Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1912-05-17

city has come to be the theatrica
center Of North Dakota for home talen
productions.
To sum it all up, "The Mikado'
was never put on by any company with
out room for improvement, but its pro
duction last evening would require nj
more improvement to reach the stand
ard Of perfection than any first nigh
performance Of q professional company
and the writer has seen many first
night shows Of star actors and actresses
that we've far inferior to "The Mika
90" as put on by the home guard. The
excellent music, the rich costuming, the
ludicrous situations, and the artistic
scenic decorations all serve to make
two hours of wholesome amusement
that was thoroughly enjoyed by an ap
preciative audience.
"The Mikado'' is too well known by
most theatregoers to need any introduc'
ton by way Of synopsis. The plot is
always kept in the foreground through
out the production. Musical comedies
of the present age have been patterned
after it, but all have failed in well
designed plot to be carried throughout
the production, to be kept in the fore.
ground as in "The Mikado.' Most Of
the present day musical comedies have
no story to weave them together and
are nothing, more than a burlesque on
something that some literary genius has
given years Of study to. The Mikado
is not production, however, that is all
music. It has its fun in abundance
but it is good wholesome fun, fun that
means something.
1t is generally sal dthat amateur pro
drctions always get the best of it and
even though the performers were poor
in their parts, the criticism of a local
production is never justified. Even am
etuers should be criticized if they
would become proficient in the art Of
entertaining, and while the production
Of the Mikado by home players went
far beyond all expectations, being a
difficult production, the room for i'm
provement is just as we'll known to
those who took part as those who wit
messed the production and can be rem
edied even at the performance tonight
To begin with, The Mikado of Japan
after whom the play is named, but
whose appearance on the stage is NOT
for any great length of time, was the
title given Albert Jaqua, who well por'
traye2 the part. Mr.. Jaqua's voice is
fitted for better music than this partic
ular part carries with it, and for this
reason he might have been slightly out
Of place, yet his ideas of Mikado
with little more dignity added, would
make him strong, even as mighty
ruler, the part which is required Of him
For stage presence Mr.. Jacqua "'has il
over" most ameteurs and Devils Lake
looks to him as star in future en-.
tertainments with better part fitted
to him than perhaps that of the Mika.
do.
Nanki Pooh, the son, and a wanderer
is well portrayed by A. P. Blonde. Mr.,
Blonde has many lines to remember
some hard acting to do, coupled with
numerous songs. His excellent voice
adds to the difficult part and in his
every appearance on the stage he won
well deserved applause. His solo work
and his duet with Yum Yum was
among the pleasing renditions of the
performance. Mr.. Blonde put heart and
soul into his work and due to his eff.
forts not only in appearance on the
stage but in other details, the success
Of the production is largely responsible,
Of all the comical genius that ever
hit this city in musical comedy, Avery
johnson is above them all. If he were
little shorter the average theatre go.
er would be certain that Frank Dan.
iels was on the job. Avery is a per.
feet fun maker. His actions are in keep.
ing with the best comedy artists, and
he can forget lines and pick them up
at any juncture and leave the audience
to wonder as to whether it was not that
way in the iberetto. Ko 10 was the
Lord High Chief Executioner, played
by Avery johnson, and the alderman
injected enough local jabs into his
share of the fun making to put life to
the performance. The fact that Mr.
johnson has splendid voice, something
that few present day comedians have,
is another great asset in his favor in
helping put it over on the high salaried
comedy stars of the present day stage
Pooh Bah. Lord High Everything
else, with a pillow to make him equal
in stature to Pish Tush and Ko.Ko, was
well portrayed by W. 81. 8. Foster. Mr.
Foster was a good second or first to
Mr.. johnson, in fact there was little
choice between the two. Mr.. Foste,
also kept the audience in a fit Of laugh.
ter during all his appearance on the
stage. Mr.. Fosters voice also served
to carry the melody over many difficult
parts. He knew his lines perfectly, in
fact Pooh Bah could not have been
played better by the big salaried artists