Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-09-08
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
"FUN ON THE PACIFIC. "


The musical comedy of "Fun on the
Pacific" produced by Ford's company at
Fulton opera house last evening before an
audience of fair numbers, is an adaptation
of q work by Tom Taylor, the lately de-
| ceased dramatist, supplemented with 4
| score of bright and ear-taking numbers
from half as many popular comic operas.
The music is Of course the main feature,
but the fun that prevails is continuous and
mirth-provoking. The piece represents a
merry party of tourists en route from
China to San Francisco via SIS. "Spray,"
and the scenes enacted are supposed to
transpire in the cabin or OH the deck of
that saucy ship, until the staunch little
vessel goes down in q storm of which a not
very terrifying representation in miniature
is afforded the spectator, and from which the
party make their escape to q coral island
where the play is brought to a conclusion
after rtheaudience is assured that ample pro-
vision for their safe transportation home
is secured. AS one OF 4 class Of cur
rent comedies now in high favor this
| melange of flOve-making, fun. making and
pretty music is sure To achieve
| popularity that will last until something
newer and fresher rises up to usurp it's
place. The distribution of characters last
evening included number of favOritcs
in the community, and it was such q
gOOd-lOOking and good -naturcd cast that
the audience settled itself right down to be
pleased from the start, and not even the
breach of good manners perpetrated by
one of the performers during the evening
was sufficient to disturb the equanimity Of
the house. Miss Belle Mackenzie was
a prime favorite from the outset. Her
pretty face, winning manner, and withal
admirable acting, more than compensate for
her lack of voice remarkable for power
or purity, but which is ut all events sweet
and captivating. This charming little lady
as Miry Eastlake made quite hit in her
drilling song and costume, in her rendition
of 4 pretty ballad and in several other airs.
while her voice sounds even better in duet
and trio than in solo. Miss Marie
Bockel and her peculiar accent were
rs pleasing as ever; she is
capital actress, and her fine soprano
voice has lost nothing in texture or COM
pass. Her most pronounced hit was in her
rendition Of that wonderfully pretty waltz
song from Gilbert s. Sullivan's ''Pirates,"
which was of course rapturously encored,
as indeed were the majority of the best
things. The audience, as before remarked,
were in the humor to be pleased, and if by
carrying this disposition too far, and in
sistins OH too many repetitions they suffer-
ed rebuff at the hands of one of the act
Ors whom they were apparently specially
anxious to compliment, they were at least
partially to blamo themselves for asking
for more than their moneys worth.
Mr.. Cushman is, however, sufficiently
acquainted with the etiquette Of the
stage to know that offensive allu-
sions to the size of an audience is one of
the violations of good taste in an actor.
and he might have cOntented himself with
declining to rcappear without his distressirg 6
attempts at forced wit. Miss Blanche
favor here and sang and acted with great
acting than that of Mrs. Fanny Denham
Rouse, who filled the role of wife, but
grass widow for ten years, to perfection
and created very ferment of fun. Of the
men Mr.. John E. Riebert won special
praise for his capital impersOnatiOn, and
Mr.. Herbert r. Archer made a favorable |
impression by his handsome face, easy |
stage presence and splendid voice, his
of bass solo from the "Royal
MILDLY" and the "Marseillaise," being
fine Mr.. Frank Cushman
is good negro comedian, and
he was favorably received in his
The trio, quartet
and chorus effects were marked,
and one of the brightest of the
many "gcms of the evening" was the
singing Of Misses Bockel, Mackenzie and
Thompson, in their budget of merry airs
IS the Alpine Warblers in their picturesque
costumes. The "Spanish Students" were
very amusing. The operas which contrib
we're "Camargo," "Boccaccio," "Fati-
nitza, - "Royal MILDLY" Pirates of Pen
.ance," and several others not SO we'll
known hereabouts, with number of
;lcver minstrels effects. The entertain
nent was breezy and bracing from end to
md,