"THE GONDOLIERS"

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 23, 28 January 1915, Page 2

"THE GONDOLIERS"

GILBERT AND SULLIVAN" REVIVED. It was not easy for ordinary people at the Grand Opera House last night to apportion the percentage of the applause due to a delightful reacquaintance with the immortal musical features of " The Gondoliers " and to the various performers' interpretations of the same. All of Gilbert and Sullivan's operas, from "Pinafore" to "The Yeoman of the Guard," have now become the British — one might say the Imperial— heritage, and even in Germany, where audiences are more critical and discriminating than they are with us, Gilbert and Sullivan were intensely popular. It is to be feared, however, that Gilbert's brilliant " book " and keen but kindly satire have become of historical rather than of present day interest. Nevertheless, for its music alone, " The Gondoliers " and all other of the Gilbert and Sullivan works are very precious things, and to, bo approached with due reverence and respect for the intentions of their originators. This is not always done by professional performers. In fact, there were evidences last evening of attempts — not outstanding, nowever — to " improve." If there was one thing that was wanting in the performance last evening it was that champagne-like quality that distinguished the performance of the work in its earliest days in Australasia. So far as the chorus was concerned, its work was admirable from beginning to end. The singers as a whole were excellent from a strictly vocal standpoint. Moreover, all of them seemed to enter most heartily into the spirit of the work. Mr. Edward M'Keown, as Marco, undoubtedly made the hit of the evening (measured by applause) in " Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes." It was His only feature song, but he did it with remarkable grace and charm, and, besides, made it quite ' clear that, in addition to his being the fine figure of a man which the part demands, he has a voice of great beauty. Why in singing thi3 number his brother-king, to whom the song is really addressed, left the stage is, perhaps, a managerial secret into which the public has no right to pry. Performers need to realise that Marco and other Gilbertian parts call for acting — and intelligent acting. Singing is not the sole essential of such roles. The Giuseppe of Mr. Frank Wilson offered a contrast. This was a fine piece of work vocally considered, and above the general average histrionically considered. The Grand Inquisitor as originally conceived was an outwardly grave, but on occasions a decidedly hilarious old gentleman ; still, a gentleman all the time, clothed with ecclesiastical dignity when he happened to think of it. Mr. Albert Kavanagh had a tendency to forget this. In the " No possible, probable, shadow of doubt " number, one that rarely fails to please, he was a striking success. The Duke of Plaza Toro, for all his pecuniary embarrassments, was a gentleman, too; but Mr. Charles Walenn did not always seem to bear this in mind. The quaint humour with which he invested his instructions to the dual monarchs in kingly deportment atoned for all and any other laches, and quite conformed to traditional notions of the way this portion at any rate of his role should be treated. As Luiz Mr. Villiers Arnold had but little to do, but he acquitted himself with distinction. The Tessa of Mis 3 Katie May and the Gianetta of Miss Gladys Moncrief suffered from comparisons with other ladies who distinguished themselves in these parts in the earlier days of , the Williamson management, but both were warmly spp'suded and were generally recalled to** their efforts. They danced featly and with daintiness. The Duchess of Plaza Toro was played by Miss Ethel Morrison, a lady physically well suited to the part, but with something to learn as to its subtlety and capacity. She was given a most cordial reception, and tho audience showed unmistakably that it liked her well as the Duchess. Casillda was allotted to Miss Pearl Ladd, a lady with a most agreeable voice but not yet an actress A word as to the orchestra. It was compact rather than numerous; did its work well up to the limits of its composition, and provided much real pleasure in its generally capable perlormance of the work it has to do. '' The Gondoliers " will be repeated this and to-morrow evenings, and should not be missed, even though on Saturday " The Yeoman of the Guard " succeeds it.