Wood’s Museum and Metropolitan Theatre

No mention of music.

Not entirely favorable. “…The nursery songs and the accompanying scenes also smack of a too close imitation of ‘Ixion’ to be original… There is a good deal of singing and dancing during the play, which two things are, it may be remarked, its principal attraction, although the chorus in the first act was about the worst ‘riot of voices’ that could have been gotten up anywhere outside of the limits of harmony and concord. Miss Alice Zavistowski as Wilhe Von Swillen, and her sister Emmeline as Wip Wan Winkle, were excellent in their duets and received their due measure of applause during the play. The farce of the ‘Irish Tutor’ preceded the burlesque, which, by the way, ended with a tremendous cancan by the Zavistowski Sisters.”

“It is questionable if the play ‘Rip Van Winkle,’ indebted for its prominence in the dramatic repertory solely to the talent of the great comedian who has made the title-part his own, is to be regarded as substantial enough to furnish a plot for a burlesque. If contrary opinion is entertained, however, it will be interesting to those authors who may share it to know that the parent of the work given at Wood’s Museum last evening has not deprived them of any chance of a fulfillment of their intentions. It is not even a passable production of its kind… Its relationship to the original ‘Rip Van Winkle’ is slight… Taking it as a vehicle for the presentation to the frequenters of the Museum of the Zavistowski Sisters, though, it is not altogether a failure. Emeline, Alice and Christine are young and pretty, and they sing and dance neatly. There are songs enough in ‘Wip Wan Winkle’ to bring each of them into view as vocalists, and a sufficiency of steps to supply all with an exercise which could hardly have been refreshing last night…”

 “The Zavistowski sisters—Emeline, Alice and Christine—made their first appearance last night at Wood’s in a burlesque entitled ‘Wip Wan Winkle.’ The burlesque is in one tedious act, and should not only be divided but considerably reduced. The sisters are young and personally attractive, and they sing, dance and act with spirit and dash. They received most excellent support in Misses Terese Wood and Lisette Bernard.”

Long review of the museum itself in addition to the daily performances. Wip Wan Winkle “is a poor affair… The burlesque was well put on the stage by Mr. Wood, and was handsomely costumed so far as the Zavistowskis are concerned. Emmeline did a banjo solo, and sang to the air of ‘Stop dat Knocking at the Door,’ with full chorus, and was hearily encored. She accompanied herself very well on the banjo. Alice did the song and dance of ‘Love Among the Roses’ exceedingly well, and received an encore. If Alice would not speak quite so fast what she says could be better understood by the audience. Emmeline did the Dutch song of ‘Dat Gal Wot Winked at Me’ capitally, excepting the dialect, which was more Irish than Dutch. Miss Emmeline and Alice are both young and pretty girls, and as talented as any sisters on the stage that make burlesque a specialty. The burlesque on the Clodoche troupe is one of the best and most laughable affairs we have witnessed in a long time, and was received with shouts of laughter. Lizette Bernard, John Morton, George C. Charles and Alice Logan, all valuable members of the company, did as well in their respective roles as their characters would permit.”