Bryants’ Minstrels

“Bryant’s [sic] Minstrels.—These long established and popular favorites never fail to present to their numerous patrons a most enjoyable programme. All the resources of the Ethiopian minstrelsy art are here in fact combined in pleasing perfection. In the first place the artists are faultlessly au fait in their diversified specialities, and in the second place their repertoire is exhaustless in variety. Their aim, in short, has been and is to amuse and give satisfaction, and their twelve years’ experience has shown not only an unfailing and unflagging determination in the former regard, but in the latter particular the most unequivocal and brilliant success. With such sedulous painstaking it is not to be wondered at that they are greeted nightly with crowded houses. The programme last evening presented the usual choice medley—songs humorous, pathetic and sentimental, and the singing, as it always is, most exquisitely artistic, jokes new, spicy and side-splitting, burlesque comicalities, dancing and epitomized dramatizations. It is useless to undertake to describe the superbly splendid series of fun and frolic filling up the evening’s entertainment. Dan Bryant, always a host in himself in the song ‘Goodby, John, Chickobiddy,’ as a conductor of the monster concert Tin-pan-o-ni-on, as Jimmy Mace, the statue, as the Pres-ti-dig-a-tater-ist, as Jack Sheppard, and in the concluding sketch, ‘All’s well that ends well,’ was indescribably droll, and was obliged to submit to two encores of the ‘Goodby, John Chickobiddy.’ The unapproachable Unsworth, in contributing his share of mirth, followed close on Dan’s heels. Eugene was on hand, and in his burlesque imitation of Parepa-Rosa surpassed, if possible, all his previous efforts in the prima donna line. Dave Reed, Griffin, Dempster, Brandisi, Rockefeller and Grier helped in their own grotesque way to make up the quota of the evening’s entertainment. The recent addition to the company has proved a valuable acquisition.”