The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-04-27
REHEARSALS.
Brown Opera Being Put Into
Shape for the Boards.

"Lum-tidi-idi, ium.tidi- -idi-tumtum-
tum-all together nowi Let yourselves
| loose! You can't overdo IL. This Is q
burlesque-not funeral! Oh, no, NO,
MOI that's too slow. STOP! Wen do
that all over again!"
And the fifty or more students stopped
in the midst OF their dancing and sing
ing while Mr.. James Gilbert mopped the
perspiration from his face and regarded
with pathetic concern the raw material of
the Brown opera which has got to be
placed before the public just one week
from last night.
Mr.. Gilbert came here from Boston to
take charge of the production OF "Pris-
ella, the Maid OF Brown" He has had q
good deal of experience, especially in opera
staging, and besides is first rate light
opera comedian himself. Old members OF
the Rhode Island Yacht Club will
remember Gilbert because he staged their
House, now Keith's. Gilbert took the
part OF Dick Deadeye. and he was one Of
the best In the country. Mrs. Gilbert was
the Hebe of the cast.
Gilbert Is Immensely popular with the
college men. When he appears for his
evenings work ne Is always greeted with
warm applause. The principals rehearse
afternoons and the whole company even
ings. Gilbert took charge OF things last
Monday, and he has q big work to do to
get the opera ready for the opening night.
Not until Wednesday could things be
gotten into -shape-fer Q rehearsal OF
any apparent effectiveness. Wednesday
night Gilbert took the company down
in the main hall OF Lyman Gymnasium
and he outlined the stage as nearly as
possible the working size of the Prov
idence Opera House boards. Ladders,
vaulting horses and parallel bars
represented the scenery and the entrances
81 lxx,~ x~A e.
sat down to the piano and Gilbert pro-
ceeded to put the company through a two
hours and half drilling that made them
lame.
The songs and parts were pretty well
learned and that was as far as the opera
had got when Gilbert took hold Of it.
Situations had to be arranged, any num-
for and stage full OF chorus
had to be manipulated. Mr.. Gilbert
proved to be immensely fertile OF resource.
A bit OF the dialogue, or q snatch OF the
music, and a survey OF the people on the
stage at the moment, and to Mr.. Gilbert's
dance, march or something or other to
mt In and give life and action to the
work of the librettist and score writer.
Then he proceeds to give the company his
idea and then to drill them into II. The
young men are intelligent and quick to
uDQcIsIauQ, even III LneT experience IN
this particular kind OF work is limited.
When Gilbert gets warmed up things
have got to 60. In his shirt sleeves, with
q cane in his hand to beat time, he puts
the company through without mincing
matters either In language or in action,
although he doesn't use profanity. His
voice thunders across the hall to some
unlucky fellow who is stumbling over his
feet trying to get the step and he dashes
into confused )umble OF men who have
somehow got bawled up in the march and
straightens them out without Wasting any
ceremony in tie handling.
The difficult thing to accomplish with
amateurs is to make them move quickly
enough when they are In action and, con-
.versely, "to take their time" when they
are out Of action. Moreover, every indi-
vidual participant is likely to have his
own particular faults which must be as
simulated. A burlesque opera is designed
to be an especially lively piece OF
dramatics and Gilbert has succeeded
in impressing on the Brown boys that
when they "once start they want to go
quickly" and accordingly chorus and
principals are learning how to jump lively
with the "business" OF the opera. Gilbert
has designed some pretty dances
and eneGtive marches for the
a few simple movements some immensely
inspiriting effects are secured in the en-
semble. Gilbert il putting into the
opera dash and vigor Of action, to-
gether with brilliant stage grouping and
some exceedingly effective marches and
dances. The young men who are in the
cast are meanwhile learning a good deal
about the value of words and situations.
They are being taught to express
In good many other ways than
the mere pronouncing Of the line or
the singing of song conveys the emo
tions and situations associated there with.
When they say "dreadful" they have
to assume position and expression that
are fitly associated with the horror which
Is supposed to call for the word and when
they are singing joyful rondelays they
must just let themselves loose and be-
have as Mr.. Gilbert told them "as IL they
were on for q he---no, q ratt ling old
time!"
The work Is hard and requires an enor-
nous lot OF patience and interest. But
the result will probably be better pro-
duction than anything that past years
have produced.
"Priscilla" in every respect promises 20
be more than ordinarily successful. The
sale Of seats begins Monday next, and
big demand In, Of course, the proper
thing.