The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-06
''CHIC" is GOOD.
Topeka Did Not See Sylvia But
Enjoyed Her Opera.
One of the Most Tuneful Pro-
auctions of the Year.
MISS PAUL'S TRIAL.
Pretty SOubrette Did Well in
Miss SyIVa's Part.
Excellent Chorus and Many
Splendid Singers.
MISS PAUL'S TRIAL.

''The Princess Chic is not what is
called in the profession a one man piece,
and therefore with Marguerite Sylvia in
Kansas City with a sore corn and an
understudy in the title role in Topeka,
the performance was not greatly marred-
Marguerite sylvia, the Belgian prima
donna discovered by Kirk LIE Shelle, was
safe on the other side of the Missouri,
nursing her corns, and Agnes Paul was
the princess of Normandy in Topeka
1.-THE Princess Chic is easily and by
far the best comic opera that has been
here this season, for the reason that it
is more after the style of the standard
comic operas than the others, and after
ALL the style of the old favorites that
every opera company carries in its
repertoire is the most pleasing and last
ing style The Iibretto is pretentious
and the music tuneful. In costumes
the opera easily takes the lead, as the
fourteenth century in Burgundy allows
of picturesque and rich costumes, and
the chance has not been overlooked
The costuming Of the chorus in the first
act brought a good round of applause.
Miss Paul, whose part is that OF
"Estelle'' is a thoroughly competent I'M
derstudy, and took the part of The
Princess Chic in a very creditable
manner. She is a decided brunette, and
at LeavenWorth was mistaken for Miss
sylvia. In fact, last night there were
people in the audience who were unde-
cided whether the leading soprano part
was being sung by the star or her IN
derStudy. With such conditions the au-
dience lost little by the absence of Miss
sylvia. Miss Paul is comic opera.
singer of experience. For se%aral years
she was with Francis Wilson Her
voice is sweet and clear, and very pleas
ing. Her manner, her voice.. her size
and eyes remind one of Alice Nielsen.
Perhaps Miss Paul has not as strong a
voice as Miss Sylvia but without com
parison her singing and acting leave
nothing to be desired. Ada Milward,
understudy of Miss Paul, took the part
of fsEsteIIe'' satisfactorily. Her songs
were well received.
When it comes to comedians. '@The
Princess Chic has enough for two av-
erage comic operas. There is a quar-
tette of fun makers of different styles
and sizes to suit the taste of all. Thomas
T. Leary, as Steward of the Duke"
Joe Miron and Walter Lawrence, as
"Brevet' and "Brabau,'' staggering
"soldiers Of fortune and Neil Mcneil
as Steward to the Princess, furnished
the fun. Tom Leary as the steward was
funny without trying to be, and when
he made an extra effort he was Iudl-
crous.
81 trov'' and IT faith and may, and
you will, sir" but in the comedy role
Leary brought it up to date with such
expressions as wouldn't that keep you
YOU and wouldn't that galvanize
you.' The expressions were so many
centuries ahead of the clean cut Ian
guage of Burgundy in the fourteenth
century that they We're really funny; dld
not become tiresome, and brought
laugh every time. When Charles the
Bold" asked his steward for 5000 sol
diers to meet the king of France in
battle, his steward informed him that ne
only had "4-11-44-"
joe Miron, who must weigh 236 in
tights and who has a bass voice that
made the foundation of the opera house
tremble, is funny as "Brevet," one of the
soldiers of fortune He is assisted by
Walter Lawrence as the second soldier
of fortune. Miron has a big, fat face
with more than a double chin, it must
be triple. He rolled his eyes, puckered
his mouth and danced his 236 pounds
around until the audience had to do a
continuous laugh. Neil Mcneil had but
few chances for fun making but he
made the most of every opportunity. The
quartette of fun-makers in their nine
tenth century comic song, How are We
to Know" made a decided hit and they
were recalled a half dozen times. The
song is a close second to I'm Old Ben
FranlSlin's Day of Daniels Amer but
must be a second.
1.-THE Princess Chic can boast of a
well balanced chorus The choruses were
excellent. The melody which came from 7
the chorus of over 40 voices filed every
nook and corner Of the opera house. Miss
Paul's solo, 1.-THE Wood Nymph" was
pleasing and well sung. The song has a
peculiar movement. THE Days of Mag
ic" by the two soldiers of fortune
brought two encores- 1.-THE Love Light
in Your Eyes by Miss Mathilde Pre-
vile, the cOntralto of the company, was
very pretty number and received an
encore Miron's song in the last act,
War Is a Bountiful Jade" with a
chorus of 20 male voices and 20 anVils |
called for several repetitions. Winfield
Blake made a good impression with his
entrance song. "A Good Charger Miron |
and Lawrence with their duet, "A Fight |
ing Man were recalled Miss Milward |
and F. Knights in their duet, The Story |
Book met with favor
The second act, Grand hall Of the |
chateau" had to be set with the house |
scenery as the scene carried by the COM |
pany could not be put on, the stage be- |
ing too small. Miss Paul wore the same |
costumes which Christie Mcdonald, who |
created the part Of Princess Chic last |
season, used to wear. Julian Edwards |
the composer of the music, has given to |
the public an opera which does not have |
BoWery sport nor Bowery music Kirk !
lie Shelle, who wrote the book, has made |
a good plot. THE Princess Chic is /
good.
large opera company without a To- |
peka girl in the chorus would be a fail |
ure-p perhaps, Miss Margery Ward, who |
lived in Topeka a few years ago is in |
the Princess Chic" company. She adds /
Lytton to make her stage name. To- |
peka Is becoming quite a theatrical /