Niblo’s Garden

“First night of the BURLESQUE BOSTON JUBILEE, with the CELEBRATED ANVIL CHORUS.”

“A house ranging from 1,200 to 1,500 people do not look like giving up the ship. Such was the audience at Niblo’s last night. The extraordinarily diversified and indescribable extravaganza of ‘Sinbad the Sailor’ holds its own, and Jarrett & Palmer will doubtless ‘fight it out on this line all summer,’ and perhaps all the fall too, from the present outlook, or rather in, upon the situation. The fact is, the season has come when the country, passing through the town, must stop to see its institutions and the lions and the elephants, and Niblo’s is the place for the summer. Its ventilation is so fine, its fountains, floweries, open balconies and the convenient refreshment rooms of the Metropolitan make this theatre as nearly perfect as a summer establishment as can be in the heart of the city. It might be surpassed with an open bamboo auditorium in our beautiful Park, but, being in the hollow square of a great hotel, it is really a marvel of refreshing open air arrangements. Hence on great reason for the never-failing houses of Niblo’s in the summer campaign. Moreover, such variegated, light, fantastical and nonsensical extravaganzas as this of ‘Sinbad,’ with plenty of rhymes, but no reason, and no purpose but fun, are the very thing for summer recreation to the tired citizen or stranger within our gates. Furthermore, the Lauri troupe, in their line really superior to the Ravels, are a great acquisition to this company. Lastly, legs or no legs, ‘Sinbad’ at Niblo’s as now organized is a great hit, and secures a good harvest of fun for the summer to its visitors and of greenbacks to the management, who have the favorite summer house of America.” For more on why this author described at such length the popularity and staying power of Niblo’s Garden and Sinbad the sailor, see event entry of 07/03/69: Articles on the public’s shifting preference for “legitimate” drama.

“At Niblo’s Garden the management signalized the Fourth of July by the production of a new version of the popular burlesque, ‘Sinbad the Sailor.’ The less attractive scenes of the burlesque in its original form have been omitted, and their place supplied by a pantomime and ballet; while new songs and new jokes take the places of those which have grown somewhat too familiar during the last six weeks… [Mostly positive review follows; no mention of music.]

"In its new form ‘Sinbad’ would easily keep its place on the boards until fall. Nevertheless it will be withdrawn early in August, and will be succeeded by ‘Arrah-na-Pogue,’ with Miss Eytinge as the heroine. The next three weeks will, therefore, be the last of the reign of the ‘British Blondes.’ Their invasion of our theaters, their sudden success, and their final and almost total loss of popularity, is one of the most striking and least creditable episodes in the history of the American stage.”

“‘Sinbad the Sailor,’ in a reconstructed form, will be presented at Niblo’s Garden on Monday evening, July 5th. A scene will be introduced for the Lauri Family of pantomimists, who will appear. Graham Elliott, another English importation, who has been playing with the Lauri Troupe, also appears. Lydia Thompson, it is thought, will be able to re-appear on this occasion, also Becket [sic], who has been off duty all the week in consequence of sickness. The Clodoche Troupe will continue the feature of the entertainment. Business has been quite bad of late, and it is thought that this change and combination will pull up the receipts.”

“‘Sinbad the Sailor’ was presented at Niblo’s Garden on the 5th inst. in what was called a reconstructed form, but where the reconstruction was made we failed to see excepting the introduction of the anvil business, the female drum corps and the Lauri Family… we doubt if there were half a dozen new lines introduced, excepting interpolations by the actors themselves. We noticed no change whatever in the first act excepting the introduction of the Lauri Family, who skipped on the stage, gave the slap and a few gymnastic evolutions, and off again. In act second was introduced twenty-four ladies of the ballet dressed as Zouaves, who gave a burlesque performance, anvil chorus on twenty-four anvils, while behind the stage was a constant snapping of caps on pistols, burlesquing the firing of cannons as done at the Jubilee, Boston. This was followed by the twenty-four ladies as a drum corps, beating a drum polka upon twenty-four snare drums, as introduced at Wood’s Museum in ‘Robinson Crusoe.’ This, besides a few tricks by the Lauri Family scattered throughout the performance, and the Clodoche Troupe in a new dance, made up the reconstruction. Lydia Thompson and Harry Beckett did not appear during the week, although announced each night in the programme, Eliza Weathersby played Miss Thompson’s role with so much satisfaction that we think the management should continue to let the lady play it. She is possessed of a charming stage presence, and is, without exception, the most correct and finished actress that has yet appeared in these modern burlesques. Graham Elliott played Beckett’s role, but did not invest it with as much spirit as did the latter gentleman. Business has been pretty good in the lower part of the house the past week, but not so good upstairs. The engagement of this troupe is fast drawing to a close, as ‘Arrah na Pgoue’ is to be produced shortly.”

One of two announcements on the same page. “Miss Lydia Thompson is slowly recovering from her recent severe indisposition, and will probably make her reappearance at Niblo’s next Monday evening in the rollicking ‘Sinbad,’ which role for the past four weeks has been so ably filled by Miss Eliza Wethersby, one of the most vivacious and talented of blonde burlesquers that up to the present time have appeared in this city. Possessed of talent of no mean order, a good figure and a strong, sweet voice, Miss Wethersby [sic; her name is regularly subject to a variety of alternate spellings throughout all of the papers] would, with but very little study, prove as valuable an acquisition to the legitimate drama as she now is to burlesque.”