Life, 1892-12-22 · page 12 of 16
Life — December 22, 1892 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Drama Section Analysis This page reviews "The Isle of Champagne," a comic opera at Broadway. The critic concludes it fails at comedy despite claiming that label—the humor relies on recycled jokes that lose effect with repetition, and unfunny actors deliver poorly written comedic lines. The review praises lead Thomas Q. Seabrooke's performance and Miss Landes's voice, but criticizes the overall cast quality. The piece then laments that performers Kelly and Leon have retired from their minstrel shows, which featured burlesques of current plays. The critic notes they could have made Émile Zola's serious novel "Thérèse" more amusing through parody, criticizing a Union Square Theatre production (by Mrs. Potter and Mr. Bellew) for lacking even basic seriousness. An illustration captioned "Great Rush in Clothing" advertises a sale on men's underwear. The "Anniversary of the Week" section depicts an 1851 event: Australian gold's arrival in England.
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F course, if the pro- gramme says that “The Isle of Champagne” is a comic opera we are bound to believe tt. As to its being an opera there may be room for dispute. It contains music, neither very original nor very pleasing, so we shall prob- ably have to admit that it comes under the elastic title of opera. But as to its comicality there is no question. It isn’t comic. It tries to be but it fails, except in spots. These spots are where the au- thors have availed them- selves of their memories in the insertion of funny matter. Its funny, but when one has laughed at a jest several times in days gone by, subsequent laughter, if not entire is produced only with great effort. In y impossible ddition many of the would-be are put in the mouths of would-be funny people who are not at all funny, and never could be funny lines of the pie funny no matter how hard they tried. Barring these defects * The Isle of Champs quite attractive. The costumes trived and the groupings and dane ‘The principal parts are well cast. ne ” is really nd scenery are cleverly con- ng are brilliant and effective. Mr. Thomas Q, Seabrooke is an excellent comedian and the burden of the work falls upon He does the best he can with the material at his command, and in a few spots makes the pi his shoulders. seem Miss Landes to a pleasing appearance joins a sympathetic mezzo voice, which she manages with consider- able skill. lady of more vivacity than art, the cast is pretty poor, W fessions. humorous. With the exception of Miss Elvia Crox, a young . . . : often are told of the sad things doctors, lawyers and ministers have to encounter in the pursuit of their pro- But the dramatic eritic also is obliged sometimes to come up against sorrowful occasions in the line of his work. One of these was the production of “The Prodigal Father at the Broadway | a number of earnest people working with all their might and pinning their tweek. To s RorBwit GREAT RUSH IN CLOTHING—GENTS' UNDERWEAR ONE-HALF OFF, hopes to a new theatrical venture and then to see all their work go to naught and their hopes blasted is really a pathetic event. . . . "S too bad Messrs. Kelly and Leon have gone out of busi- ne: At the close of their minstrel performance they used to give burlesques of current plays. They would have made a burlesque of Zola’s “ Therése” even more humorous than the one presented at the Union Square Theatre by Mrs. Potter and Mr, Bellew. There is this to be said of Zola’s books: They may be unsavory but they are at least serious, and are sober studies of real, though repulsive, phases of French character. To the play of “ The "not even the small virtue of seriousness attaches. Through what should be its strongest scenes the ANNIVERSARY OF THE WEEK. Decean on AUSTRALIAN GOLD ARRIVES IN. ENGLAND. comicbooks.com