Kelly and Leon’s Minstrels

The “return of the ONLY LEON, on which occasion he will appear in EIGHT CHARACTERS.”

“The minstrelsy of the present age may not be as romantic as that of the medieval troubadours, but it is quite safe to say that it is vastly more entertaining and decidedly more funny. Any one doubting this should make a visit to Kelly & Leon’s little theatre. Here the favorite minstrels of the day do their best to amuse!! not instruct. The two end men, Wilson and Purdy, keep their audience in the best of spirits with their comical songs and jokes; Mr. Edwin Kelly sings ballads in a pleasing style; two lads, masters Cawthorne and Fink, possessing fine voices, sing selected songs in a most creditable manner, giving good promise of future excellence. In the second part of the programme the ‘Only Leon’ appears, eliciting at once the warmest applause of the audience. In one of his songs he gives a ludicrous imitation of Parepa, as she sang at the Coliseum. In the operetta ‘Lischen and Fritschen’ he appears with Kelly, always winning an encore in the duet. The programme concludes with a most amusing burlesque entitled ‘Frow Frow.’ Altogether, now that the nights are cooler, the minstrel hall of Kelly & Leon offers a very attractive place of summer amusement.”

“Ethiopia is not so hot as ardent travelers paint it, nor are Africa’s sands so burning as sung by Bishop Haber; which being translated means that the playground whereon Kelly & Leon and their comrades disport is the coolest place of amusement in the city, as well as Wallack’s, Booth’s, and Niblo’s &c. Leon is a marvel of vitality and versatility. In the duet of Litzchen and Fritzchen, with Mr. Kelly, he is especially good, and is well supported by his vocal partner, who has a good voice and knows how to use it. Leon, too, has evidently been at a feast of languages and picked up the scraps, for he drops into French, Italian and German ‘in a friendly way,’ as if native and to the manor born. The ‘end men,’ Purdy and Wilson, delight us with the cherished conundrums of our childhood, which may certainly be numbered among the things of beauty which are joys forever. Purdy is a genuine humorist; indeed, the whole entertainment is bright and excellent, and an hour with the blacks will certainly drive off the blues.”

“...An improvement in lighting the stage has been adopted during the week, all the gas having been dispensed with and a calcium light substituted; the advantage consists in getting a softer, clearer light, which does not fatigue the eye, also getting rid of the great heat evolved from the large number of gas lights usually employed, and which is ever wafted in the face of the audience by the current air of which sets in that direction the moment the curtain is raised. The calcium light is placed in the flies, out of sight of the audience, and the rays are reflected down upon the stage.”