Tammany Hall

“There is a nightly crowd at Tammany of between four and five thousand people. The entertainments are excellent, and the management in all its departments perfect. [Some of the program is given]”

“This popular establishment is still rich in its multitudinous varieties, and the grand theatre is consequently nightly filled to overflowing. Among the additional attractions which have been added to the vast concern since the opening is the Café Amusant, where ‘oysters in every style’ are served up by a master hand. A handspome panorama of Scotland, disclosing some of the principal views of that country, is also being exhibited, together with the rollicking diversions of ‘Punch and Judy,’ at which the young people screech with delight. Maffit’s comic pantomime, ‘Robert Macaire, or the Two Fugitives,’ was one of the features of the lengthened programme. It is a burlesque on the drama of that name, and the effect last night was highly amusing. The veritable Robert could not have been more satisfactorily impersonated, while Maffit as Jacques Strop hopped about like a kangaroo, to the immense gratification of the audience. Altogether, the entire entertainment was thoroughly appreciated. The Tammany is now takin a firm stand among the favorite institutions of the city, and the increasing attendance of the fair sex will doubtless add to its popularity.”

No mention of music.

“The TAMMANY continues to do an immense business, its building being crowded to suffication every evening in every part. After nine o’clock it is an impossibility to obtain a seat in any portion of the theatre proper or down in the Café Amusant, where Punch and Judy have their votaries, or is the Salon de Concert, where promenaders can listen to the music of a string band or witness the Panorama of Scotland and Roberts’ Magic Tableaux. The ballet is one of the most attractive features of the evening’s amusement. There are sixteen coryphees. Composed of many of the ladies who originally appeared here in the ‘Black Crook,’ led by Marie Bonfanti, Mons. And Mlle. Carle. Mons. Carle is a clever male dancer, while the lady is a pleasing and gracefulmistress of Terpsichore. Bonfanti holds the affections of the public, but does not show any signs of improvement in her dancing. She depends altogether upon her toe movements. Marietta Zanfretta appeared in one act on the tightrope, and met with a warm reception. The Dashwood Sisters, two very pleasing vocalists, appeared in a burlesque love scene called ‘The Love of a Prince,’ in which they danced and sang themselves in to the good graces of the audience, and received a hearty encore. They have already made a favorable impression. The Victorellis Brothers appeared in a triple trapeze act. Previous to their performance they have a net spread directly under the trapeze and over the heads of the musicians in the orchestra, which is a capital idea, for it at one dispels any fear the audience may have in case of either falling. They are clever performers, nothing more. They do nothing but what has been done by all first class trapeze performers for a long time. The pantomime of ‘Robert Macaire,’ which followed, was one of the dreariest, tamest, and lamest affirs we have witnessed in a long time, and Messrs. Maffit and Bartholomew ought to be sent up for six months for so inflicting an audience. Instead of playing about fifteen or twenty minutes, it was dragged out to nearly an hour, until many became so disgusted that they were driven out of the house. It weas crammed full of nonsensical business and we never witnessed a performance that dragged as that did. Maffit and Bartholomew are both excellent patomimists, but the best of performers sometimes over-step the mark. Robert T. Green sang ‘My Old Friend John’ very well, but he can’t sing ‘The Cottage by the Sea.’ [illeg] Clarke has failed to make an impression as a comic vocalist. His style borders too much on what is professionally called the sheet-iron style. Sheridan and Mack do a song and dance in white face, and by their performance it is evident that they do not feel so much at home as in burnt cork. On Thursday evening, just as Getz’s transformation scene of ‘Birth of the New Year’ commenced to unfold, a portion of the light stuff came in contact with one of the gas lights and in an instant the fire shot up through like a train of powder. Several of the stage hands rushe don and smothered it and all the lights around it were put out, but not before an alarm had been started in the audience, as every one in the house could see it. For a minute quite a panic was raised and a rush was made for the stairs, but the alarm was as quickly stopped and no one was hurt. It was a miraculous escape, for had it gained headway the loss of life would have been terrible, as over two thousand people were in the auditorium, more than half of whom were up two lond flights of stairs. On Saturday evening, the 23d inst., Risley’s Japanese Troupe appeared.”