoche Troupe keep their ground at Niblo’s Garden.”

“All new scenery, all new effects, dances, songs, &c.”

This appeal from Lydia Thompson was also published the same day in the New York Tribune.

“We have received, with a request to publish, the subjoined communication:

‘AN APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC.

‘I have appeared before you as an artiste for a period of thirty-five weeks, during which time you have accorded to myself and troupe the most liberal patronage. The notices which the Press have bestowed upon our efforts have been, in the highest degree, complimentary, until within a recent date; since when a series of attacks of a personal nature have appeared in various publications, leveled against Mr. Alex Henderson, (who is my joint partner in the Lydia Thompson Burlesque Troupe) and myself. After so many months of flattering recognition and approval of the class of entertainment over which I preside, it is suddenly discovered, by a certain clique, that the performances are disgusting, vulgar, licentious and degrading, &c. Such attacks, it is too evident, emanate from unscrupulous persons, instigated solely by private malice, with the avowed and published object of injuring me personally in your good opinion, and of driving myself and troupe from the City.

‘Against unjust strictures, which are not criticism, I have no resource but to appeal to that public who have been so generous and kind to me for their assistance in obtaining justice. Unconscious of having failed, by either act or deed, in my duty to the public as an artiste, I confidently appeal to you for consideration and sympathy in the outrageous and unjustifiable attacks that are being made against myself and Troupe, and to assure you that so long as I have the honor of appearing before you, my best exertions shall be made to deserve and merit a continuance of your kindly support and approval. LYDIA THOMPSON.

Niblo’s Garden, 7th June, 1869.’”

Appeal from Lydia Thompson to the New York public. See New York Times announcement of same day for appeal in full.

“Miss Lydia Thompson has made an appeal to the public, on behalf of herself and her troupe—now performing at Niblo’s Garden—‘for consideration and sympathy,’ in view of what she calls ‘outrageous and unjustifiable attacks’ that have been made against herself, her coadjutors, and a Mr. Alexander Henderson, whom she described as her ‘joint partner.’ The appeal is injudicious. The Lydia Thompson Burlesque Troupe, from the moment of its first appearance in this country, has enjoyed much more of the consideration and sympathy of the public than it has in any way deserved. Its first performances here, at Wood’s Museum, were characterized by a great deal of cleverness and taste, and were not indecent. Accordingly—as the style of entertainment was fresh and new—they were very generally commended for talent and piquant grace. In process of time, however, the element of vulgarity, at first dormant, made itself conspicuously manifest. The dance with which the ‘Forty Thieves’ concluded, for instance, and in which Miss Lydia Thompson herself took part, was one of the most offensive performances ever seen upon a public stage. When this element of vulgarity thus appeared—and it revealed itself in more ways than one—the tone of the press in respect to the Lydia Thompson Troupe naturally and properly underwent some change. Subsequent attacks upon this class of entertainment have resulted as a matter of course. Decency, being offended, had a right to protest. That the tone of the protest has not pleased Miss Lydia Thompson and her ‘joint partner’ will readily be understood. In reading her appeal, however, most persons, we fancy, will reflect that those who, by their own brazen defiance of modesty bring themselves into disgrace, have more effrontery than discretion when they appeal for public ‘sympathy.’ With the ‘series of attacks of a personal nature,’ to which Miss Thompson alludes, we have no concern. No such attacks have, at any time, appeared in our columns—though we have frequently denounced, in explicit and sever terms, the various evils of the leg drama. Those evils will continue to be the objects of our unqualified censure. Miss Thompson represents, with a great deal of beauty and talent—to which, as a critic, we have always done justice—a style of exhibition pernicious to the true interests of the drama and capable of being rendered insidiously detrimental to public morality. That style of exhibition stands in jeopardy all the time, and no appeal for public consideration and sympathy, whether from Miss Thompson or anybody else, can make ti [sic] secure.”

Identical to advertisement in New York Times of the same day.

Reads a little like an announcement, but included with advertisements. “MISS LYDIA THOMPSON AS SINBAD THE SAILOR, AT NIBLO’S. Miss Lydia Thompson, as Sinbad, is the same unquenchable spirit of grace and mischief that she was as Ganem and Ixion. Tireless in action, exuberant in mirthfulness, a perpetual sunbeam, she gives life to every scene, and beautifies the stage whenever she steps upon it. Her rare face shines sweetly through every disguise; her smile is a marvel of magnetic joyousness; her form the embodiment of womanly beauty, and her movements never less than graceful. No actress of the present day has done more for the Stage, in one sense, than Lydia Thompson. She has shown that even in the broadest burlesque and extravaganza a woman, however costumed, may combine perfect modesty with fun, frolic, roguishness and freedom of action. The popular taste may be degenerate when it craves a surfeit of such amusement as that afforded by burlesque, but it cannot become degraded while it sustains with sincere admiration such burlesque actresses as Miss Thompson.—Home Journal, 9th June, 1869.”

“Miss Lydia Thompson, in another part of this issue of the Clipper, addresses a card to the public, to which the attention of the reader is directed.”

Sarcastic assessement focused on the French dancers. “The Clodoche Family, in order to make things look natural, don flesh-colored tights, but in addition to these wear stockings and garters. Why go to this trouble, when the tights can be so readily dispensed with? We are ready for almost anything imported troupes may favor us with. Why not strip off everything else these warm evenings? ‘The most fastidious taste’ can no longer be offended by such natural and life-like representations.”

“With Full Sails Set, ‘Sinbad the Sailor’is having a prosperous voyage at Niblo’s Garden, meeting with many storms in the shape of adverse criticism from the press, but crowded audiences witnessed its representation every night the past week. Much of its success is in no doubt attributed to the Clodoche Troupe, who are a novelty and really worth seeing once, after which the novelty is gone. Unlike the burlesque of the ‘Forty Thieves,’ ‘Sinbad’ has very little that will force a laugh, as in the former piece the antics of adonkey caused more fun than anything else. In the present reharsh the author has taken good care that the blondes shall not play second fiddle to a donkey.”

“On the 12th Ada Harland published the following card:—“Mr. Henderson, agent of the Lydia Thompson Troupe, in to-day’s papers desires to have the name of Lydia Thompson party [sic] withdrawn from the announcements. Now, I am the only one here who had the misfortune to be one of the ‘Original Troupe,’ and upon my arrival to Boston (seeing the advertisement Mr. Henderson complained of) I had the bills, &c., immediately altered, as from the estimation in which the Lydia Thompson Burlesque Troupe are held in New York city [sic], it was calculated to do me serious harm. Ada Harland, Theatre Comique. June 12, 1869.’ The troupe remain there this week.”