Life, 1894-09-20 · page 11 of 16
Life — September 20, 1894 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 187 This page reviews "The Devil's Deputy," a comic opera production. The illustrations depict characters from the show: "Mélisses, Princess Mirabé and Lorenzo" and "Mélisses and Lorenzo (Mr. Thomas)." The review's satire targets the proliferation of light opera in New York theaters. The critic, writing as "Metcalfe," praises the lead performer Miss Lulu Glasser's comedic talent but expresses weary skepticism about the genre itself. The humor lies in the backhanded compliment—acknowledging that while this show is competent, New York audiences are oversaturated with similar productions. The reviewer sardonically suggests audiences might prefer "phonographic and kinetoscopic" reproductions or "Little Lottie Gum-drops" opera over yet another comic opera variant.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Meuissex, Princess Miraxe axo Lorenzo. The principal factor is Miss Lulu Glasser, who has the true comic opera spirit. Her adandon, brightness and cleverness are well placed and effective. Mr. J.C. Miron is thoroughly artistic in the good solid part of General Karamatoff, one of those imposing, impossible, light opera military officers. Miss Adele Ritchie and Mr. Rhys Thomas acquit them- selves creditably in rd/es that are less ungrateful than the serious parts usually are in light opera. Taken altogether, * The Devil's Deputy " is far and away the best thing of its kind that we have seen for a long time. It is a brilliant production, and Mr. Wilson has reason to be proud of the chances he has taken in giving the New York public, which sustains so many queer comic opera shows, one which has a claim to reasonable consideration, Our pundit of the next century may not be so much puzzled about our ways of relieving tired brains if he happens to unearth a phonographic and kinetoscopic re- production of “* The Devil’s Deputy,” instead of one of the simply tum-tum-tum, “ Little Tottie Gum-drops " operas that run a hundred or two hundred nights at some New York theatres. Metcalfe. LEADING A NEW LIFE, HIS REVENGE. ‘OR weeks she had played with him, accepting his attentions one day, only to bow coldly to him the next. He had waited long and patiently, and now his opportunity had come. As they sat on the beach together and looked at the moon, he offered to tell her fortune by palmistry. She assented, and taking her hand he looked carefully at its delicate markings. The waves stopped breaking and the moon listened anxiously to hear what he would say. “You are a flirt,” he at length said. “ Indeed, I'm not,” she replied. “O, yes you are; it's perfectly plain from your hand, for if you weren't you wouldn’t have let me hold it for half an hour.” Then the stars winked at each other, and the moon grabbed a passing cloud and got behind it. Mauissky axp Lorenzo (Mx, Tnosas.)