The Washington times., 1907-11-05
The Cast in ~Tom Jones"

Tom Edwardes. Charles Kingsland
Colonel Wilcox. John Hassan
| Honour Gertrude Quinian
Lady Beilaston- .-.-...,--.------ Laura Butler
| Hostess OF the Inn.......... Florence Rurdett
BESSIE Niseacre- .-.... .MajOrie Fairbanks
| Lefty Wheatcroft. Odette Bordeaux
rosie Lucas Louise Meyers
susan. Lucy TOnge
Iselty----- Evelyn smith
Fessy Anna Han
Washington knows only by hearsay
how Henry ". Savage's Merry
| Widow has waltzed 70 triumph, but
Washington last night heard and saw
| Mr. Savage's second big musical pro-
duction of the season achieve an un-
mistakable success az the Columbia
Theater.
II has been many a day since so en-
jOyable and praiseworthy a new musi-
cal production as TON Jones' has
been seen in this city; indeed. not since
Mr. Savage's own grand opera,
Madame Butterfly" of last season.
If all our comic operas and musical
comedies had the melody, the taste.
and the voices to be found in Tom
Jones" there would be no occasion for
decrying the great class OF preseEt-day
musical shows as a lot Of fuse and
feathers, devoid OF plot, and ofteptimes
innocent Of mirtn and music.
The English comic opera. Tom
Jones" IS founded upon the first great
English novel. Of the same name, by
Henry Fielding. F1eldings book was
published In I749 and the composer Of
the music for the opera, Edward Ger
man. has given us a score which IS
fully in keeping with the time and the
spirit Of the story.
The plot interest is well sustained
throughout the three acts, and the mu-
sical numbers are introduced with
much deftness, 50 that they do not ma
terially hinder tae dramatic movement
of the entertainment
The humer Of Tom Jones" is OF ham
mer rather than the rapier variety 1t
Is frankly English, though IL has been
Americanized 10 some extent We ind
none Of the subtle quips and salliss
which characterize the most praise
worthy productions on this side the
Atlantic. but the jokes are all apparent
Il requires no stimulation Of the intel
lect 20 see the point at every thrust,
however clever these are at times. The
punsters and the clowns are responsible
for the major part OF the bOisterOus
mirth provoked.
But Il is not in its bumor that Tom
Jones' commends ITSELF most heartily
10 the public. It - ~ the refreshing
u.elodiOus, rhythmicaI music ana ths
excellent singing cast that the audi
ence last night found its chief pleasure.
Mr.. Savage has selected a magnificent
company for his new production. MISS
Louise Cunning sings the role OF Sopnla
with great vivacity and giriish grace.
She has an unusually pTepossessinS
stage presence and is not ungitted IN
histriouic qualities. her voice IS Iuli
and round, with a wide range. IL pos
sesses much natural sweetness and Is
/ at al times under perfect control
No less praiseWOTtny is the work OF
I Miss Gertrude Quinlan as Honour
/ Greater demands are made upon Miss
Guinlan's dramatic ability than upon
Miss Cunning and in every instance her
work was both convincing and llum-
mating. She has mezzO-soprano OF
rare sweetness. Van Rensselaer, Wheeler
was seen in the title role. His acting
( Is not brilliant by any means. DuI ne
sang with much enthusiasm and care.
The fun Of TON Jones' was Iur-
uished MANI by John Bunny ana VIII
Lam Norris, the former as Gregory, d
country lOut, and the latter as Benjamin
Partridge, the village barber MF. Bun
ny who was last seen in washington
I with Annie Russell as Bottom III =
/ Midsummer Nights Dream as the stu
! pid English servant, not only looked the
part admirably last night. but ne played
It with a keen sense OF humor ana VII.
/ q full appreciation Of the limitations OF
the clown. William Norris was con-
1 Stant source Cf amusement. his eI-
ratio mannerisms and odd dancing made
him the center Of attention WheneNeI
> he was on the stage. The authors OF ILle
I book. Robert COurtneidge and A. NJ
/ Thompson, were generous IN supplyHhs
him with many broadly farcical lines.
/ The most pronounced hits OF the mu-
/ sicaI numbers were THE Barley Now,
| by Gregory. Honour, Betty, Peggy DoD-
! bin, and GTiZZle; Dream . Day Jill'
by Sophia; "All for a Green Ribbon,
by Honour and male chorus; "k1ng
| Neptune" by Partridge and chorus. anC
| "Beguile, Beguile, With Music Sweet
| by Sophia. The last named song was
encored again and again and grew in IA
vor with each rendition. Herman Per
let directed with ability, and, what Is
| more rare, with a keen appreciation OF
the wishes Of the audience lie did moi
seize upon every bit Of appreclatVe ap'
plause as an excuse for an encore, as dc
so many leaders
/, In this production. as in everything
I which Mr.. Savage offers the pubic, Ine
choruses are among the most enJoyablt
features Of the entertainment Sot only
/ are the voices we'll trained, but they are
powerful and melodious, and in absolute
unison.
, The plav is handsomely mounted and
costumed with great discretion ano
] fidelity to the period of the opera.
IN such an artistic production az
/ '"FOm Jones" st Is rather surprising
, that Mr.. Savage should have allowed
several glaring anachrOnisms to Greer
in It is hardly conceivable, FOL
example, that the name philippines
should find place in the vocabulary o
an English servant in the year 1549
! Another minor defect which would b'
overlooked in a. production less arts
! tically presented. IS the use Of mean
descent lights for the Ranelaghs Gar
dens scene in the last act. Why no
produce the same result by using ia
panese lantern effects and thus avoiC
. the violation Of invention verities?
Musical1y. Tom Jones" should be tn,
success Of the season. Edward German
has given to this country what he gave
some months ago TO his native land
n comic opera builded on the line;
known and cherished long ago by tn,
more seriOus-minded music lovers and
presenting to the ear Of critic and lay
man succession Of dainty conceptions
that have not known their equal, IL
America, at least, for many years. The
opera is essentially English In its con
ceptiOn and Mr.. German has brought
to its creation the fine musical cnergie;
! which have marked his better-knowT
works he has given the music wOrlC
a work which, reluctant as American:
will be to cOncede 1t, has not beer
equaled by anything yet produced DS
/ a native composer. He has fashioned
each number TO ft the picturesque al
N-~- 49,. rATn~a To- Ntaaa IL