76
BUFFALO BILL.
On next Thursday evening Buffalo Bill in Prairie Waif will appear at the Keokuk opera house. The play is one of the strongest border dramas ever written and in it Mr. Cody appears to splendid advantage. The Clinton Age speaks of the performance as follows: "Bill himself showed to splendid advantage. His rifle shooting beats anything we ever saw. The company supporting is a strong one- all are good. The Indians are the pure genuine article. Bill always performs just what he advertises and more too, hence the secret of his success. He always has big houses and justly deserves them."
77
BUFFALO BILL.
To-morrow evening, at the Keokuk opera house, Buffalo Bill will appear to a large audience in "Prairie Waif." Commenting on the entertainment the Cleveland Herald says:
The Academy of Music was packed from pit to dome last night, the seats were all occupied and the lobbies were crowded. The enthusiasm opened with the rise of the curtain, increased with each act, and was at white heat at the close. The audience came to admire and enjoy and did both to their hearts' content. Of course there are a great many theatre-goers to whom the border drama has no attraction, but those who take pleasure in that line can find nothing better than Mr. W. F. Cody and his "Prairie Waif." The play is a new one for this season, and has some very pretty scenes. There is less blood letting, fewer scalps taken, and not so many Indian forays as have occurred in pieces of the sort presented before. The second act contains a lovemaking scene which "Bill" plays with a naturalness that suggests great experience in younger days. His fancy shooting is admirable. He has a very good support, especially in Miss Fletcher as "Oneta," Mr. Keen as "Hans," and Mr. Charles as "Captain Russell." The rest of the support is good, and the Indians add a most attractive picture. Cody himself is the same cool, natural, and handsome fellow that Cleveland has become so well acquainted with, and his play is clean and pretty. It will be presented to-night and to-morrow night, and at the Saturday matinee."
78
AMUSEMENTS.
BUFFALO BILL.
The devotes to yellow back literature were out in full force last evening the attraction being the renowned and famous Buffalo Bill, in his much advertised Prairie Waif, which, it is claimed, is an exact portrayal of border life. By half past 7 o'clock the house was packed from the pit to the dome with a sort of a mixed audience. The gods of the sky-parlor were out in full force, and plied their customary vocation of yelling and stamping until they tired themselves. All with anxious expectancy awaited the commencement of the blood and thunder drama. W. F. Cody, Buffalo Bill, took the leading character. As a government scout he was a brilliant success, and won for himself many honors for his bravery and courage; but as an actor he is a magnificent failure. He possesses neither the traits of a tragedian or a comedian, merely talking his part off as a schoolboy would, but still, when he would rush on the stage, fire off a pistol, and perhaps slaughter an innocent red man, the gallery gods, as well as those seated in the parquette and dress circle, applauded till they were hoarse and could yell no longer. It is well that cody lays no claim to histrionic ability. Jule Keen, as Hans, the dutchman, was the most disagreeable feature of the programme. His mouthings were most disgusting, and his impersonation was sappy and soft. Misses Jennie Gilbert and Nellie Lingard, as Onita and Sadie respectively, were very inefficient, producing no effect whatever by their lines upon the audience. The remainder of the cast was in accordance with the above. The Indian war dance, in which Sin-sa-retch-kaw, Ma-he-ut-un-kaw, De-co-ray, Hoo-wa-het-fa and Wau-kon-chaw-nik-kaw participated, would cause a leather-lunged and calliope throated Zu'u to be ashamed of his wildest war-hoop, and done more than infinite credit to a chorus of carousing locomotives. If Buffalo Bill possessed a first-class support his own defects could be overlooked, but he is surrounded with an inferior class of men who have no more life or animation than a cordwood stick. The performance of the trick donkey, "Jerry," was the most creditable of the whole entertainment, which ought to be considered quite a compliment to the support. The shoot-
79
KEOKUK CONSTITUTION
KEOKUK, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1881
BUFFALO BILL.
The devotees to yellow back literature were out in full force last evening, the attraction being the renowned and famous Buffalo Bill, in his much advertisements of Prarie Waif, which, it is claimed, is an exact portrayal of border life. By half past 7 o'clock the house was packed from the pit to the dome with a sort of a mixed audience. The hods of the sky-parlor were out in full force, and plied their customary vocation of yelling and stamping until they tired themselves. All with anxious expectancy awaited the commencement of the blood and thunder drama. W. F. Cody, Buffalo Bill, took the leading character. As a government scout he was a brilliant success, and won for himself many honors for his bravery and courage; but as an actor he is a magnificent failure. He possesses neither the traits of a tragedian or a comedian, merely talking his part off as a schoolboy would, but still, when he would rush on the stage, fire off a pistol, and perhaps slaughter an innocent red man, the gallery gods, as well as those seated in the parquette and dress circle, applauded till they were hoarse and could yell no longer. It is well that Cody lays no claim to histrionic ability. Jule Keen, as Hans the dutchman, was the most disagreeable feature of the programme. His mouthings were most disgusting, and his impersonation was sappy and soft. Misses Jennie Gilbert and Nellie Lingard, as Onita and Sadie respectively, were very inefficient, producing no effect whatever by their lines upon the audience. The remainder of the cast was in accordance with the above. The Indian war dance, in which Sin-sa-retch-kaw, Ma-he-ut-un-kaw, De-co-ray, Hoo-wa-het-fa and Wau-kon-chaw-nik-kaw participated, would cause a leather-lunged and calliope throated Zu'u to be ashamed of his wildest war-hoop, and done more than infinite credit to a chorus of carousing locomotives. If Buffalo Bill possessed a first-class support his own defects could be overlooked, but he is surrounded with an inferior class of men who have no more life or animation than a cordwood stick. The performance of the trick donkey, "Jerry," was the most creditable of the whole entertainment, which ought to be considered quite a compliment to the support. The shooting of Mr. Cody was good but nothing supernatural, as a man with a glass eye could not well miss a mark with a black background at the distance Mr. Cody did his shooting. In the audience there were many undoubtedly who felt amply repaid for their expenditure of time and money, but we did not. To fathers and mothers who desire to refresh the minds of their little sons and daughters with blood curdling deeds and give them a stimulus to the perusal of dime novels and other trash literature we heartily recommend and endorse the performance of Buffalo Bill.
Nov. 11, 1881
80
Buffalo Bill.
Buffalo Bill and his splendid combination appeared last night at Rouse's opera house, showing to a $400 house, which is a fair sample of how Buffalo Bill is appreciated in Peoria. The night was dark and damp. It had rained all day, and the streets were so muddy that pedestrianism was anything but pleasant. Bill is the same grand, noble man he always was, and plays his part as only Wm. F. Cody could play it. His leading lady, Miss Jennie Gilbert, acts up to life, and appears as though she was on the real theater of action in the western wilds. She is artless without being affected, saucy without being hoydenish, and accepts Bill's love with such charming simplicity, that it seems real, and did not fail to bring down the house.