The Pollard Season.

Thames Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 8616, 22 March 1897, Page 3

The Pollard Season.

"FALKA" AT THE ACADEMY.

Mr Tom Pollard has adopted the course of staging two of his n«# operas as the first productions of the season, and if Saturday night's attendance can be taken as a criterion, this policy should prove most successful. Ghaasaigne's " Falka " has never before been produced at the Thames, and we think we are right in saying that for. a first performance the audience was more taken with the excellence of the performers themselves than with the opera. As regards the latter, the composer's work is good, but th.WP are hq partipula.r catchy qirs }$c those pi'" La; i! aadkindred works, npr |s* there anything strikingly novelin the plot and general setting. If there is any special feature, it is the manner in "which " Arthur," the prospective bridegroom, makes his itbut in skirts without making a screaming burlesque of the masquera.de, it is another prpcjf of %$ Versa,-. tile talent .fif 'Mr W. S. Percy thftt : he made an ideal Arthur |>,o|h ma}e and f*nia>, and in the latter papapity—or bJuiU we sox?-~he was altogether a signal triumph of the art of " tuaking up." As is usual with Mr Percy's roles, there was no overacting, but not one point was missed. Mias Marion Mitchell, as "Falka," acted with her usual vivacity, and when she made the frank confession that she had " run off with Arthur " instead of the elopement beiug vice versa, the audience was quite ready to believe it, the "ui&ke-up " and general mauijer of these vagrant innocents being highly confirmatory. Miss Mitchell's most noticeable solo was " Love Not," for which she was heartily applauded. Miss M. Beatty found a congenial part in Bolcslas, the Tzigan chief. This youug lady is highly, popular with Thames' audieuces, and her rendition of " I am the Capt^iw Boleslas" was much appr^tiated, while in the chorus *' Cradled in the heather" she was }ikewi*e loudly applauded. Mies ;#ni^y llettalie as Edwidge (sister of JJoleslaa) was in good voice, doing ■ a considerable amount of work. Miss l^tyie' Maskell was once, wore ailott^Pw^ soubre'tte r±>lc, and Mi»H Lily gteph«nf locked giactful u$ " Ajexjua,* 1 Hkiifc we wijst uoftjipipfo Miss May B.eatty"s 'r Jftuatiift," wbich was brightly \mpejsouated. Mr Ml ijtpnhena vf'aa as plwr »a of old in the phar^cter of <<iPeJicak, M the'bibulous auil amorous priest, an.d " Eolbacli " received a capuble hitetpretatiou at the hands of Mr. ERable, luithe comic line, Mr Harry was once i«oto tp : the fof? as,"Tancred" ijtiiil tlyj twiuor parts were all well sus^ucd. J«is. eveiiing Pianette's >$clt Gwynno " will be atagetl,