THE MIKADO AT TE AWAMUTU.

Waikato Times, Volume XLI, Issue 3344, 2 December 1893, Page 2

THE MIKADO AT TE AWAMUTU.

A GREAT SUCCESS. J TfEE Public Hall was well filled B6sday eveningly a critical crowd\who had ca m from far arid near to witiiesstheambi- - icons attempt of the Te jAwamut'u Musical Society to perform Gilbert and Sullivan s well-known " Mikado." The Society came i&iough r with flying colours, mince exceeded the expectations of its most sanguine friends. The sirs are or less familiar to most'.rnjisical people. Especially &e hackneyed ''Tit Willow," but it seldom faa{3 pen st liabt 1) ere sid en tsi n a oou ntr yd istricfc can see the' whole' ouera' put on the ■stage in the complete way it was mounted is Te Awamutu. It is only when attempting to stage a big affair like this that any idea of the magnitude of<-the task can, be* grasped—the training and- fan drill of the; cborus, the coaching of the prii\cipals, the scene painting, tho dress and wig'iuakwg, ifea designing of effective tableaux, to say milling of keeping beginners on the tune, Considering the continued bad luck that has attended the Society all through the year, the show was one of which tho humblest ie Awamutnite might well be proud., All through" the'winter the *wet' weather had practically stoppod rehearsing, and the way that one by one the various principals were, taken ill or met with accidents looked as if the concern had been launched under; an unlucky star. But all's, well that ends well, and the credit of keeping the Society alive -through thick and thin, when croaking friends were predicting failure, is due to the {Ratwigement who would not give in; The principal praise must be awarded to the, Society's conductor, Mr Limp, who,did not gpai'o tiii)o or trouble all through the year, kaving the inclement weather sometimes three''times a week and always; looking cheerful. lie was well backed.up byJliss Mandeuo, the pianist of the company, whose motto was ''never to give in." Ihe staging was very complete. Tw» very effective scenes, the first representing the Courtyard of Koko's place in' Japan, 'and the second the garden of the same place, were painted by Mr Aubiti, of Alexandra.' The striking Japanese: eofitumes were all made by the ladies themselves and \nust be seen to be really appreciated. The; Society were very lucky in having a good stage manageriil, Me R. Dawson, the result of whose good management was* seen-at the performance. There were none of the usual amateur hitches, and the piece Avent with : a* tine swing from start-to fall of cuitiin. The title role was taken by Mr LaPrelle. This gentleman astonished his friends, he was so good; It is really a minor character, but he made the most of it, singing well and acting the slow old monarch of Japan to perfection.; Going in the order on the bills the next to be mentioned is Koko, the Lord High Executioner. This part was ably filled by the versatile Mr Dawson. He was •' the life and soul of the piece, keeping the house .screaming -with his comicalities. All the funny dialogue w:«s •brought but with most telling effect; ihis squirming and wriggling when, he .iin- > agined he was about to be executed and his | , dancing in his love scene with; Katisha i •! tickled the audience to a painful degree.'He has a good although not a very powerful voice, and sane all his uiuiic well, being es-: pecially happy in the rendering of tlie wellBown Tit Willow. Mr A, Knight as the ' mighty, Pooh Bah, the Lord Chamberlain, etc., was first rate. His grand voice was a • treat to listen to and he also well, K ; ;,€,speciallyju his Mr, '.Aubin took the part ".f Nanki Poo, acting well and contributed his share to success of the opera. > His best effort was in ifais duet with Yum Yum in which they ,rev •ceived a decided "oncore. •Oiuickshank made'his debut in the mitjor part of Pish, Tush, He looked really wellj and sanghis'solo, in the first act, splen" <iidly. He'also lent.valuable,iiidi[in(the/ varioi/sisicjincerted parts, Coining to the_ ladies weTuive Yum Yuiri, represented as" -she oiigh.t to be by Miss Allen. This lady's ■beautiful voice and graceful acting are., too >well known to need reiteration. She wafe as ~g„nd as ever,,and her charming Solo n"The Moon whose'ray f s are all ablaze" wasralone , worth'going mil&To hear. The oth&two •" Little Maids from School" Pitti'Sing and Peep Po were sweetly,;represented by t ,. Mrs; Andrew and MisiHNprth^The ; •quite sprang a mine on'liei'lriends 'with her ' graceful acting and singine, and; her dresa was 1 something"'' to' meditate'upon. 1 !. Miss'Nnvth also looked well and did ,her little pirt'capitally. Thetlireelittleniixids, <ju i it T sen fci on; h.s , ?ca»» 6; on,'a ri their, well-kllp.vnfV?i«h^iPK.j!iVft9^:W^^ , •of; profession jjlsj rousedjtiie jioiiseijn iijWld ■pitch of ent'h'usiasm'/and they' ' wtYulti-' p'robably have been dancing,and singing yet, if r.the" boys !'! ! c : oul|l have'foid their way. Mrs Long was'liot' lialf-ngly-liitiking enough for itlie blood, thi-ty Katisha, but i therwise w'ivs splendid. She acted grandly, and sang : all •-the heavy music ajlotted (I to tti^part.as-well as ever, Hi r acting arid singing ,in the duet with Koko was very taking and kept ttie, foouse,in fits.of,laughter...The.talileaux wtr'ej very 'effectively tihi'Moii rV l 6lend- t ! • ipg beautifuliy. Altogether the uerfor-'; .ma'iice was)a-:credit'to'the Society, arid show's," it-hat can be done pluck. It might -to be generally known itlwt:the Society have to pay a royalty fee of i 5 5s f> r each night's, perfoimance to the! ■colonial holders (if the copyright. ,1 had near'y forgotten to mention the orchestra, "they were well up to their work, and aided, .greatly in the general success. ' Mr Wall .niust be especially meritiwned' as his violin has been constantly at the,, service |,of, the/ ■'Suciety (or thelast few, iiijmths... IVIr Dawson when encored, for song, "I've got'alittle list,"- gave a-'local verne • that caught ou tremendously. By special permission of the author 1 ask' you to publish it. - ; ' There's the rabid Single Taxer and the others of ... his pale, And tlie'Prohibitionist, —l've got him on the list. All M.H.R's and coroners who ought to be in . gaol, I've got 'em on the list, they never would be missed, •. ' There's the parson who will tell you that Iscariot' • . is, not dead, .And the'two men who sell, whiskey that gives you an awful head ; , There's the man who is conducting to this very' pretty song: - Like me,' he's not, ver/? tall,that's why he is' called long.: , ■ :w. . '.ln fact, ; : you can put the population of " Termuter" on the INt, ' . For we'd none of us be missed ~we'd. none of. us be missed.