IOLANTHE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 882, 7 December 1916, Page 8

IOLANTHE.

A SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE. ASHBURTON OPERATIC SOCIETY. Last eveningthe Amateur Operatic Society of Ashburton, greatly renowned in the past for their ambitious and successful efforts, opened its "lolanthe" season in the Theatre Royal before an excellent house. The society, it goes without saying, had worked tremendously hard for the production, and, reinforced by Mrs Percy Rule,, of Timaru, as Phyllis, the ward in chancery, and Mr" 11. Gill (Christchurch) as Earl Talloler, Leader of the House of Lords, made a compact and capable body, which put on a performance remarkable for amateurs in its excellences The scenery, mounting, and dressing were noteworthy, the dressing being perfect in every detail, with none of the make-shifts, that one usually associates with amateurs, visible. The orchestra, well held together by Mrs R. Frizelle (pianiste) and under the direction of Mr H. A. Humphreys, performed excellent service. The delightful opera, with all its whimsicality, gentle satire, and sparkle, (lowed along smoothly from i the rise—the punctual rise, it may be I mentioned—of the curtain until the final drop, when many friends ! trooped round to the "green room" Jto congratulate the actors and ac-tresses--on their splendid performI ance.

The story of "lolanthe," one of the host known and charming of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, is fanii-j liar to most. Strephon, the Arcadian shepherd, who is half a fairy andj half a mortal, loves Phyllis, an Arcadian shepherdess, who is likewise a ward in Chancery, and unable to marry without the Lord Chancellor's consent. lolanthe, Strephon's mother, banished from Fairyland for 2") years for her sin of marrying a mortal, is pardoned by her queen and reinstated about this time. The Lord Chancellor refuses his consent to the marriage of his ward with Strephon, who invokes the aid of the fairies. Phyllis, seeing him with his youthful-looking mother, refuses to believe in the relationship, not knowing that she is a fairy and therefore immortal. She upbraids Strephon for his faithlessness, and they part, but they are reunited eventually, after a series of delightful complications, not the least of which are caused by Strephon's entry into Parliament, where, aided by the fairies, he puts through any Bill he cares to introduce, and turns things topsyturvy generally. The abject terror to which he reduces the House of Peers makes splendid openings for the Gilbertian wit. The meeting of the Peers with the fairies, the intention of the Lord Chancellor to marry his ward, and his subsequent meeting with lolanthe, his fairy wife, who disappeared by her Queen's decree 25 years before, anc* the final scene, which witnesses the betrothal of the fairies to the Peers, were all delightfully done. The part of Phyllis, the ward in Chancery, and at the same time an Arcadian shepherdess, was taken by Mrs Percy Rule, who filled it in the most admirable fashion. Her voice, ; a dramatic soprano of great sweetness and power, and her bewitching stage deportment made her the ideal Phyllis. Her duets with the Strephon (Mr C. B. Gass) "None Shall Part Us From Each Other" and, later on, "Ere We Marry" were very fine, the voices blending and balancing excellently well. The name part of the play was in the hands of Miss Elsie Fletcher, who gave a very nice interpretation of it, her best scene being when she reveals herself to the Lord Chancellor as his long-lost wife. Mrs H. J. Chapman, the Fairy Queen, was happily cast, and her rich contralto voice, and dramatic gifts found adequate expression in her songs, notably "Oh, Foolish Fay." The chorus of fairies was led by Misses Katie Stuart, May Smith, and Winnie Black as Celia, Leila, and Fleta respectively. The Lord Chancellor (Mr H. J. Chapman) was splendid, and one of the best numbers of the opera was his song "Faint Heart Never Won Fair Lady." Another which especially delighted the audience was "Said I To Myself, Said I." The Earl of Talloler (Mr H. Gill) and the Earl of Mouptararat (Mr D. C. Cowan) had some fine scenes and songs, including the "Don't Go" chorus with the fairies, and the trio in which they are joined by'Phyllis "The Sacred Name of Friendship." Mr Alf Silcock must be congratulated on the successful way in which he handled the part of Private Willis, of the Ist Grenadier Guards, which, although not large, has its exactions. His "Sentry's Song" revealed him as the possessor of a good baritone. The chorus of peers was quite good and entirely in the picture. Introduced into the play was a pretty "Fairy Ballet," danced by four of the fairy maidens, very beautiful effects being obtained with coloured lights playing on the floating draperies and gauzy veils of the revellers. In common with many ', of the musical numbers, this item was enthusiastically encored, but the promoters were wise enough not to allow lengthy repeats to prolong the oi>ora to the point of weariness, and all the recalls that were conceeded were brief. Altogether the play, produced byMr YV. Densem, and stage-managed by Mr H. J. Chapman, was thorough- ] ]y successful, and should have a sati isfactory run. It will be repealed 10-1 -1 night and to-morrow night, the pro- ■ cceds to be devoted to Red Cross I needs.