Life — October 24, 1895 — page 12: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ENGLISH CATERERS. HE British public has paresis. “His Excellency" proves it. And yet where there is only circumstantial evidence, it is well to go slow. There is one theory which may possibly _ save the English from this sweeping judgment. We people, here in New York, know how per- formances which we won't patronize ourselves are often kept on the stages of New York theatres at large financial loss, for the sake of the effect that a New York “long run” has 2" on the public of Kansas City and the credulous ones in Chicago and Philadelphia. In the same way “ His Excellency" came to New York her- alded as having had a “long run” in London. The easy people in New York fell into the trap beautifully, and tacking the London bunco prop- = osition on to the absurd craze for “ first night” performances, packed the large and inacoustic Broadway Theatre with an audience, which although made up of the injudicious and the credulous, nevertheless had enough taste not to enjoy “ His ly one side, and taking “ His said about it the better. But there are those who might accuse LiFE of rendering purely ex cathedra judgments, and to meet them it is necessary to make something of an argument. First off, the music is either im- itated or stolen. Evidently the composer tried simply to understudy the earlier efforts of Sir Arthur Sullivan. Mr. W. S. Gilbert evidently tried simply to understudy the earlier efforts of Mr. W. S. Gilbert. The former succeeded in a purely imitative way, and the latter made a woful failure in every way. There are scarcely two laughs in the book, and in the score the numbers which possess any merit at all are simply imitations of Sir Arthur's well-known melodies. Of harmony there is none that approaches anything in the original models. The costumes are brilliant_to the last degree and well designed. The company is trained to its full abilities, but the abilities have no material to work with. Miss Nancy McIntosh shows’ considerable ability in dealing with stuff which furnishes a poor test for anyone's Her voice is agreeable and her stage presence graceful. jaline Terriss has already made a favorable impression in this country, which her performance under the present unfavorable con- ditions fully sustains. Miss Mabel Love is an English importation rather pretty and rather graceful. If New York should patronize “ His Excellency,” the statement in our first paragraph would be reversed. the other cerebellum. The paresis would be in THE GROWTH OF GREATNESS. WILLIE NYE “PLAYING HOOKEY” TAKEN WHEN SEVEN YEARS OF AGE, FROM SUNDAY SCHOOL, BABen 3 the humorous passages in the latter, the music of “ Haensel and Gretel” bears considerable resemblance to the lovely accom- paniment to“ L’Enfant Prodigue.” Owing to its German origin it is, of course, heavier, but in descriptive quality more closely resembles the French production than operatic music usually does. With the company that Sir Augustus Harris has imposed on America, the auditor would really be better off with the book and orchestra, unfettered by bad voices. In judging the American standard, Sir Augustus must have been misled by the advice of the wrong kind of American managers. We feel quite sure that if he had been guided by Mr. Augustin Daly, he would have given us a perform- ance better suited to that manager's theatre. All the honors of the production go to the German composer, Humperdinck, and to Herr Seidl and his admirably conducted orchestra. There are none for Sir Augustus Harris. Metcalfe. comicbooks.com