Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-03-28
IN LONDON THEATRES.
speclal correspondence.

Special Correspondence.
Y ONDON, March 1S.--London.
oapably represented by the
first-night audience at the
Hicks Theater, made 1t quite
clear that Ii liked Oscar Strauss nu-
sic for THE Waltz Dream" just rs
much as American audiences had, but
that 1t didn't care especially for the
book" of this operetta as made over
to suit English tastes. The last act in
particular went against the grain, and
II part of the audience, no having the
authors of the words at hand took
IL out in booing at the company at the
end of the play. But when the COM
poser, who had celebrated the pre-
duction by conducting the orchestra
In person was summoned to the stage,
he was applauded with one accord
and so heartily that there could lie
no installing the intention OF the, au-
dience.
Since then, Mr.. Stratus has had
something to say for himself on the
subject, and has made 1t quite evil
dent that he doesn't approve of the
'tinkering' that has been done on the
original Vienesc libretto, He. has new
er seen tho highly successful American
production, OF course, but seems In
cllned TO shiver at the reports of the
interpretations that have been made
there, too.
English musical comedy traditions
call for much Glowing without re-
gard to the plot. Apparently the un-
Outstanding is that at certain fire.
quent intervals the thread of the
story--if there Is any story and It has
III 4. H..
the funny man chance to let HIM
self loose. II possible the authors
give him something to work on, but in
any event, IL he Is a truly great funny
man, he Is expected to improvise dur
ing the process OF rehearsal and even
after the first night, he Is quite en-
tilted 10 be considered as one of the
authors.
Oscar Straus says that in Vienna
the public now insists upon having
good story with its musical comedies,
and that II they had to choose be-
tween one musical comedy with good
music and bad book, and another with
good book and bad music. they would
vote for the latter every time--a good
book meaning, according To his defni-
ton, not only bright lines and pic
turesquo situations. but definite
story that insists on keeping itself In
sight, He says frankly he doesn't
think English authors can write lib
rettos as good as those made in VIE
emma" He has finished an act and
i half OF n new light opera, ''Dldi,"
with a book by no less a parsonage
than Sardou, and has begun work on
musical setting for Bernard Shaw's
Arm and the Man" which he thinks
provides an ideal libretto for light
opera,
Well, musical comedies In England
are not necessarily made In tho
heights Of Parnassus a friends Il
the writer's was called up by tele-
phone three days ago and asked II he
had a musical comedy up his sleeve.
The man AT the other end Of the telr-
Ehuno was manager who wanted one.
ana wanted II quick, My friend
promptly responded that he would he
down with one next day and there
after devised a scenario on the spot.
The eager manager listened To- IL next
day, and pronounced II good, lie
was enthusiastic But hold!' said
he. this won't do for our nrst pro-
duCtlon. although Il will be Just the
thing FOR the piece after the FIRST"
why not2" asked the librettlst.
1t contains quite new idea"
said the manager, and that would
mover do for the first production by a
new management"
The librettlsi, being a man OF great
resource. said he thought he could REM
edy the difficulty and thereupon im-
prOvlsod a plot for musical comedy
a. which even the most discriminating
manager could not object that IL con-
tanned anything new. This was de-
clarod TO be acceptable, ana negotla-
tons were going on well when the
manager said "Oh, by the way, / for
got Ia mention that | had tho chance
% buy up u splendid lot OF scenery