Scan 14
Musical Courier 1893-09-27: Vol 27 Iss 707, 1893
146 lines. Read by computer on 20 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 15. See the scan on archive.org.
1Music in Boston.
2BOSTON, September 24, 1883.
4"PRINCE PROTEM," an "original musical fantasia," libretto by R. A. Barnet, and music by L. S. Thompson, was given for the first time in Boston, at the Boston Museum, September 11. As a matter of record I give the cast in full:
6T. Tompkins, New Jersey, collector of animals and freaks…. Fred Lennox
7Prince DeMocrates, of Fogia…………………Geo. A. Schiller
8Justice of Fogia………………………………….Harry Edgerly
9Law of Fogia………………………………………Thomas M. Reilly
10Duke George………………………………………Suitors to Belle Sherwood
11Duke Arthur………………………………………Princess Lucie……..Lucy Guerrier
12The Royal Page………………………………….Fanny Lyons
13Dick Tabor, editor-in-chief………………Royal Censors……..Phillips Tomes
14Elderberry, religious editor………………and………………E. K. Boynton
15McCanister Martini, society Editors of the………….C. A. Fuller
16Jack O'Hart, sporting…………………….Chronic Protest……..F. M. Tuttle
17Princess Lucie DeMocrates, a perverse daughter……..Kenyon Bishop
18Gwendolyn, a royal maid of all work………….Florrie West
19Duchess Maria DeMocrates, susceptible and unmarried……..Marie Hilton
20Duchess Agnes DeMocrates, unmarried and susceptible……..Bessie Knox
21Wild Rosy, of Yucatan, untamed but healthy……..Josie Sadler
22Florita, the flower girl……………………………Rosalind Rissi
23Lola………………………………………………………..Augusta Klous
24Juanita…………………………………………………….Inez Crabtree
26Mr. Barnet is known here as the author of the books of "The Babes in the Woods" and "1492," which were written for the Cadets. Mr. Thompson is a law student; he is the composer of the music of "The Sphinx," which was sung by the Hasty Pudding; he is a pupil of John K. Paine, and the organist of Emanuel Church, where Geo. L. Osgood is choirmaster.
28* * *
29I did not see the first performance of "Prince Pro Tem;" I saw the performance of the 18th. I understand that material changes were made in the second act during the first week.
31* * *
32Here is the argument of the story as it appears in the program:
34The action of "Prince Pro Tem" is in Fogia, where the laws were framed by Old Fogl and could only be changed by him and his descendants. The Sovereign Prince is responsible and suffers penalties for all crimes, and is deposed when Justice decides a capital crime has been committed. He is watched by Censors. Upon his birthday the prince is relieved from all duties and penalties of his position, and can have further freedom for sixty days if he can find a person to be prince temporarily.
36Mr. Barnet has said that the main idea was suggested by certain laws framed by a ruler of Greece. The lawmakers of Greece were industrious and versatile, and it is not at all unlikely that a princely scapegoat existed there at some time or other. I have also heard that a German playwright has used the same idea; but I am unable to answer for the truth of the report.
38* * *
39The idea is an excellent one, and it admits of better treatment. Mr. Barnet has contributed admirable lines and one or two amusing situations; but he has failed first of all in telling his story clearly. No one expects in these days, when farce-comedy unfortunately dominates the operetta stage, a Scribe-like plot; but there should at least be the following out of an idea. Unless I had read the argument before the curtain rose I could not tell you the main idea of the piece; I could not describe the pivot; nor do I now know why "Tommy Tompkins" was sentenced to death; and as for the last act it is a mist, in which characters at times appear and perform their "specialties."
41It is said by Mr. Barnet's friends that the story is told in the lyrics, not in the dialogue. If this is so Mr. Barnet made a grave mistake. The lyrics as sung by the members of his company were often unintelligible on account of defective enunciation.
43As I have said, the lines are often admirable. The dialogue is crisp; there is genuine wit; there is no tiresome imitation of Gilbert's formulas; there is an absence of bar-room humor. Some of the business given to the comedians is new and funny. These remarks apply to the first act rather than to the second. In the latter there is too much variety business, and it is of questionable freshness. The card scene from "La Dame aux Camélias" is old and it was badly done. But there is enough in the libretto to prove that Mr. Barnet has a gift for uniting operetta texts, and this book is an advance on his former work. Do not be prejudiced against him by remembering that he is the author of "1492," for the present version of that piece is a radical departure from the original.
45* * *
46Mr. Thompson's music is, first of all, melodious. It is a pleasant jingle, which at times pricks the feet or tickles the ear, and sometimes revives agreeable memories of other days and other operettas. Everybody here is whistling "Tommy Tompkins," and when you hear it you remember that Millöcker wrote an operetta called "Der Arme Jonathan." I hasten to add that I do not for a moment accuse Mr. Thompson of intentional plagiarism; but what Tappert calls wandering melodies have wandered Mr. Thompson's way. Yet this too is unfair; it is better to say that the music does not show any marked originality. There is a pretty chorus at the beginning of the second act, but its prettiness is of a conventional type. With the exception of "Tommy Tompkins" and this chorus I do not now remember a phrase of the music, but I have a pleasant impression of the music as a whole. Stay—I do remember a quintet, because it was sung atrociously. The instrumentation, which I hear is the work of another hand, is generally discreet and effective; it allows the voices ample room; it is almost always free from vulgarity and noise.
48* * *
49The singers cannot be praised heartily. Miss Kenyon Bishop, the first singer, showed inexperience; her voice is ineffective, without color, and comparatively unschooled; her intonation was frequently impure; and as a comedian she was awkward and raw. Miss Rosalind Rissi, who, in spite of her sultry Southern name, sang in a modest fashion a flower song and two German folk songs, was much better; and Miss Augusta Klous, who, I believe, made her first appearance, displayed an alto voice of agreeable quality. As for the singing of the men, let us talk of the trouble in Brazil or the music of the ancient Carthaginians.
51* * *
52Three of the comedians were excellent. Mr. Lennox is a refined comedian with subtle ways. He created a character. Tompkins was a living being, bland, with a sweet smile; a little vain, a little amorous, perhaps a good deal of a humbug, but charming withal and sympathetic. Mr. Lennox's costume in the first act was irresistibly funny; free from caricature, it was the costume that Tompkins must have worn; you would have been surprised if you had seen him in any other, and wherever Tompkins wanders, or in whatever scenes of future versions he may appear, he should wear the costume of the first act and no other. Mr. Lennox's delivery of his opening song was one long to be remembered; it was so genteel, so sly, so insinuating.
54Miss Florrie West and Miss Josie Sadler also deserve high praise. The latter is particularly original in her manner, and she too has a genius for comedy-burlesque, if I may hitch such terms together after the manner of Polonius.
56Mr. Schiller was your ordinary burlesque comedian, and moved heavily in long established grooves.
58Mr. Harry Edgerly once made a great hit as a comic dancing policeman in a Cadet performance. As a comic policeman he was very funny. But in "Prince Pro Tem" he shows no aptitude for a professional life, no sense of burlesque. His performance was a disappointment.
60The play was mounted handsomely, and the orchestra, under Mr. George Purdy, was excellent.
62Could not Mr. Barnet make more out of the "Royal Censors?" And can he not find for the subordinate and chorus parts people that are more at home on the stage?
64* * *
65The stage management was bad.
67* * *
68And, by the way, this was the play in which Miss Olea Bull appeared.
70In the third scene of the second act, "Ruins of Haunted Castle of Fogia. Night," a "Sea Nymph Dance" was introduced. The dance was "composed by Annie Payson Call and led by Olea Bull."
72I confess I have not the heart to say much about this dance. It was a dreary thing, and Miss Olea Bull seemed Miss Melancholia Bull.
74The dance was neither graceful nor dramatic. There were rectangular lines instead of curves. There was much making of X's and Y's with the arms; there was an apparent absence of legs or any anatomical formation that might have acted as substitutes.
76Miss Bull at times assumed attitudes seen in the prize ring; so that a sporting gentleman who sat at my left remarked in a hoarse voice that the dance ought to be in rounds with seconds and a bottle holder.
78In her more impassioned moments she gave an imitation of a dumb epileptic.
80And this was the dance that was to "reform and elevate" the ballet!
82Many have wondered why a young woman of society and wealth should wish to dispout on the stage, and they have accused her of egregious vanity. The charge is undoubtedly unjust.
84It is possible that Miss Bull may wish to thus escape from tedium vitae; but it is more likely that she was urged by her teacher to the step—and yet the word "step" is hardly appropriate.
86And pray what is Miss Call's idea of a dance, whether it be symbolical or merely a thing of grace? Let her read the ancients: Menestrier, Thoinot, Arbeau, Cahuzac, Noverre, and first gain an idea of the history of the ballet; let her look over the costumes of the "Ballets du Roy," with the plates by Guillaume, and she will learn the postures of a famous school; or let her study the movements of a modern skirt dancer of ordinary ability.
88* * *
89But Miss Bull is out of the company, for the present at least. She withdrew on account of "the advice of her physician," who is possibly sensitive in the matter of dancing.
91* * *
92There were men and women who thought this dance "simply delightful; so refined, so charming."
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95And all this affair of Miss Bull reminds me of Peregrine Pickle's attempts at literature. "He had signalized himself in several poetical productions, by which he had acquired a good share of reputation; not that the pieces were such as ought to have done much honor to his genius, but any tolerable performance will always be considered by the bulk of readers as an instance of astonishing capacity, though the very same production, ushered into the world with the name of an author in less affluent circumstances, would be justly disregarded and despised."
97* * *
98The following announcement appeared in the Saturday newspapers:
100Radical changes will be made in the second act of "Prince Pro Tem," at the Museum, the coming week, beginning next Monday night. New songs, dances, features of various kinds, a new finale, the introduction of the "Sea Nymph" dance as an intermezzo two additional Dukes, making four in all, for which some very pretty women have been engaged, and other improvements.
102* * *
103So you see a modern comic opera or musical fantasia has no fixed value. There is no established standard in these things: "Everything is good that goes."
105* * *
106Nobody knows why the curtain should have fallen finally at a precise moment; the play might have been prolonged or curtailed, according to the physical strength of the company, without detriment to the plot. Will the next version be any better in this respect?
108* * *
109"Venus," a "fascinating, fantastic comic opera," text by Messrs. C. A. Byrne and Louis Harrison, and music by Mr. Gustave Kerker, was produced for the first time on any stage at the Park Theatre, September 11. I saw the performance of the 19th. The cast was as follows:
111Poom, the Grand Llama of Thibet……………………Hallen Mostyn one of two readings
112Poom, the Grand Llama of Thibet………………………..Hallen Mostyn one of two readings
113Jaundis, prince equerry and royal astrologer……..Harry McDonough
114Ooo, the grand electrician…………………………..Donald Que, Jr.
115Mars, god of war………………………………………W. H. Hamilton
116Cupid, god of love…………………………………….La Regalencita one of two readings
117Cupid, god of love…………………………………….La Regalonicita one of two readings
118Abdul Mouriff, a slave dealer………………………..Henry Leoni
119Captain of the Guard…………………………………Annie Sutherland
120Venus, goddess of beauty…………………………..Belle Thorne
121Absurdaria……………………………………………..Cora Tinnie
122Peep…………….Patrician girls……………………Fannie Johnston
123Isis…………….wards to Venus……………………Trixie Friganza
124Knowitall……………………………………………..Albert Shea one of two readings
125Knowitall……………………………Albert Shea one of two readings
126Cantellihim………………………………………….J. C. Marshall one of two readings
127Cantellihim…………….Four wise…………………J. C. Marshall one of two readings
128Youhearme…………………………………………….S. J. Curtis one of two readings
129Youhearme…………….men………………………..S. J. Curtis one of two readings
130Itoldyouso……………………………………………M. P. Haynes one of two readings
131Itoldyouso…………………….M. P. Haynes one of two readings
132Prince Kam, Poom's son and heir…………………Camille d'Arville
134When "Venus" was first given, it was in three acts, and the curtain fell at ten minutes of 12. I am told that Mr. E. E. Rice the following day sponged out the entire third act. To judge then of the operetta as it came from its authors is impossible.
136It may be said in brief that the story is coherent and clearly told. The "Prince Kam" will not marry, and he sighs for "Venus." The Grand Electrician contrives a machine by which the royal party is shot toward the planet Venus; but the landing is on Mars, where "Venus" is found. Complications arising from the jealousy of the God of Battles follow and are ultimately removed. In the original version I believe there was a return to the earth.
138The story is told pleasantly, and there are good lines which are lost at times in the delivery. The book is above the average of your ordinary modern comic opera libretto. With comedians of more pronounced originality, the fun of the situations, and the satire and the wit of the dialogue would be very effective.
140Mr. Kerker's musical abilities, as well as possible limitations, are well known. The ensemble pages of "Venus" are more to his credit than are the solo passages. Indeed Miss D'Arville is sadly in need of a good solo; her song in the first act is without character, and the air in the second is not much better. Much of the ensemble work is excellent, and there is plenty of Kerkerian dash and swing. "Off we go now" and "As we peep at the earth from the sky" gave the audience much pleasure. There is color in the slave music, and there are pleasing bits of instrumentation, though the latter is often inclined to be boisterous. In "Venus," as in "Prince Pro Tem," there is an abuse of the waltz movement.
142* * *
143Miss D'Arville was the feature of the entertainment, although she has been heard to greater vocal advantage. If she were even dumb it would still be a delight to see her, for she is graceful in movement and an anatomical thing of beauty.
145Mr. Rice is a member of the Fleshly school of managers, and his acknowledged taste is again displayed in the selection of women of high and low dramatic degree. Miss Thorne is a paradox; here is a woman of sensuous charm, so far as lines, curves, color and substance are concerned, and yet she seems devoid of temperament. Many admire
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