The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-03-19
=" BOCCACCI0."

There was a larger audience at TN
Theatre last night than on the pre-
ceding evening. Boccaccio d" wa!
presented for the first time, and, OF
course, was a success. This Is the
fourth comic opera given here, IN
each of which Mr.. Max Freeman
has appeared in Il new and entirely
different part, and of each made as
distinct a character as it could have
been made by different persons.
Mr.. Freeman not only possesses
true dramatic ability. but is one of
the most versatile of comedians.
The absence of sameneSS or lndlvid-
uality, in his impersonationS is some
thing remarkable, and renders him
not only a great favOrite with the
public, but an invaluable member of
the company. Everything he per-
forms is in the style of an artist,
and all the points in each of the
several characters he has played have
been brought out finely. ''Boccac-
cio'' is an excellent piece and has
much good music in it, the chOruses
being particularly striking and par
tIcularly well given-better than at
any time during the engagement, ex-
cepting perhaps those in the "ROyal
Mildly" The title role was enacted
by Miss Melville, and of course was
performed well; but whether be-
cause the characters have not given
scope for her natural bent, or
whether she has been somewhat
under the weather, it is certain that
there was an absence of the vim,
spontaneous life, and graceful ease
which characterized Miss Melville's
performances in THE Pirates of
Penzance" and the Royal MILDLY"
and constituted one of her principal
charms. Miss Oracle Plaisted
again appeared and again sang
well, but her acting does not please
as much as it did at first.
There is an absence of naturalnesS,
an appearance of affectation, in all
her movements, which gives a sense
of mOnotOny, and detractS from
what would otherwise be a most at
tractive style. 1t would seem that
the fault is slight, and could readily
be overcome; and is certainly worth
the effort. She sang even better, if
possible, than at any other time. If
details were necessary, a great many
favorable things could be said, and
but few of a derogatOry nature.
The situations, or many of them,
are extremely ludicrous, that partic-
ularly in the second act where the
grocer satisfies himself that his tree
is bewitched until it is a very
devil of tree" and they follow
closely the text Of "Decameron of
Boccaccio." The audience found
much to laugh at, and did laugh
heartily; and much to appreciate,
which was appreciated heartily.
The male chorus in the second act,
with Casselli's solo, the duet between |
Misses Melville and PlaiSted, and |
other parts, received merited en-
cores, and but for the fact that it |
was growing late, there would |
doubtless have been more. "Boc- |
caccio" marks another triumph, |
second only to the Royal MILDLY"
and adds to the popularity of the |
popular company.
This evening, by very general
request, "Pinafore" will be given,
Miss Melville as Josephine, Mr..
Hatch as Ralph Rackstraw. Max
Freeman as Sir Joseph Porter,
Casselli as Dick Deadeye, Miss
Plaisted as Little Buttercup, and
Miss Post as Cousin Hebe; Hender-
son as Capt. COrcOran, and Knight
as BoatsWain.
This afternoon "Nisida" will con-
Stitute the matinee performance.