Little Red Riding Hood

Event Information

Venue(s):
Robinson Hall

Manager / Director:
John E. [actor-manager] McDonough
H. A. Earnshaw

Conductor(s):
D. Frank Tully

Price: $1 reserved; $.50; “children always half price”

Event Type:
Band, Minstrel

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
11 January 2025

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

09 Sep 1873, All Day
10 Sep 1873, All Day
11 Sep 1873, All Day
12 Sep 1873, All Day
13 Sep 1873, All Day

Program Details

Every afternoon at 3pm; every evening at 8pm.

Performers and/or Works Performed

Citations

1)
Announcement: New York Clipper, 23 August 1873, 166.
2)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 31 August 1873, 4.

“…from St. James’ Great Hall, London, where they recently gave 400 consecutive representations…An entertainment distinguished by Charles Dickens in his notes entitled ‘Pictures of Italy.’”

3)
Announcement: New York Herald, 03 September 1873, 3.

“…Mr. Macdonough, one of the managers, is an experienced purveyor of public amusement, and has acquitted himself fairly in almost every grade between classical tragedy and travelling shows.”

4)
Announcement: New York Herald, 06 September 1873, 8.

Announces a “private exhibition” of the show that night. “The figures are forty-five inches high and look much larger. They are ‘worked’ by thirteen male and female performers, who occupy positions above the stage, are of course, invisible to the audience, and have followed this branch of the profession for many years. The scenery has all been painted abroad, and quite as great pains appear to have been taken with the accessories as though the puppets were human.”

5)
Review: New York Herald, 07 September 1873, 7.

Review of “private exhibition” announced in the Herald on the previous day: “We can only say that it [the performance] promises to become exceedingly popular with the younger portion of the community.”

6)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 07 September 1873, 13.

“The Royal Marionettes from St. James Hall, London.” Gives an outline of the performance (includes “Tommy and Sarah,” “Celestial Dances,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” etc.).

7)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 09 September 1873, 4.

“An amusing and decidedly novel entertainment may henceforward be attended, afternoon and evening…It includes a brief concert, in the style of that of the minstrels, a series of comic acts, and a patomime [sic] and fairy spectacle. All these performances, it may be urged, are not very novel, but their newness consists in the fact that they are supplied by marionettes, or puppets, who have their being on a pretty little stage especially fitted up for their use…” Further description of the performance, but no mention of music.

8)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 11 September 1873, 7.

"Houses crowded to witness The Children’s Ballet, The Fantoccini, The Comic Mules, The Chinese Dancers, The Fairy Pantomime, Little Red Riding Hood, Gorgeous Transformation, The Flight of Neptune.”

9)
Review: New York Clipper, 13 September 1873, 190.

Reviews a “private exhibition” given to the press on the evening of September 6. “…The little theatre where the puppets perform is complete in every respect, the scenery magnificent, the music good…”

10)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 15 September 1873, 2.

“Messrs. John E. McDonough and H. A. Earnshaw have imported from London…a set of Marionettes, the property of Mr. W. J. Bullock…These dolls have long enjoyed popularity with the British public, and their exceeding merit entitles them to the amplest success here…In these marionettes we discern nothing but excellence…They sing, they dance, they strut about…A Band, led by Prof. D. F. Tully, supplies the music.” Goes on, but no further mention of music.

11)
Review: New York Clipper, 20 September 1873, 196.

Describes the puppets. “…The first part consists of a minstrel entertainment, consisting of songs and choruses, winding up with a break-down by the whole company. During the second part…an old salt danced a sailor’s hornpipe; Pat and Biddy an Irish jig…Tommy and Sarah sang a duet…a Chinaman sang a song; and the part closed with a dance by three Chinese. All the performers were appropriately and correctly costumed, and the voices seemed to really issue from the figures. The final part consisted of the pantomime of ‘Little Red Riding Hood.’ The dialogue of the opening was well written and liberally interspersed with songs and dances…A small but efficient orchestra furnishes popular music, and the corps of performers, who speak the dialogue and sing the vocal music behind the scenes, deserve praise…”