The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-04-20
What the operetta is.

WHdt tUc OPSTctld 49,
For those VITO were not so FORUM
ate as to see last evenings presenta-
ton, brief synopsis of the entire
performance will no doubt prove in
teresting.
An old toy maker is revealed in his
toy shop, mending dolls. Upon his
departure for the night, four hours
emrge from the tall old clock against
the wall and bring to life the dolls
and other toys of the shop for four
brief hours. A discussion at once
arises as to what form of government
shall be adopted by them. The jacks
in the boxes, who are anarchists, OBJ
ject to any; the tin and wooden sol
diers wish for military rule, and the
dolls clamor for q representative gov
eminent
So mud- jealousy is called forth by
their discussion that the hours sug-
gest that the choice Of ruler be left
to little child, whom they offer to
summon magically from Dreamland.
This plan is agreed upon and the
child in tie play chooses her "old
doll' as the best beloved. The little
queen doll is brought back in state
by the hours and the child and every
thing runs on merrily with the toy
shop people until the I.ours warn them
that their brief freedom is over and
tnat the time has come for them to
return to the shelves of the toy shop
The child and queen bid all farewell
and after one last grand frolic, the
dolls, at the striking of the hour
return to their places on the shelves
The curtains are drawn by the watch
full hours, who vanish into the clock
and the old toy maker on his return
finds nothing disturbed in the toy
shop.
The Playing.
The first curtain rose on a pretty
maker engaged in his shop. TIE frs
scene shows the interior of the to.
! shop, with curtained cases along the
/ walls and where are placed the chill
dren who take the part of tae dolls
! The old toy shop keeper sits or {
bench, mending broken doll He
4 sings as he works. when suddenly he
I realizes the lateness of the hour ant
i remarks. Good gracious me; it is 81
1 very late, that | to rest my weary
/ bones must HE me stra.gtat, to be safe
/ in my bed do belize, when once the
hour of midnight gins to strike"
Then the old clock begins to strike
and the old man slips OH his coat
takes down his hat and leaves the
room pretty interlude is here
struck and TIE face of the old CLOCK
slowly changes while the four hours
One O'clock Two O'clock Three
O'clock and Four O'clock, and the
twelve little quarter hours emerge
from It,
4 The Clock Song is then sung. during
which the clock numerals weave {
magic SMELL with wands about tie doll.
of the toy shop Attached to the ends
of the wands are the numerals eaci
represents. Suddenly, at the cloe o
the magic song, the numerals rais'
their wands and the music is Changed
for the transformation scene. Thu
hours run to the alcoves and draw
the curtains. The dolls are first like
statues, but begin slowly to move, frs
heads, then arms, then feet then final
ly they march with maricnette move
ment out to the front of the stage.
From this time on there is grea
activity among the dolls. especially il
choosing their queen, and until the en-
of the performance, every moment
pleasureable one.
The operetta is divided into tw