San Francisco Minstrels

“’The trouble commenced at eight o’clock’ last night at the San Francisco Minstrels; that is to say, at that hour the audience began to find it difficult to find seats in the comfortable auditorium. At that hour, too, ‘the trouble’ commenced with the audience, inasmuch as the curtain rose upon the twelve blacked men who for some years past have held a high place in the popular favor as the exponents of negro minstrelsy. The opening part of the performance was excellent, introducing the quartet, and also the soloists of the company. Among the latter Mr. D. S. Wambold must not be forgotten, who sang a very beautiful ballad, ‘Come, Sit by My Side, Darling,’ with that peculiar effectiveness which has made his name a byword among the frequenters of minstrel ‘shows’ in this city. Charley Backus and Billy Birch did the comic in the first portion of the programme, and indulged in a selection of jokes, which, if not new, were good enough to put the audience into convulsive laughter. The second portion of the programme, properly called the ‘feast of fun,’ continued to keep the audience in the same state of laughter as the first. Billy West indulged in banjo songs hitting at the popular topic of the day. Bobby Newcomb sang some of his popular songs and did some tall dancing. Bernard, Backus and Birch burlesqued the ‘Fat Men’s ball,’ and appeared in some very original and laughable negro sketches. The whole performance concluded with the pantomime, ‘Hash,’ which was mainly acted by Messrs. Leggett and Allen, and included some good scenes and clever mechanical tricks.

“The entire programme was excellent, and if anyone is troubled with the blues a visit to the San Francisco Minstrels would do him more good than any medicine that could be taken.”