Pied du mouton

“The Buislay Family did not make their opening appearance at the New Bowery on the 16th, as announced, owing to the incomplete state of some of their preparations. Although a notice of the postponement appeared in a few of Saturday’s papers, there was quite a large gathering of persons at the theatre, both afternoon and evening, and their disappointment was great when they saw the postponement placards posted on the doors. However, it is thought that everything will be in readiness by this evening, when the ‘Sheep’s Afoot’ and the Buislays will come before a New York audience to receive a verdict at their hands. It is the impression that the aerial feats of the Buislays will create a marked sensation in the metropolis.”

“The Buislay Family—all the way from the Pacific slope—made their appearance before a New York audience on Monday evening, June 18th, at the new Bowery Theatre. Notwithstanding the prices of admission were doubled, the house was well-filled in every part. The piece produced on the occasion was a three-act something called the ‘Sheep’s Foot,’ but, as we are supposed to be well versed in foreign languages, for our convenience it is announced as ‘La Pied du Mouton.’ It is a rather nonsensical affair, silly in language, and not much better in plot—it might be called a ‘talking pantomime,’ with a love-sock youth in pursuit of another lover—a sort of clown; a good fairy is introduced, who gives a sheep’s foot to the first lover, which has the same power as the Harlequin’s wand, changing existing arrangements, and undoing well-meant plans without the least regard to consequences. The piece serves to introduce some pretty scenery and novel effects—one of the best being the changing of a tower in the sea on which the two lovers are standing into a spiral stairway, which they descend to a boat and then make their escape; there is another pretty, effective change, that of a summer into a winter scene, with skaters gliding about in a very awkward manner; the redeeming point in the skating being the clever evolutions of Miss Carrie Moore on parlor skates. Throughout the piece we have demons, tricks, traps, and transformations, and all the accessories necessary to a proper development of the business of the play. During the second act, the great ‘Niagra Leap’ is performed by two of the Buislays. This consists in the first performer swinging himself—by means of two ropes—from the upper tier of boxes across the auditorium to the proscenium, where he clutches with his feet a pendant trapeze; he then raises himself a few feet higher, and running his feet through two rings, hangs suspended head downward, holding in his hands a trapeze; the second performer then swings from the upper tier, the same as previously described, and reaching the trapeze held by the other, goes through a variety of feats, while thus suspended. Such a spontaneous outburst of genuine applause as greeted this thrilling performance is seldom heard within the walls of any theatre. It was enthusiastic and prolonged, and attested the satisfaction of the spectators at what they had witnessed. The act was neatly done from beginning to end, and though it is new here, it will not be long before it will be attempted by dozens of other performers, for it is not really difficult, although looking so to those not up in such business. We have not yet seen a sufficient number of the Buislays feats to warrant us in instituting a comparison between them and the Hanlons; what few acts they have thus far given us, have been performed in a clean and artistic style. When we have seen them in other feats, we shall have more to say of them. But to return to our ‘Moutons.’ Were it not for the scenic and other effects, the play of the ‘Sheep’s Foot’ would be very tedious. The principal characters were performed by Miss Sallie Hinckley, who, in tights, looked very pretty, but whose acting was but mediocre—Miss Alicia Mandeville Thorne and Mr. Fred. Woodhull, who made as much out of their parts as could be made. The rest of the characters were passably rendered. The attendance throughout the week has been good, the audience being of a higher grade than are usually to be seen in our east side dramatic temples. We advise those who have not seen the Buislays, to visit the New Bowery this week.”