[handbill for the Edwards family s 1858 Christmas party]
THEATRE DES EDWARDS.
The Management announces, with indescribable feelings, that the Theatre, which has
hitherto experienced such unexampled success, will be opened again for a brief season of
ONE NIGHT ONLY
ON CHRISTMAS, 1858,
On which occasion there will be gathered into one
BRILLIANT GALAXY,
The brightest Stars, to say nothing of the Asteroids and Comets, that ever blazed away in
any
histrionic firmament.
The Grand Director, fully believing the maxim laid down by Puffendorf, in his
celebrated work of Villikins and his Dinah, that Christmas comes but once a year, has
spared neither his throbbing brain, nor the perspiration of the bettlings brows that
overarch
his optics, in producing such a series of amusements as shall win the unanimous and un-
bought applause of the company.
New Scenery has been painted for it, by
CARL WILHELM KNUDSEN,
A FAMOUS DANISH ARTIST,
Who left his native land of Denmark to engage in this great and glorious work, for the fun
of the thing.
New and superb properties have been designed and constructed by
LORD JOHN EDWARDS,
A young English Nobleman, who abandoned home and friends, freely giving up a large
landed
estate to a younger brother, for the sake of participating in this stupendous work.
As Stage Manager, the Director has secured the eminent services of
F. J. C. CAHILL., ESQ.
Late of London, and author of Death in the Tea-caddy, The Withered Midriff, or the
Bleeding Goggles, The Haunted Scuttle, Fatal Goloshes, &c., &c., &c., &c., &c.
PHYSICIAN TO THE COMPANY, DR. HAYNES.
In addition to this unexampled constellation of talent the Director has engaged, on the
most extravagant terms, a brilliant and
INTELLECTUAL AUDIENCE,
Which is bound by the articles of agreement to exhibit the greatest satisfaction at
whatever is
said or done. It comprises Mr. EDWARDS, Sen., known for his exquisite
personification of the
Firs Old Gentleman in English Hospitality; MRS. EDWARDS, who will be pleasantly
re-
membered by all in her celebrated character of The Lady of the House, in the universally
popular
play of Knife and Fork, or Do you take Roast or Boiled. MISS ANN EDWARDS,
(Directress of a
Select Pistol Gallery for the juvenescent idea;) LORD JOHN EDWARDS; Mr. JAMES
PARTON,
B. G. B. J. and P. B, (Historian of the Day and Mamer of the College of Perfect Bricks;)
Mr.
CARL WILHELM KNUDSEN, (a lineal descendent of King Knut who by the way was
an ex-
ceedingly hard knut or gnut to crack;) Mr. THOMAS BUTLER BARBAROSSA GUNN,
a distinguished
son of a_____sire of the same name, and author of the sanguinary Tragedy, entitled
Who
Garroted the Cat? and descendant of the author of Hugh De Brass; Mrs. PARTON, a
Brick-ess
and authoress of an elegant work entitled Grace and Ella, or the Two Sisters, Mr.
GEORGE
EDWARDS, JR. a recent but famous Medium of the Spirits. Mrs. GEORGE
EDWARDS, Jr., his part-
ner, but has nothing to do with the spirits; Mrs. EURICH, Pianiste; Mr. WILLISTON, a
striking
example of the evil of Procrastination, one of his friends proving a thief of time. Mrs.
WIL-
LISTON, wife of the aforesaid, and his brightest jewel. Mr. RUSSELL Merchant Prints
after
his name, let s hope we may have occasion to spell it Prince; Mr. RUSSELL, wife of Mr.
R.;
Mr. RITCHIE RUSSELL, sometimes familiarly known to his Pa as Rich. and at others as
Dick.
(He should suppress such familiarity.) Mr. WM. ROGERS, supposed to be a lineal
descendant
of the lamented Mr. ROGERS who was invited to take a steak at Smithfield, and who
though
an unwilling guest, was compelled to comply with the requests of his hosts, from the
effects of
whose excessively warm treatment he died. Mr. W. ROGERS is supposed to be
descended from
the one at the breast. Mrs. ROGERS, wife of the foregoing, endeared to all hearts by her
per-
formance in Who Stuffed the Turkey.
In addition to this brilliant array, the following eminent
JUVENILE TALENT IS ENGAGED!
Masters GEORGE EDWARDS, BABY EDWARDS, J. C. HAINFORD, JOHN
PILLOW, WILLIE
ROGERS, NICK NEDDLES, RALPH AND HARRY NICHOLS, ERNEST EURICH,
CHARLES HONEYWELL,
FRANCIS CONWAY, C. HAININGTON, JOSEPH FRANCIS, JOSEPH CAHILL, J. C.
HAYNAU, TRUMAN
BONESTAL. Misses SALLIE, MATTIE AND LIZER EDWARDS, Misses PIETA &
ELLA ELDRIDGE,
MISS BONESTAL, KATE NICHOLS AND MARTHA AND ELIZA RUSSELL.
The Performance will begin when the Management feels like it. Doors open all day.
No Money received at the door, nor anywhere else.
PROGRAMME.
The Performance will begin by the production of a Wretched Farce, full of maddening
Blunders, and stupefying situations, called,
IRRESISTIBLY IMPUDENT.
WRITTEN BY
MR. CONWAY CAHILL.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE CAST:
DICK CAMLEIGH, - - - - - - - - - - MR. C. CONWAY
OLD WIGLEY, - - - - - - - - - - HERR HEINE
CHARLES, - - - - - - - - - - MR. HONEYWELL
PROMPTER, - - - - - - - - - - LORD JOHN EDWARDS
JENNIE HAYNE, - - - - - - - - - - MISS SALLIE EDWARDS
MISS FINNIKIN, - - - - - - - - - - MISS MATTIE EDWARDS
FRANK, - - - - - - - - - - MR. C. W. KAYNOODSEN
With the assistance of the entire Company.
On its conclusion the audience is requested to call for the author.
After the Farce, there will be a selection of
CHARADES
Of approvedly incoherent description, enacted by a choice band of deperadoes, with the
aid
of properties of appropriate and unparalleled absurdity.
AFTER WHICH
FEATS OF MAGIC.
By the celebrated COUNT FRANCISCO CAILLO; to be followed by Fox and Goose,
and other Round
Games. The whole to conclude with the popularly divertissement, entitled
THE CANDY BAG,
A one-act piece, in which the whole company will join.
N. B. The places for applause will be duly pointed out by the management, by whom
bouquets will also be supplied.
P. S. The Management feels at liberty to rearrange, alter or omit this Programme
altogether.
Any one who laughs during the performance will forfeit all share in the Bag.| Page |
| Title: | Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries, Volume Ten: page two hundred and fifty-four |
| Description: | Handbill for the Edwards family's 1858 Christmas party. |
| Subject: | Bonestal, Miss; Bonestal, Truman; Cahill, Frank; Cahill, Joseph; Christmas; Conway, Francis; Edwards, Ann; Edwards, Eliza; Edwards, George; Edwards, George, Jr.; Edwards, George, Jr., Mrs.; Edwards, John; Edwards, Martha; Edwards, Sally (Nast); Edwards, Sarah; Eldredge, Ellen; Eldredge, Grace (Thomson); Eurich; Eurich, Ernest; Fern, Fanny; Francis, Joseph; Gunn, Thomas Butler; Hainford, J.C.; Hainington, C.; Haynes; Haynau, J.C.; Honeywell, Charles; Knudsen, Carl Wilhelm; Neddles, Nick; Nichols, Harry; Nichols, Kate; Nichols, Ralph; Parton, James; Parton, Mary (Rogers); Pillow, John; Rogers, William; Rogers, Willy; Russell; Russell, Eliza; Russell, Martha; Russell, Mrs.; Russell, Ritchie; Theater; Williston; Williston, Mrs. |
| Coverage (City/State): | [New York, New York] |
| Scan Date: | 2011-01-31 |
| Volume |
| Title: | Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries, Volume Ten |
| Description: | Includes descriptions of an explosion of a boat on the North River, New York literary Bohemians, boarding house living at 132 Bleecker Street, his freelance writing and drawing work, the death of writer Mort Thomson's young wife Anna, working on the publication ''Constellation,'' visits to the Edwards family, a falling out with Fanny Fern over an article he wrote criticizing ''The New York Ledger,'' a rumor that Fitz James O'Brien is the heir to an Irish baronetcy, and a change of landladies at his boarding house. |
| Subject: | Boardinghouses; Bohemians; Gunn, Thomas Butler; Journalism; Publishers and publishing; Women |
| Coverage (City/State): | New York, New York |
| Note: | Thomas Butler Gunn was born February 15, 1826, in Banbury, England, and came to New York in 1849. During the Civil War he worked as a correspondent for the New York Tribune and the New York Evening Post. He returned to England in 1863, and died in Birmingham in April 1903. The collection includes twenty-one volumes of his diaries, including newspaper clippings, letters, photographs, sketches, and various other items inserted by Gunn. Diary entries date from July 7, 1849, to April 7, 1863, and include his experiences with the New York publishing and literary world, his descriptions of boarding houses, his travels throughout the United States, and his experiences traveling with the Federal army as a Civil War correspondent. |
| Publisher: | Missouri History Museum |
| Rights: | Copyright 2011 Missouri History Museum. |
| Source: | Page images, transcriptions, and metadata of the Thomas Butler Gunn diaries have been provided by the Missouri History Museum. |
