'MASCOTTE.'

New Zealand Times, Volume LIV, Issue 9882, 13 April 1893, Page 2

'MASCOTTE.'

Audron’s attractive and melodious comio opera, * La Mascotte, 1 baa held a prominent place npon the lyric stage ever since its first presentation rather more than twelve years ago. It goes almost without saying, therefore, that iCs'production at the Oi'era House lafct night drew a large audience. The success which attended the performance of • Aladdin Up to fat-* * will alaa dispose the public to take it fet grr.iited that last night's venture scored * a palpable hit.’ We have ho hesitation in affirming that it diJ. The prime factors in this result are, of source; the niUe en scene and the stage business. People do not expeo*. musical excellence from juvenile perform?.ra with their .immature voices, and if they did they, would inevitably be doomed to -disappointment proportioned to the extent of their anticipationr. In ail the points which commended ‘Aladdin 1 so strongly to the popular favour and ensured it each a triumphant ‘run/ the * Mascotte ' la strong. It is staged in really first data s’yld. The first aofe of course is laid in Rooco’s farmyafd, and'the scene-presented on the stage is marked by a considerable degree of verisimilitude. Among the accessories one notices a live and very docile hen perched upon a wall, live pigeons pluming themselves upon their cold and a live magpie in a cage hanging from the limb of a stage tree. The second act is played in a handsome salon, and the final act presents a very pretty woodland rcene. Highly effective ana tasteful costumes and app Raiments complete the mounting of the work. Of the performance proper it most be said at once that it it highly diverting. Humour and caricature pervade it and find abundant expression both in speech and in action. Master AU. Stephens' Laurent XVII, ar.d Master Barry Quealy’s Rooco would not discredit any adult buffo artistes who hate appeared upon the local boards in these parts. They are the life and soul of the piece. Mis* L : ly Everett gives a capital portraiture of Bbttiua (the 'Mascotte 1 ) recalling Nellie Stewart's impers pstion ib many. poibte. SHe plays the part of the rustic hoyden with considerable animation and skill, and f-iugs the incidental mnalo very nicely. Miss Maud Beatty makes a graceful Pippo, and also slogs pleasingly. The *GIou - Glou’ duet by these two young ladies was the musical

'hit 1 of the evening, and was encored of course. Bottin As song 4 Oh Give Mo Back 1 and the opening chorus of the second act, ‘She is Charming, 1 were also nicely rendered. Miss Marion Mitchell did full justice to the rdle of Priuoe Fritfcolini, and Miss Lily Stephens played tho part Of Fiametta very cleverly. Her Introduced song, *ln Old MadHd,’ sectored her a recall. Special recognition must be madb of the really excellent man&avres eicbutod by Frittelinl’s guards in the lash act The merits were so int.r-ca.te and skllful, and tyorp executed witb.puob precision au.d grace that the audience promptly enforced an encore. The performance altogether fell sots the utmost credit upon the troupe, and we feel confident 'The Mascotte' will nightly fill the Opera House as long as it bolds the stage. It will be repeated to-night and to-morrow night, after which it makes way for * The Mikado. 1