The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-01-31
REAL FUN MAKERS
Were the Members of Pollard's Juvenile
Opera Company.

Novelty, and one must almost stretcf
Il point to apply the word to musical
comedy, came to town last night in "The
| Toymaker" In the most refreshingly
radiant rarity of the season, Chester
Pollard presented a company the like OF
which has not been seen in Barre since
| few know when. To be sure Pollard Is
Australian australian Juvenile Opera
company" carries with 1t the SAVIOR OF
q dry air cure, something to be con-
jured with or sold at ridiculously low
prices between the acts; but what's in
a namei And again, how little it mat
tiers, after ALL whether ii was large
or small audience that witnessed the
performance so long as the sprightliest
company OF young thespians to appear
in moons was able to win the long
est and loudest applause of the year. To
tell the truth, the audience could have
been individually tagged by an agile
person in ten minutes, but it was large
enough to manifest a lively degree of
enthusiasm in what was going on and
the players lacked for big house APP
plause not moment.
As for "The Toymaker," IL has charm
which age cannot detract. Hilarious, the
toymaker, made wonderful men and
women that walked and talked, sang
and danced and sometimes swore.
Around his magic art centers the story
of little Lancelot, the novice who wished
to marry mechanical doll that his I'M
cle's dowry might be ,surreptitiously con-
90 he fort Of his napittafp
OF course he never becomes a monk for
curious circumstances combine to trans
form the doll of his choice into real,
who lost her heart in act |. The meta
morphosis works wonderfully well until
love finds its way in No. 2.
To show how much of wizard Hi
larius can be when the wheels are work
ing right, he devotes ee-fourths of
the second scene to exhibiting some of
his marvellous creations. The situation
was full of laughs for the audience, with
quite as much fun coming to old Hi
larius and his merry crew of infantry
men, whirling gayoteers and wonders
of the vegetable kingdom. From the
sombre surroundings of the monastery
in the opening scene. the on-looker was
in the next breath to the
toymaker's surprise shop.
Musically. the production was of the
most enjoyable kind. 1t is difficult TO
recall any performance of recent sea
sons when singing possessed such fire
and life and vigor OF dancing there
was a plenty and interesting again was
the fact that nearly every member of !
the cast is still in her teens. To the |
male members must be ascribed a ma
iority of summers. although their work |
lid not exceed in finesse. Half the fun .
circulated in the vicinity Of Teddie Nc
Samara and on the whole il is seldom
hat more accomplished comedian is
seen.
Miss Eva Pollard as Alesia (Hilarius'
iaughter) the doll, approached her role
With manifest determination to treat
{ just as humorously as possible with
nut OVERRIDING il. Nellie McNamars, as
father Maxine, acted with intelligence
md sang creditably on several occasions.
others whose work called for more than
,assing notice were Patsie Hill, the nov
&c, Queenie Williams, Mr. Leslie DON
Ighey. Pollard's Australian company
cave a pleasant taste that will last long
fter the little members have returned
o the bush country.