Life — February 6, 1902 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

» LIPE« A Clever Two-Man Comic Opera. ” j yrs fortunate for first-nighters in New FE York that ‘trying it on a dog has become the rule and not the ex- ception, and this is particularly fortunate in the matter of light operas. The New York verdictis still the authoritative one, but managers have learned that they in- crease their chances of success by not tiring their first-night audiences in New ; York. Under the former practice, that audience which escaped before midnight counted itself Jucky and its opinion was likely to be biased by the waits, mis- fits and delays impossible to be avoided at a first presentation. Every one concerned, from principals to scene-shifters, was in a nervous frame of mind and fatigued by rehearsals kept up to the last minute. The finishing touches and the pruning usually necessary to a new piece were left undone. “Dolly Varden” comes here after a considerable tour on the road, and its first presentation showed thoroughly the value of the experience. The people were completely at home in their work, and their gladness to be back in the neighborhood of the Rialto was apparent in the spirit of the performance. “Dolly Varden" contains little of the Dolly of Dickens save her entrance in a sedan chair and her donning for a few minutes the Watteau costume, but as an up-to-date comic opera it is both clever and musical, Its plot would be rather trite for a play, but we are 80 used to musical pieces without plot that this one is really distinguished in actually telling a story. The book contains some chestnuts, notably the antique practical joke of making two people of good hearing each believe the other deaf, which is made a principal incident, but it also contains some clever lines and is throughout considerably better than the average of its kind. The music is bright and catchy, in fact, of just the proper calibre for the verbal ammunition it is intended tocarry. One or two solos might be omitted without detriment and the score harks back to Sullivan's operas occasionally, but this fault is an amiable one in the day of worse things. The people are thoroughly competent. Lulu Glaser has the title part and seems to have her self-satisfaction under better control than formerly. The numbers allotted to her she sings with quite sufficient archness and rather prettily. Estelle Wentworth as Ietitia Fairfax is fair to look upon and has a voice which she uses with more accuracy than sympathy. Mr. Mark Smith is excellent in the character part of a London exquisite, and Mr. Van Rennsselacr Wheeler and Mr. Albert Parr make a dashing and musical pair of young lovers. The chorus is both comely and competent and the whole company does good work with the concerted numbers, The music of “ Dolly Varden” is likely to be popular, and it is a notable fact that the opera is not the work of a regiment of com- posers and writers, as is now the fashion, but is the product of one librettist, Mr. Stange, and one composer, Mr. Edwards. ° ° ° AVING all of New York's theatres compressed into one small neighborhood may be advan- tageous in some ways, although it is difficult to sce just wherein the advantage lies. It certainly has the effect of unduly congesting street traffic at the hours when performances begin and end. Under the Tammany police system, whose sole object seemed to be to pro- tect and encourage nuisances of all kinds and to inconvenience as much as possible the citizen going about his legitimate business or pleasure, getting into and away from the theatres was a perilous undertaking. Since Colonel Partridge took over Murphy's job there has been a slight improvement. Ifhe would give his policemen instructions to keep the cross-walks clear of vehicles, to curb the activity of the cabmen cruising for fares, and to clear out the street-boys, rag- amuflins and panhandlers who infest the sidewalks in front of the theatres, he would be acting strictly in the line of his duty and would gain the gratitude of theatre-goers. ° ° e HEARN of Troy, the wise legislator who has introduced at Albany a Dill establishing a Theatrical Censor, deserves a striking statue in the Hall of Fame or on the Pons Asinorum. Dramatic art isn't having any too casy a time of it as it is even without the addition of a Troy-made censor. Natural causes and a better educated public opinion may some day relieve the drama of the Theatrical Trust, but a salaried office ‘once created would become a permanency. And besides, Lire is still in business. Metcalfe. LIFE'S CONFIDENTIAL GUIDE TO THE THEATRES. Academy of Muste-—“Under Two Flags” in spectacular form with Blanche Bates as Cigarette, aioe — Amelia Bingham and company In “Lady Margaret.” Notice jater, Broaticay.—"'The Sleeping Beauty and the Beast." Ballet, music, fun and gorgeous spectacle. Criterion.—Mra, Leste Carter as Du Barry. Elaborate and tnterest- ing production, .—" Frocks and Frilla."". Amusing comedy well presented, “The Wilderness," Clever, little society comedy well acted. “ A Message from Mars" goes on indefinitely. Worth seeing, Herald Square.—Lula Glaser in “Dolly Varden.’ See above. Knickertocker.—Comic opera, “ The Toreador.” Moderately amusing. Tyceum.—Annle Rassell as the star in“The Girl and the Judge.” Clever and well done. Manhattan.—Mr. Frank Keenan in “Hon, Jobn Grigsby.” Notice ater. Madtson_Square.— Sweet and Twenty” and curtain ratser, “ Roman. esques." Not especially interesting. ‘Republic.—Venrletta Crosman in Joan of the Shoals." Notice later. Saroy —Elste de Wolfe tn “The Way of the World.” Amusing soclety comedy. Victoria.—Last week of Francesca da Rimini," with Mr, Otls Skinner as the star, A dignified and interesting performance, Waltack's,—“ A Gentleman of France." with Mr. Kyrle Bellew asthe star, Strenuous dramatization of romantic novel. Weber and Fislde's Music Hall.—Vandeville with Introduced burlesque of “The Girl and the Judge." Good seats at advanced prices may be had of speculators. comicbooks.com Nv