Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-21


paper book of his part and now and then they
would pause to determine a question Of cues.
After they had made half dozen remarks
apiece the musical director struck q chord on
the piano and they sang a song. That is to
say. they did not really sing it aloud but
merely hummed 1t TO an accompaniment
Then the second lover offered some observa-
lions, to which the chorus responded with an
swers in unison.
Miss Smiffkius' cried the musical director
at the piano. ''Oblige me, il you please, by
putting aside that largo bunch Of flowers which
you hold in your hand. Now, We will have
la-la-la-la-la-la. That is much better Very
good. indeed. Bravor
Now. Mrs. Tootles, what is the cue word for
the chorus?" asked the musical director from
the orchestra Enclosure.
Ham. replied the stoutest Of the women
on the stage. who had the funny female part
and wore huge black hat with a feather.
And he drank six bottles of wine at sitting
to wash down a whole ham,
Now laugh said the man at the piano and
the entire chorus Uttered and guffawed all to-
gether.
Very good" cried the musical director. and
struck few more chords. rs there entered from
the back the hero of the opera-an officer of
hussars disguised as priest At all events
that IS the way he appears at q performance;
but IN this case he resembled neither priest nor
offcer, being merely rather short young man
IN the usual flannel shirt and straw hat, with
reddish hair
Nevertheless the chorus all knelt down be-
Iore MIN to ask for a blessing which he con-
TERED with song hardly uttered above his
breath. for the sake of saving his voice.
Several OF the pretty girls from time to time
caught the eye of The STAR man. who sat all
alone IN the middle of the front row, the only
person IN the big auditorium. He felt a trihe
embarrassed. because on all previous occasions
at the opera he had shared the task of mash
ing the chorus singers with q multitude of
others. This time there no one else to
help.
After the disguised hussar had done his solo
love duet folo between one of the come
dams and the woman who took the funny
female part. There was good deal OF humor-
GUS stage business to be practiced about this
more particularly certain complicated skip
for getting OF the stage with-which the come
dian could do to perfection, but the funny
woman was too plump to execute very WELL
Next came another chorus. but before the
lrst chords for an accompaniment TO that had
been struck on the piano the stage manager
who had come around at just that moment TO
SIT by The STAR reporter in the orchestra, got
up and shouted:
Miss Emory has been excused on account
of Illness"
Nothing serious hope" ventured the
newspaper man in a whisper. lie missed from
the bright array of the chorus damsel who
had enchanted him few moments before by
an almost unmistakable wink.
"Cucumbers at breakfast" said the stage
manager. Il told her that they we're indi-
gestible."
IN THE SECOND ACT.
By the time another duet solo and chorus
had been sung. the second act was well under
way. Quite number of things were skipped
and, inasmuch as no pause \,
was made at the point ER
where the curtain was to be NA
dropped in the perform ArS
. !. 4 !
ance. 1t was not easy to
tell just how far along the nj
opera had got. The march RTTTLJ3
of a company of hussars, HVx\
not In their stage-uniform II nj
tights, but III pretty sum- | iNA6 81
mer dresses and ribbons. 81
was an agreeable incident [ ITh ~
not requiring the usual EV % y
: &c.; :; s 4 +: i; =
!: ]. !. |.
OF a topical trio. in which II. lT
the two comedians and the II IIIt III |
funny woman took part. 1llIit ia |
What is it?' was their HILL Ill
catch phrase; and in sue Hill I'LL
cesslve stanZas. responding HILL IL
to suppOsititious eneores. MIL " Il
they explained what it was VII 'j''
that made the world go 1t
round-Obviously love. N~
what il was that could ac-
compiish aDything-name- HUssAR CAPTAIN.
ly. doodle and so ON, until the last recall of
all. when they sang:
THE TOPICAL SONG.
What is it makes the audience laugh and cry
for more and more?
What is it makes the chappies chaff; what makes
the gallery roar?
What is il that We hate to do and vet we find
We must
That racks us players through and through, |
and yet we do fo- dust?
us il singing?
lis it dancing?
as it acting?
mol We have it! It's too MANY topical |
verses; and this is what we think of them:'
Whereupon the trio gave a comic imitation |
OF the agonies of dying. and the funny woman |
was assisted of the stage in a condition of in
cipient rigor mortis by the two comedians.
while the entire house, in the person of THE
STAR man in the front row Of the orchestra. !
came down with wild applause.
''All ready now. ladies and gentlemen, for
the tnale! cried the musical director running
off a few chords in fortissimo on the piano |
The chorus was sung with fine crescendo at |
the end and the curtain fell. the audience filing
slowly ont. More accurately speaking the