THEATRE ROYAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4997, 3 May 1889, Page 3

THEATRE ROYAL.

“ LIS CLOCHES DE COBNEYILLE.”

The production of “ Los Cloches de Comevillo” by a company of Titnaru’s amateur musicians, beforehand seemed ' a somewhat bold venture, bat after last night’s perfor' mance one is reminded of “ faint heart never won fair lady," 'Whatever of boldness there may have been in it was matched by determination, and in material, and the result was a capital, a thoroughly enjoyable entertainment. The public evidently had acquired an expectation of such a result, for they poured in until the house was full on both levels, and that such expectation was well justified is proved by’the fact that they were kept evidently more than merely pleased, to the last of an unusually long performance, the curtain not descending till half past eleven. This was no wonder, I ho opera was splendidly dressed; the various parts were well allotted, both as to voice and physique ; the orchestra was cm fait ; the conductor, Mr Wolf, perfectly at home ; no one seemed to need the prompter; there was no drag; all was “ go ” from beginning to end. The overture had shewed that the orchestra was to be depended upon, both as to strength and quality, while the jarring clang of the rustic bell struck in here and there a note of the ruling idea of the composition. A novel idea it may bo mentioned here, for toning down the lights required by the orchestra during the dark chamber scene was using candles and bonding them with a sort of truncated extinguisher. The curtain rose upon a prettily dressed chorus of servants, male and female, who sang of their desire for change of places, and their own praises, in a manner widen gave reason to anticipate a good evening’s entertainment. Besides being well dressed and in good voice and training, they were well drilled in appropriate action and by-play, and helped the principals through very cleverly. Then entered Serpolette (Miss M. Morris) inclined to Toe vixenish for the moment, which mood required an extra dash of vivacity, and Miss Morris gained a high place in the estimation of the audience at once by the dash with which the impulsive little serving maid wont through the first scene. Mies Morris acted wonderfully well throughout though it was her first appearance on a public stage. She also sang capitally, but unfortunately her voice was somewhat weakened by a cold. Her cues were sharply taken in dialogue, for instance,the way sbe“ snapped the heads off” offenders when she, temporarily, became a lady of fashion, was most tolling. While the girls were musically squabbling enters Gobo, (Mr Cargill) the Bailiio’s shadow, “ an attenuated black outline,” a slim eilhouolte with a face the picture of woo, that produced, it is needless tolsay,its intended inappropriate effect on the audience. Comparatively little fell to Mr Cargill to do, but of course he did it well. The third number introduced Grenicheux (Mr Holdgatc), a fisherman, who looked the character to the (stage) life. His first song, “On billow rocking,” was capitally given and started the hand clapping and other forms of applause that wore heard frequently thereafter. Not only was Mr Holdgate’q music well rendered everybody knows ho can sing—but what must have been a surprise to most people, who had had no reason to suspect such talent in him, ho acted excellently. Next within the glare of the footlights was Germaine (Miss A. Meo), a high born young lady though unaware of it. Of course dramatic if not also hereditary principles demand that she must “ behave as such ” and this did Germaine. She sang her music very sweetly and acted naturally and appropriately ; it was a very good conception indeed, from first to last, in varying moods and situations, Her first number, a duo with Grenicheux, wos at several passages warmly applauded. Still more pleasing though was her relation of the mysterious legend of the haunted chateau to the Marquis, which introduces the " Ding dong” chorus. Solo and chorus brought down the house, and a repetition was demanded. 'Next among the principals enters! Renri, the Marquis (Mr Wardyop), dressed in the handsome 'costume of a 17th century cavalier, with a half disguising boat cloak, and accompanied by a handsome young cadet—(who was not a young lady, as some would have it in spito of the cast in tho pro gramo.) Mr Wurdrop looked his part naturally, played it naturally, and sang it, — ae one could not wish to hear it better sung Tho valso rondo, “ To mo no otranger,” his first solo was beautifully given, and was tremendously applauded, and encored, and tho high standard tho Henri of the evening thus sot for himself was sustained throughout. Of the less musical principals the Bailie (Mr Gus. Jones) sang one, song and tho audience insisted on having it again. The Bailie’s work wae of another class. Tho butt of everyone, he bad a good deal of a ridiculous nature to do, and after a little hesitancy in the first few ecenee ~*wben possibly ho was somewhat afraid of

his gorgeous apparel, and found irksome the severe corporal discipline necessary to sustain hia office with the proper dignity—after a little he warmed to his work of keeping the fun going, and succeeded admirably. Last, but not least by any means, there remains to be mentioned Gaspard, the miser. Mr O. S. Fraser gave a finished picture of a crabbed wheezy old man, whether snarling at his people, cajoling the Bailie, alternately fearing and defying ghosts, gloating with childish glee over his hoarded gold, or broken down into a pathetic idiocy,his Gaspard was a really first rate performance. We have mentioned a few of the numbers, those which served to introduce tho soloists in turn. Wo may mention a few others which seemed to find special favor with the audience. The song of the housemaids, led by Serpolette, in which occurs “ Look at that, etc.” was finely given, the concluding chorus with most creditable smoothness under such force, and an encore was positively demanded. The funereal figure of Gobo on a table in the background doing the exhibition business was an amusing foil to the more serious work in the foreground. Tho disturbance in the fair raised by old

Gaspard at the close of the first act was well enacted, the chorus keeping up their strains while being driven about by the angry old man. The trio between Serpolette, Grenicheux and tho Bailie, " I’ll shut my eyes,” was also well received, and so was Henri’s address to his ancestors in the hall of knights. Tho scene in the chateau wherein Gaspard turns out his money bags, was excellently arranged, and the dramatic possibilites of a striking situation were made the most of, tho whole scene being most realistic. Gaspard’s next appearance as an idiotic was equally effective in another fashion. The chorus introducing Serpolette was capitally sung, and her entry as a grande dame of the period, made a fine tableau. The couplet lines “Call me then just as before, etc.,” one of the moat “ catchy " passages, of course had to be repeated and tho demand was well deserved. Grenicbeux’s valee song “ I saved her ” was a conspicious success, and the succeeding duo between Germaine and the Marquis was very sweetly sung, —the concluding passage, ensemble, was a treat to listen to. It is difficult to pick and choose 1 among the work of the chorus, as they boro their part evenly throughout. Of the orchestra there must be said,this word of very highest praise for an amateur orchestra, that not once could any ono a reasonable distance have found occasion to charge them or any of them with the fault of being too prominently heard. 'The stage manager, Mr Fraser, deserves recognition for the excellent results of his disciplinary labors, and tho completeness of the stage appointments. Finally, Mr Wolf, as conductor, deserves to be warmly congratulated upon having so successfully brought out perhaps not from a musical point of view a very difficult, but certainly an intricate opera. It will nob be out of place here either to compliment him upon tho decided success of his pupils, the representatives of Germaine and Serpolette.

The opera is to bo repeated this evening, and wo have do doubt the best advertisement the performance could possibly have will bo encomiums passed upon it by last night’s attendants. With another full bouse to-night, the Garrison Band’s funds will receive a sturdy lift.