Ravels

Part of an overview of attractions for the week. “There’s Gabriel, the elder, still great in tricks, he must be upward now of sixty; he is not as nimble as he was before, though it’s not to be expected of a man at three score—still, he does his biz remarkably well, for such an old fellow as Gabriel; Antoine is also good, though younger than his brother; there’s but two of them, ‘and he’s the other’—he’s the clown, and is provocative of much laughter—they do say he left here a few years ago to escape the draft or something of that sort, then prevailing, which created at that time much weeping and wailing. . . . Young America is a trump card, of great expectation; he performs very neatly the Zampillaerostation; in fact, there’s some rare people with this ancient institution, and they crowd Niblo’s nightly, without the least diminution.”

“Pantomime reigns supreme at Niblo’s just now with Gabrielle [sic] and Antoine Ravel as the principal features, backed up by several performers that came over with them, as well as members of the Martinetti and Lehman Families.  There is no entertainment that can be placed upon the stage more popular with the million than a well digested pantomime.  Its antiquity, too, with those who have a penchant for things venerable, is something of a recommendation, for it was known to the Greek and Roman stages, being introduced on the latter by Vylados and Bythyllas, in the days of Julius Caesar. From that time to the present different modifications of this kind of representation have taken place, and the lofty scenes of ancient pantomime are degenerated now to the adventures of harlequin, pantaloon, etc.  Several years ago, when Gabriel Ravel was in his prime, he was as nimble as a cat, and did his tricks with as much ease and grace as any one would wish to see; but age will creep on the best of us, and so it has with Gabriel, and we find him now anything but the performer he was ten years ago.  They commenced their engagement at Niblo’s, after an absence of three years, on the evening of the 18th inst., and, notwithstanding it was one of the most disagreeable nights we have encountered for a long time—the rain coming down in torrents—the house was crowded in every part, and standing room was out of the question.  On the 19th, the night was a very pleasant one, the temperature being just right for indoor amusement.  Long before the performance commenced the house was packed to suffocation, and the vestibule so crowded with standers, that when the curtain rose it was impossible for any one outside to get even a sight of the stage. The stairways leading to the second circle were crowded with ladies who stood there the whole evening. When we arrived at the theatre, ladies and gentlemen were coming away in droves, and it is estimated that over 500 persons were turned away unable to gain admittance. There was one thing we were glad to notice, and that was the refusal on the part of the ushers to allow camp stools to be placed in the aisle of the parquet (although they did allow them in the aisles of the parquet circle, which is just as bad if not worse than placing them in the parquet.) If the manager has determined to study the comfort of his audiences let him abolish the practice of placing stools in the parquet circle. The evening performance commenced with the farce of the ‘Whites and the Browns,’ introducing Mr. and Mrs. Gomersall [sic] as Mr. and Mrs. White. This couple are two very clever artists, and posses as much real genuine talent as any other couple on the American stage.  The lady is young, petite, very prepossessing in appearance and looks charming on the stage.  She is possessed of a clear, musical voice, and acts with considerable spirit.  Her operatic imitations were very good, and her singing of ‘Don’t you Remember the Day,’ and ‘When a little Farm we Keep,’ with her husband, were cleverly done, and deservedly encored.  Mr. Gomersal is an excellent low comedian, possessed of a good figure, and a fund of original humor.  His performance was well balanced throughout, and we never saw the farce played to better advantage.  After the farce, the fantastic ballet of the ‘Alchemist’ was performed, introducing Gabriel Ravel, the pantomime and ballet company, as well as Signorita Pepita, the premier danseuse.  This lady will certainly make a sensation, for she is one of the most accomplished danseuses of the French school that has appeared in this country for a long time.  Her whole physique enters into the dance, and she has a keen perception of the beautiful, in repose and in action. The applause so freely lavished upon her she was fully entitled to. She is full of passion, fire, abandon, and energy, and is a great card with the Ravels. ‘Jeanette and Jeanotte’ followed, with Gabriel Ravel in the principal character. It afforded considerable amusement to the audience, and passed off with great eclat. The performance concluded with Young America in the Zampillaerostation set, but it was the same as he did it at Laura Keen’s [sic] Theatre, when Mrs. English’s troupe was there.  There was a great deal of time lost in waiting between the acts, making it very tedious; it takes a great deal of time to lay down the platform for Young America’s performance.  The theatre has been densely crowded every evening throughout the week.”