The Victoria Loftus Blondes.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3319, 12 August 1879, Page 2

The Victoria Loftus Blondes.

The initial performance of this much talked of.variety company was given at the Academy of Music last evening before a good house, notwithstanding the innovation of doable rate of charge for thejpit. The business of the company is amusing sketches, burlesques, dancing and singing, with a dash of the shillelagh and burnt cork, and the sole aim of all thel items of the programme is to make ithe audience laugh, which it certainly did. In the first sketch, ''The Stage-Struck Chambermaid," Mr H. LeClair exhibited his great versatility as a female itnper■onator. His several characters Were dressed with great taste and his dancing graceful. Mr Saroniy is a good burlesque actor and very soon established himself as a favourite. His most successful character was that of a French dancing master, his make up and antics being most . suggestivei of .what an old time maitre de danse would be. : Eickey and McCarthy,,; the Irish comedians, are very different to other stage Irishmen we have seen. Generally the delineators of the, sons of the "old sod" appear in knee breeches, and a heavy black thorn shillelagh is considered an indispensable adjunct to the eharac-; ter. Messrs Rickey And McCarthy's: representations are not burlesques; they have travelled from the beaten track arid have evidently: copied their characters ' from real life; and they consequently possess a peculiar charm. They are very clever in their business, and: kept the audience in a state of chronic laughter all the time they were on the stage. Another great feature of the show was the nigger eccentricities of Messrs Waters and Kelly. They dance and sing in orthodox style, occasionally turning a somersault together, and performing other gymnastic feats. We have never seen their like before. Misses Victoria Loftus and Esmond dance very nicely, but the other ladies of the company ■ did not have an opportunity last night of showing 'their particular performances.

to-night Another big bill will be presented, including an Irish sketch "Irish Justice," " Susie Grey" by Waters and Kelly, and Byron's burlesque of OftenbachV Opera Bouffe "The Grand Duchess." .