Description
According to A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers, and Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660-1800, “A Catawba Indian called Coutchee Noyai, or Green Bird, performed with his compatriot Kaiew Neika, or White Man, on 18, 19, 20 and later dates in June 1795 at Sadler’s Wells. Coutchee Noyai’s name derived from his shrill voice and agility in the woods, according to press descriptions. The Indians performed feats of archery, illustrated the management of the tomahawk, and gave examples of war songs and dances”.One of the Indians was about 32 and the other about 20, but which was which the bills did not make clear. Both were called “˜well-looking.'” In July 1795, the Times noted that it was the pair’s final week at Sadler’s Wells. We have followed them to Liverpool here, where on August 6th they performed at the now demolished Theatre Royal. They also performed in Bath, Dublin, Yarmouth, and Manchester.
Bibliographic sources
Philip H. Highfill, Jr., Kalman A. Burnim, and Edward A. Langhans, A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers, and Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660-1800, Volume 4: Corye to Dynion (Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1975), 12. “Last Week of the Catawba Indians,” Times, 27 July 1795. See also Times advertisement for translators, https://emuseum.ringling.org/emuseum/objects/88111/catawba-indians, and Gore’s Liverpool General Advertiser, 6 August 1795, 2.