Contributor |
Atkinson, Charles F., associated name. |
Title |
Mirth! music! originality! The success of the season! "Jollities" [graphic]. |
Publisher |
[Boston] : [publisher not identified] |
Publisher |
MASS. Boston. 1880 |
Date |
[ca. 1880] |
Physical Description |
1 print : lithograph ; sheet 11 x 8 cm (4.5 x 3 in.) |
Description |
Racist trade card promoting “The Electrical Doll” play at the Gaiety Theatre in Boston. Depicts a caricature of an older African
American man, possibly a peddler, carrying a dead duck and a basket of produce. The man is balding and has tufts of white
hair on the sides of his head and is attired in plaid pants, a collared shirt, a collared jacket, and a plaid scarf tied around
his neck. He holds a dead duck by the legs in his left hand. Around his left shoulder, he carries a straw handled basket,
which has the leaves of a vegetable sticking out of it. Behind him in the background is a shelf that has a bottle and a glass
on it. The Gaiety Theatre in Boston was located on Washington Street between West and Avery Streets. The 800-seat theater
operated from 1878 to 1882 when it became the Bijou Theatre. Charles Atkinson with his Jollities theatre troupe produced comedic
plays, including “The Electrical Doll,” which was written by Clinton G. Parrefield with music by J. Adalim. It first appeared
in December, 1879 and ran for a number of years in America and Europe.
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Notes |
Title from item. |
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Publication information and date inferred from the content. |
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Text printed on the recto: (Over.) |
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Advertising text printed on the verso: Boston Press Notes. [Boston Herald, Dec. 14.]“Standing room only.” and precious little
of that, was what late comers at the Gaiety Theatre found last evening. One of the largest audiences ever gathered in this
cosy little house extended to the ‘Jollities’ Combination such a welcome as to dispel all doubts, if, indeed, any existed,
that the levees to be given during the present week by “The Electrical Doll” will be little short of a perfect ovation.” [Boston
Post, Dec. 14.] “The ‘Jollities’ presented the ‘Electrical Doll,” the funniest of all musical absurdities, before an over-flowing
house last evening at the Gaiety, and gave universal satisfaction.” [Boston Globe, Dec. 14.] The Jollities. “There was not
a vacant seat at the cosy Gaiety last evening. Why? Simply from the fact that Manager Gouge, who knows just what a Boston
audience requires, gave one of the best performances that has graced this theatre this season. If good acting, splendid singing,
bright and witty dialogue, with a capital orchestra—whose sparkling music was rendered under the baton of J.A. Norris in such
an acceptable manner that encores were demanded—deserve to be called first-class, then a faint idea may be conceived of the
excellencies of the Jollities Combination entertainment.”
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[Boston Journal, Dec. 14.] Gaiety Theatre—“The Jollities Combination is well named, for jollier lot of performers could scarcely
be brought together. At the Gaiety Theatre, last night, they appeared before a large audience in a two-act musical piece entitled
‘The Electrical Doll.” On the bills the piece is called an ‘absurdity,’ and it is deliciously absurd, yet marked by a consistency
that places it as a composition for the stage very far ahead of the majority of similar productions. The Jollities deserve
full houses during their stay of a week, and all who attend their clever entertainments are certain to be pleased.”
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Printed with green ink. |
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Gift of David Doret. |
Subject |
Gaiety Theatre (Boston, Mass.) |
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African American men -- Caricatures and cartoons. |
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Baskets. |
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Ducks. |
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Older people. |
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Peddlers. |
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Racism in popular culture. |
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Selling. |
Genre |
Lithographs -- 1870-1880. |
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Trade cards -- 1870-1880. |
Associated name |
Atkinson, Charles F., associated name. |
Location |
Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Goldman Trade Card Collection - Gaiety [P.2017.95.67] |
Accession number |
P.2017.95.67 |