The opera is “preceded each evening by a screaming comic farce.”

“…With the exception of one or two things done by one or two actors who have the honor to support Mrs. James A. Oates, we saw nothing worthy of commendation in the performances. The engagement of this company here closes with this week.”

“Mons. Chouflouri,’ adapted from the French of Offenbach, was sung and acted, last night, at the Olympic Theater, in presence of about 400 persons. It has been seen before on the local stage, under a different name, and under more favorable circumstances than those that surrounded it last night. At best it is a trifle. Mrs. Oates acted with spirit, if not with invariable good taste. The several noisy concentrated airs of this musical farce—in which there was not a melodious note nor a ray of real humor, were sung by Mr. H. T. Allen and Mr. W. H. Tilla with vigorous emphasis and occasional gleams of comical mood. For the most part, though, the representation was bald and commonplace to rather an extraordinary extent. Mr. W. H. Crane refreshed the populace with some of the ancient stage fun that Noah used to enjoy, when ‘All that Glitters’ was acted before him, in the ark. Mr. Crane, however, is clever at antic, and a good deal of an artist.”

“M. Choufleury at Home.

Offenbach’s amusing operetta with this title was the chief attraction at the Olympic Theatre last night. This fertile composer has written a great many operettas, all of which show more or less the lively, sparkling and gay qualities of his music. ‘M. Choufleury’ is evidently one of his minor works, for, with the exception of one air, it is scarcely Offenbach at all, so full is it of reminiscences of Meyerbeer, Donizetti and other composers. [Provides plot synopsis.]

Mrs. Oates, who possesses a good voice, vivacity, and chic, is the life and soul of the whole affair. M. Tilla does his best. Mr. Crane, who takes the part of a German servant, is very amusing and kept the audience in the best of humor. The operetta will be performed with a farce every evening this week.”

“If called upon to define the kind of dramatic entertainment to which belongs the principal part of the programme at the Olympic Theatre last evening, even the most familiar with the theatre would be puzzled to assign it a place. It is, according to managerial announcement, an English version of Offenbach’s comic opera of ‘Monsieur Choufleuri.’ That it is such a thing no one who was present at the Olympic last evening will believe. Of course we predicate this assertion upon the idea that the librettist who is associated with M. Offenbach is a Frenchman, and not a New Yorker, to whom our local politics are as a book in which are written in prominence two plain words, ‘Apollo’ and ‘Tammany,’ and no more that can be understood. But, it will be said that the piece which was played last night was a ‘free’ translation of ‘Monsieur Choufleuri.’ That simply means it was no translation, but merely a transfer of plot from French opéra bouffe into English burlesque or farce, or whatever else one may please to term the strange creation. Even in the French version ‘Monsieur Choufleuri’ is a hybrid, and the least amusing of the Parisian composer’s works. Even that scheme of shrugs and wriggles, which is well known to frequenters of the true opéra bouffe, would not add to the piece, and even though it would, that element of pleasure would be lacking in Mrs. Oates’s performance. She cannot successfully express the system. She is vivacious, even noisy; but those qualities are properly connected with Anglican burlesque and not with French opéra bouffe[.]”

“Mrs. James A. Oates and her comic opera company closed their engagement at the Olympic Theatre with the performances of Saturday evening, Oct. 25. On the 20th the entertainment commenced with the farce of ‘The Alarming Sacrifice,’ followed by Offenbach’s comic opera of ‘Mons. Choufleuri, or the Prima Donna of a Night.’ Mrs. Oates, who appeared to advantage as Ernestine, a school-girl attired in a short dress, acted with much vivacity and piquancy. Harry T. Allen, who joined the troupe on that evening, gave an able impersonation of Mons. Choufleuri. W. H. Tilla was quite satisfactory as Babylas, and sang effectively the music allotted him. W. H. Crane was happy in his conception and embodiment of Peterman, a Dutch servant. J. H. Jones invested Balandard, a retired butcher, with much character. Edward Horan as Busterman, Miss Nellie Allen as Mme. Blandard, and Miss Adele Wood as Mme. Busterman, were satisfactory. This bill was continued on Friday evening.”