In a street of the city, not more than four miles from the City Hall, in
humble imitation of the magnificent temples of the Drama erected by
ambitious managers in more pretentious portions of the town, the sable
portion of our population have also built an appropriate mansion wherein
is supposed to reside the dingy Genius of Ebony Theatricals.
A portrait of some sable Garrick adorns the drop curtain; a thick-lipped
lady of dark complexion on one side of the proscenium represents the
Goddess of Tragedy; and on the other a woolly-headed brunette in short
skirts is supposed to stand for the Goddess of Comedy.
What though the portrait of the African Roscius in the drop centre,
instead of Classic Roman robes, is attired in a swallow-tailed coat,
with brass buttons and a red velvet collar? and what if the two ladies
before mentioned are resplendent in sky-blue dresses and yellow turbans?
perhaps their unusual garb is quite as appropriate to the atmosphere of
the place, as the more elaborate, more classic, more costly, but
considerably less gaudy wardrobe allotted to corresponding divinities in
more fashionable Theatres.
The appointments generally at this place might not be considered very
tasteful by the "white trash," who get their ideas of propriety from
Wallack's or Burton's; but any impartial observer will admit that the
scenery is more creditable than the dirty green and brick-red
abomination of the Metropolitan, or the paint and canvas hash with Dutch
metal seasoning, which has been for years a standing dish at the
Broadway, and which is still served up nightly to a surfeited audience.
The female visitors who attend the delectable performances of the
talented corps of this colored establishment, do not make themselves
quite so ridiculous with their dress as their white competitors, but it
is only because they have not the money to be as fashionable; the desire
is probably fully as strong, but the cash don't hold out.
And as the white folks, in the construction of their pieces for dramatic
representation, sometimes represent in a peculiar light the warmer
blooded passions of their "dark complected" neighbors, in retaliation
the colored dramatists reverse the order and make the white men in their
drama wait upon the colored heroes, black their boots, groom their
imaginary horses, brush their coats, and perform all the varied round of
servile duties which in representatives of the same plays by white men
are assigned to them.
The play of Othello is the single exception--they make the Venetian
warrior a white man in a red roundabout, who makes fierce love to
Desdemona, who is the molasses-colored child of a respectable darkey
whitewasher.
Lorgnettes, Opera-hoods, and white kids are not exhibited here in such
profusion as in some other places of amusement; on the contrary, green
spectacles, sun-bonnets, and calico dresses are rather in the ascendant.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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