The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-05-21
AMUSEM ENTS.
THE NAIAD OF ZEN.

THE NAIAD QUEEN.
We must confess our inability to fathom the
depths of the plot OF the "Naiad Queen" We
saw the advcr. on tie programme OF liorettos Tor
sale, but after diIgent search were unable 10 ma
such key to the mystery. The moral is evil
IDENTIFY "Be Kind to the Poor" The good queen
I.iZzie Shuer) seemed to take special delight
in taking charge of blind girls and beggars, and
in humbling the rich and cleyating the poor,
which, in immortals or fairies, seems right and
proper.
Nor were we specially impressed with the mu
sic. 1t lacked body at no time filling the house
nevertheless it was pretty, and both solos and
choruses were well given, considering the youth
full material Of the latter.
The piece, however, does not depend upon its
music, or the sctng (of which there is little),
for its success but upon the costumes, scenery
and the tabeahx. In this respect, and in this
respect only, it is by far the finest piece ever pre-
scented on La Sale county stage. Nothing APP
preaching it has ever before been attempted. 1t
was superb. For a country theatre, the effects
were wonderful
The great scene Is the fairy grotto, respondent
with gold, silver and precious stones, vertable
fairies home or bit Of landscape from the
Arabian Nights country. Here in this beautiful
place, we see Spring and Summer, sable Night
and rosy fingered Eos, Dawn, Justice and Mercy
and Faith personifed. Wight elsie Trimble) de-
scends, "as feather is waited downwards,' on
cloud; and anon disappears as it came in the
void above before the approach Of aurora (Mina
Morse) rising on the rosy cloud from the east.
fo;r and Of them
and nymphs, and dryads, and gypsies, mortals and
immortals in gorgeous apparel The stage is
crowded with them. The gypsies sang pretty
chorus, with tambourines; and the D,yads (most-
Ily members of the military company drill, and
supcrbly. Aside from the scenery, this was the
finest moroccan Of the entertainment
The great tableaux are "The Rock OF Ages"
and the Grand Finale, Liberty and Faith Tri-
umphant." The first begins with an ocean scene,
with i.great rock in the centre of the sea- The
lightning flashes and the thunder rolls. The
ChRd Of FajN Susie Rhodes) sings, "Oh, Boat
man, take me to my own dear home,' to which
the Boatman replies, "lf God Will be thy stay,
I'll row thee DER" They row away, the storm
increases, when suddenly the Queen appears on
the waters, riding in the "Gondola OF Angels" al
ter the boatman and child, whom the waves
overpower, when the great rock splits, and the
Child Of Faith, clinging to the Cross, The Rock
of Ages, ascends in flood of heavenly light to
the realms Of bliss beyond the clouds. The il
lusion is perfect and the effect sublime. In the
fnale-amid blaze of colored brilliance and the
flashing of the calcium lights, rides Faith MARY
Drew on cloud, looking heavcnward, but lean
|. II IA nh Ia ! tl(E atpllp IRA w.
toni rides in the heavens on the back of an eagle
This scene is rapturously received, and is really
a splendid one.
The scenery, costumes-which are gorgeous IL
the extreme-and the tabeaux, will admit OF {
deal of admiration and are certainly well Worti
seeing; and as the piece is town talk, those who
have not attended, to be CONNIE tdut, shoult
attend to-day. A matinee will be given at
O'Clock p. NJ. and a final performance ats o'clock
to which admission has been reduced to so cents