Barnum’s American Museum

Event Information

Venue(s):
Barnum's American Museum [JAN 1842-JUL 1865]

Price: $.25; .15 children under 10; .50 front seats in the balcony and parquet; .30 front seats for children under 10

Event Type:
Play With Music, Variety / Vaudeville

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
16 July 2011

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

09 May 1864, All Day
10 May 1864, All Day
11 May 1864, All Day
12 May 1864, All Day
13 May 1864, All Day
14 May 1864, All Day

Program Details

Harrison and Stoepel performed between the acts of Belphegor.

[Ennery]: Belphegor; or, The mountebank and his wife, grand serio-comic drama with music, dance and tableaux (includes: “Rustic dance” act 1 (Ernestine); duet, “Happy and Gay” act 1; “Grand Pas Seul” act 2 (Ernestine); tableaux act 2.

3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. every day

Performers and/or Works Performed

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 08 May 1864, 7.
Belphegor, or the Mountebank and his Wife with new and beautiful scenery, costumes, music and dances.”
2)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 09 May 1864.
Prices, cast, works.  Numerous small ads for Ernestine.  “From the Grand Opera, Paris.”
3)
Announcement: New-York Times, 09 May 1864, 4.

4)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 10 May 1864, 7.
“ACT 1. Village and French Fair—Belphegor, the Showman—Rustic Dance—Duet, ‘Happy and Gay’—Interior of Belphegor’s Garret.”
5)
Review: New-York Times, 11 May 1864, 4.
“There was a complete change of dramatic performance at this establishment yesterday.  Instead of the sorrows of the unfortunate Cudjo we had the trials and tribulations of poor Belphegor the mountebank, who marries a noble wife without knowing it and for a time loses her.  The play (‘Belphegor’) has been given many times in this City, and always with success, although the success does not seem to hold good for a lengthened period. This is the more strange as it is construction is excellent, and the situations are frequently of the most pathetic kind. The objection of length which the French original possesses is not experienced at Barnum’s, and the procrustean process which it has undergone has rather improved the work than otherwise. In its present form it is certainly a powerful and excellent work. Mr. Barnum has placed it on the stage in the exceedingly creditable manner that characterizes all his productions. The various parts are well distributed among the regular members of the company, Mrs. J. J. Prior, Miss C. Allford, Mr. Nagle and Mr. Hadaway being especially good. The small but important part of Henri was played very deliciously by Miss Addie Le Brun. In the ball-room scene of the second act, Mlle. Ernestein, the danseuse, who recently made a favorable impression at the Academy of Music, appeared in a pas seul.  She is a young and pleasant artiste, and must become a favorite with the audience—provided she does not make her dance too short.”
6)
Review: New York Post, 13 May 1864, 2.
“At Barnum’s Museum, the hard-working and efficient dramatic company is playing with great acceptation the pathetic yet amusing play of “Belphegor the Mounteback,” with Mr. Nagle in the chief part. The veteran Hadaway, who at seventy exhibits an agility and volubility worthy of seventeen, is the Shallaballa—a name which seems to give great delection [sic] to the exuberant Miss Alford who takes the part of Clementina. Otherwise the play is respectably performed; while between the acts occur those strange, not to say startling, displays of giants, chiefs, and albinos which are only to be seen at Barnum’s. Mr. Stoepel’s remarkable and masterly musical performances on the wood and straw instrument are, also, to be remembered, and Mr. Harrison’s very ingenious comic improvisations on local events.