Budworth’s Minstrels

“A large audience, of which fully one-half was composed of ladies, assembled at the Fifth Avenue Opera House last evening to witness the performance of Budworth’s Minstrels.  While none of the sentimental songs developed any remarkable power of music, the other portions of the programme were excellently given, causing hearty applause and roars of laughter.  The ‘Limerick Races,’ by Mr. W. S. Budworth, was very well rendered.  Mr. Dempster sung the ‘German Band’ and ‘Echoes from Fatherland,’ both comic pieces and was heartily greeted.  A caricature of “The Stranger” between Mr. W.S. Budworth and Mr. Hodgkin, was a most luscious and well delineated scene.  A cornet solo by J. Garatagui was also very good.  The performance concluded with the Capture of Fort Fisher, which, as heretofore, occasioned much amusement.”

Part of “City Summary” article.

“…Although, at the close of the past season, the indications were that but a single troupe would occupy the field of minstrelsy during the present campaign, yet already three companies have thrown their colored posters to the breeze, and dumped themselves in our midst, one of these being the celebrated San Francisco party, while the new comers are Hussey & Taylor’s California Minstrels, and Budworth’s party, the latter taking up their quarters at the Fifth Avenue Opera House, ‘as you may plainly see’ by looking over our extended list of advertisements. ‘Our Jim,’ who has been to see the latter party, requests us to give publicity to the following lines which, he says, he made out of his own head, and with his left hand tied behind him:—

So Budworth has to New York come—

Another band deposing;

In autumn time, song-lovers think,

This is a bud worth nosing.”