Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-20
Belasc0.

It has been customary to speak OF the
Dresentation of ''Pinafore" now before
the public as revival. Strictly speaking
IL Is no such thing. 1t has been very
much alive, for it's melodies have fingered
in many a mind as fresh as when they
were the prevailing fad. For "PlnaIore
wan considered a fad and nothing more.
Tho various bits Of phraseoiosy that
stuck In the public mind were esteemed
the yeriest artfficiality, although what,
never ''well, hardly ever! seemed 10
u.omise a robustness which would enaoie
ft TO hold it's own. in current humor with
such gleesome persifage as pull down
your vest or wipe off your chin" The
American presentation OF the opera was
regarded as almost as much a JOKE as
.nvthinz I'm the libretto. But the liking
for it waxed and grew stronger until
original Sir Josephs and original Butter
cups became almost as numerous as the
more recent original members or the
There were all kinds Of "Pinafore'
companies. juvenile and adult. companies
that played on land and companies tnat
PLAYED on water: for it was favorlte
eummer-opera trick to give 'Plna1ore
on some small lake. or slow-fowing river.
where the full moon would shine in proper
person as an inspiration to the serenaoe.
Sir Joseph and his charming relations
were rOWeQ 10 the aquatic StdSc-SCttih5 III
boats, and it was all quite as picturesque
rs any open-air presentation that ben
Greet ever attempted. Yet 1t was very
frivolous. Musicians told you so, and stu
dents of the drama deplored the qulps ana
c!rcumlOcutionS which were neither slang
nor the diction of sober scholarship. Some
of the music showed great cleverness, but
II was wasted on such light and incon-
sequential play-or simply to Keep the
Argument two-sided, the satire was ex-
v,<v1x 1ort nd a n j.
sic was a collection of trivial, though IN
sidious, jingles. The author attempted no
apology. although he must have suspected
that his keen and penetrating SATIRE
prompted much of the critical zeal that
classified the work as diverting. but alb
surd. The adjective "diverting' stood
forth on it's own account, for the people
of Two hemispheres were humIning the
tunes and grinning at the. catch words,
most of them never realizing that great
British institution was being handled with
objectionable freedom. 1t took Gilbert
many more years to become Sir than
Il took Sullivan. The work was accepted
by its author entirely at the popular esti-
mate Of il, which, SO far as pecuniary
compensation went, was extremely lib
eral. In THE Pirates of Penzance' one
of the characters. in pompously reciting
his accomplishments. declares that he
lean whistle all the tunes in that in
fernal nonsense, 'Pinafore.
The roles that present themselves in the
opera do not lend themselves to individual
hits They are so ciean-cut and depend
so much more on lines than on action
that the players achieve their best sue
cess in attaining a uniform standard. OF
course. it is possible for player to as
sert individuality to an overwhelming de-
gree. 1t Is done in this cast-with the
result that an old friend. Dick Deadeye, is
effaced and DeWolf Hopper substituted.
Mr.. Hopper is one OF the very few real
singing comedians. and his humorous
exaggeratiOn of the part got the laughs
which make it impossible for conserva-
the company are exceptionally good. Mr..
Eugene Cowles took encore after encore
in the song He remains an Englishman,
and George ]. MacFarlane was excellent
both in voice and action as Capt. Cor
coran.
Richard Temple played Sir Joseph Por-
ter with all the nicely of extreme and
self-conscious aristocracy, and did not
lose any of the comedy in the patter
songs falling to his share. One of the
chief advantages enjoyed by the Gilbert
and Sullivan creations lay in the fact
that the intrinsic wit of the lines carried
the humor without dependence on indi-
vidual comedy stars, thus enabling the Sc
lection of singers capable of doing full
Justice to the music. A handsome boy
fish face. easy carriage and a voice of
extraordinary sweetness made Mr.. Arthur
Aldridge one of the distinct hits of the
performance Each of his songs was a
veritable gem.
The sisters and the cousins and the
aunts and the sailor lads of the chorus
sang with a freshness and volume that
was delightful. and at the close of the
performance the audience walked up the
aisles humming the music with an absent
minded enthusiasm that made the usual
performance of the orchestra at this
juncture quite superfuous.