Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-08-15
H. M. S. PiNAFORE.
A Capital First Rendition Of the Comic 0ps-
retta-A Notable smsteur Effort.

/
Pinafore. For first performance
it was a notable success. During our
recent visit 10 San Francisco we had
an opportunity of inspecting four
separate casts of Pinafore, only
one of which, that at the Standard
Theater, on Bush street, made any
pretension TO musical or artistic
excellence.
1t may, without exaggeration, be
said that Pinafore, as produced un-
der the auspices of Mr.. Kennedy at
the Standard, depended for its pop
ularity on the beauty, vivacity aud
musical gifts of Miss Emily Mel
vile. With Miss Melville absent
1t possessed no features which
| would have attracted crowd dur
ing the long time for which it has
held the boards In San Francisco.
With fulf knowledge of the fact
that we are liable to the imputa-
tion of q provincial enthusiasm, we
are prepared to say that, asa whole,
the Los Angeles Pinafors is supe-
rior to the San Francisco article.
First as to the "set.n In the
metropolitan theater the "proper-
ties" are, of course, abundant, and
the scenic display much more per-
feet than here, in consequence. At
the Standard there was an elabor-
ate rigging of the ship, and the nu-
merous chorus, in rakish costumes,
spread themselves out over the
yards and the other nautical
"coigns of vantage" Neverthe-
less MIR. Locke has done himself
honor by the satisfactory way in
which he produced the deck of the
Pinafore. Whatever may have
been lost by the absence of a fully
rugged ship was compensated for in
other directions.
In comparing the chorus at Turn
verein Hall last night and that at
the Standard we can say with truth
that the feminine chorus furnished
by the ladies of Los Angeles was
incomparably better than has been
heard at San Francisco. The ladies
composing it are of much higher
social standing than were their San
Francisco sisters, they are better
looking, more lady-like and charac-
terized by a hearty and charming
enthusiasm. They have better, and
better trained, voices. At every
stage OF Pinafore last night they
sang and acted admirably. The
sisters and the cousins and the
aunts were real, living. winning and
amusing verities-such relatives as
an eccentric Lord of the Admiralty
might have without discredit.
The male chorus is leagues and
leagues behind its San Francisco
rival. 1t is radically weak.
So is the Ralph Rackstraw, al
though the Ralph we heard at the
Standard did not amount to much.
He sang in tune, however, and
managed somewhat feeble tenor
with skill.
The Captain Corcoran of Mr..
Locke last night was,o the whole,
q creditable effort for that ambi-
tious and good looking young gen.
tleman. He looked every inch a
member of Her Majesty's "Royal
Navee," and he sang acceptably.
The "Little Buttercup" of Mrs
Marley WAS really n most finished
and artistic conception, both vocal
ly and histrionically. III r make
up and acting were both better than
the STANDARD "Buttercup," who,
by the way, is Miss Matte Wheel
er, and her singing was quite as eff
| fective.
The Sir Joseph OF Mr.. Harry
Sherwood lays over anything We
saw of the character in Frisco. We
have been rudely awakened to the
fact that Harry is first-class
comedian, who is prepared TO enact
his role with the insouciance of an
old stager. He can skirt the rag
ged edge Which divides the genteel
and the low comedian with a grace
and aplomb which excite our ad-
miration. His acting was sur
prise to us and lie sang his part
oapitally.
We have deferred to the last an
appreciative note of the Josephine
OF Miss Mamie Perry. This young
lady has dared and conquered u
very sewers ordeal. 1t is no trifling
thing for girl yet in her teens to
essay not only to sing prolonged
part but to enact an arch, coquet'
tish and difficult character, at the
same time. 1t is mere justice &c
say that she acquitted herself In
both respects admirably. There
was a gossamer deiicacy and spirit
in her love-makIng with Rack
straw, and a satiric and spirited
winsomeness in her handling o.
her elder admIrer, Sir Joseph, which
won amazingly upon the audience
The prob ability Is that the lines o.
Josephine were never better sung
than by Miss Perry last night. She
has a soprano which is really rare
in volume, reed-like sweetness ant