Niblo’s Garden

Complete cast.

“A full minstrel band, specially engaged, was much applauded during a brief concert at the outset of the second act, last night.”

Complete cast. “The minstrel company of Messrs. Simmons and Slocum was seen in the second of the two sets of the burlesque, and was recognized as very good. They come hither from Philadelphia. To the gallery, in particular, which was largely populated, they proved especially welcome. Mrs. Wood’s song, ‘His Heart was True to Poll’—the same that Miss Thompson sang last summer at Wallack’s—proved a dashing piece of comic vocalism, and was loudly applauded.”

Brief. “Mrs. Wood’s song, ‘Poll and Partner Joe,’ is given with inimitable grace and vivacity, and secures nightly a double encore. The Philadelphia minstrels seem to give satisfaction to the audience, so that the whole piece may be deemed a success.”

“…abounds with song and dance music, jigs and walk arounds, and has a full band of blacked-up negro minstrels.”

“A negro concert by Simmons & Slocum’s company occurred as an incidental feature of the burlesque, but it was so unreasonably protracted as to warrant a doubt whether the evening’s entertainment was a burlesque with incidental minstrelsy, or a minstrel concert with incidental burlesque.”

“Mrs. Wood plays and sings with infinite dash and spirit…An entertaining feature introduced into the play is the performance of the Simmons & Slocum minstrel troupe from Philadelphia. The sing, very well indeed, several of the latest ballads, managing the choruses with much taste and skill, while their jokes are fresher than one usually hears among the sable brotherhood. The applause they meet with every night proves their popularity.”

Complete cast. “During the commencement of the second act Simmons and Slocum’s Minstrels, from Philadelphia, Pa., occupied the stage for some time with a minstrel entertainment, which may be pronounced first-class, the end men exhibiting considerable comic ability, the interlocutor being dignified and distinct in his enunciation, while the quartet of vocalists was excellent. A youth won considerable applause for singing, in an excellent manner, the trite ballad, ‘Driven from Home.’” “During the past two weeks Mr. Napier Lothian, the conductor of the orchestra of the Boston Theatre, Boston, Mass., has occupied a similar position at this theatre, he having temporarily exchanged positions with Signor G. Operti.”