Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-11-03
"THE MIKADO" LAST NIGHT.
A Presentation Enjoyed by All-Eie-
gantIy Mounted, Passably Ar
tistic, and Pretty rs n Picture.

gnntIy Mounted, Passably Ar
tistic, and Pretty rs n Picture.
The production OF "The Mikado" by
the Careless Amateur Opera Company
last evening filed the auditorium OF the
Salt Lake Theatre to overlooking, and
from the rise OF the curtain to its final fall
critical eyes and tongues were busy in
attempting to analyze and compare this
latest opera of Gilbert and Sullivan. 1t
was not an enthusiastic audience by any
means, and for the first act the principals
OF the company must have felt decidedly
chilly, the applause being limited and the
recalls few. In the second act, however,
more action was introduced, the comedy
of the piece had its influence, and under
the catching strains of some OF the tune
full numbers, the house became sympa-
thetic and the success of "The Mikado"
was insured. Following is the cast as the
opera was given last night
The Mikado of Japan. ..........B. s. Young
Nanki-Poo, his son, disguised as n wan
dering minstrel, in love with YUM
Ko-Ko, Lord High Executiioner j. D. Spencer
Pooh-Bah, Lord High Everythingelse. =;
-fash, Noble Lord 20 s. whitney
Yum Yum, Three Sis .Nettie Thatcher
Peep-Bo, tiers, Words Ivy 0lawson
Katisha, an Elderly Lady of the Mika-
dos Court, in love'with Nanki-Poo.:.
....................L Lou McEwan
Dumb-Dumb, Ko-ko's Attendant. -.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Walt Clawson
Japanese Maidens-AIisses Flora Whit
ney, Nellie Hardy, Jennie Keat, May Allen,
ney, Tacy Young .Lottie Martin, Rena Keat,
Nettie Raleigh, Lutte Thatcher, Josephine
Spencer, Louie Dowden, Lillio Taylor,
Emma Crismon, Laura Whitney, Euphelia
Latimer, Louisa Simmons, Lizzie Latimer,
Bell Clayton, Louisa Mayer, Nettie Latimer,
Annie Simpson, Lutte Young, Addie Care
less, Hattie Chambers.
Noble Lords-Messrs. John S. Barnes, ].
p. Mealin, Chas. A. Lambourne, Geo. W.
Clark, w. d. Piper, Geo. l.. Savage, II. A.
Piper, III. Kirkman, ID. s. Spencer, Jas. G.
Gallagher, ID. H. McAllister, j. A. Croft, w.
b. Dougall, Jr,, j. Il. Jennings, +. ID. Rich
ards, l. M. Barratt, Henry M. Dinwoodey.
To severely criticise the opera as pre-
sented last night by our amateurs would
be decidedly unfair, for the conception OF
piece is such an unique idea that even the
best professional companies have had to
undergo rehearsal at the hands of the
authors. The theme is satire upon the
official business OF Japan, and the methods
Of doing business in that country, and the
authors satirical ideas were but family
carried out in many parts of the opera
ST night.
Mr.. John d. Spencer as Ko-Ko, proved
the soul of the piece. His character was
1x fha int &c IL,
gags, his costume, dancing and grimaces
being the strong features. At the close
of several of his solos he was recalled,
notably
''Taken from the county Jail
BY n set of curious chances,''
And the "Titwillow" song. There is u
little too much burlesque in Mr.. Spencer's
Ko-Ko, but still it is neat perform
ance.
Nanki-Poo, us interpreted by Mr..
Piper, was rather flat, and hardly salts
fled his friends who have seen him in
other roles "a Wandering Minstrel -
was given in good taste, but in the scenes
with Yum Yum there was tameness
almost understandable. While the wander
ing minstrel may be sad, yet when en-
gagged in osculatory exercises with such Il
L
must be nerve and dash to it, without
which it proves mutually unsatisfactory
to himself, Yum Yum and the interested
lookers-on. The gentleman, il is but fair
to state, was suffering from severe cold
last night, and this evening we may look
for decided improvement in both his
singing and acting.
Pooh-Bah, in the hands OF John White,
was pompous and studied, with perhaps
little too much posing, but on the
whole he did it justice, although he WAS
seen to much better advantage in
Patience"
The Pish-Tush OF Mr.. Whitney was
capitally acted, but if it were not for cut
ting the opera We would advise him to
let silence take the part OF some OF his
! solos and the audience would feel better.
"The Mikado" of Japan, robed in
black silk, richly worked with gold, was
magniiicently costumed, and Mr.. b. S.
Young gave the song OF the part in good
style.
| Everybody expected that Miss Nettie
Thatcher would make charming Yum
Yum, and everybody was gratiied with
the fulflment OF their expectation. She
made up the part splendidly, aud did it
Justice in acting, singing, and the conf
cal walk OF the Japanese maid. Many
features of the business" are not brought
out, but the sweetness of her voice which
is noticeable more for its pur-
ity than brilliancy, together with
the earnest impression given
that she is doing her best, straightway
makes her favorite, and altogether her
performance was delightful and deserv-
ing Of the plaudits SO literally showered.
katlsfa is an exacting part, and Mrs.
McEwan was not equal to it last night.
She did some creditable acting, but was
manifestly flat and in bad tone, which
was accounted for by nervousness and
indisposition interfering with the lady's
efforts. Miss Louie Wells and Miss Iyie
Clawson were effectively pretty, but
little more life and piquancy in the trio
OF "Three Little Maids" would make it
much more of n success.
The choruses, male and female, were
strong, well balanced, and sang with
splendid effect. No travelling opera
troupe has yet presented us with an en-
semble that would in any wise compare
with them. The elegant costnming re-
fleets great credit upon the management.
The stage decorations were artistic TO the
minutest detail, and Mr.. ID. s. Spencer
has evidently done his part to put the
opera in presentable shape. As the cur
tain falls at the close it is a magnificent
scene, and has never been surpassed on
the stage in Salt Lake.
The opera will be repeated this even
ing, and again in the near future.
For your millinery, hats, bonnets and
trimmings, stamping and pinking, hair