New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-25

TRIAL by JURY
Tho Judge ................pe Wof Eo;9er
The raf.ndau, .............. Arthur Alridge
counsel ror Plaintiff ..... john Ni,'aIdd
Usher ............ ...........W William panfo-'h
F.-.0uau % ir-r ........ Her crt WatcroIs
plautin ......... ........ Gladys 'a,1Vs
FRET bridesmaid .......... Alis, Mscomb
THE soRcEHER."
Sir Iarnsd1se Po.atdoAt-c.
Allows - Arthur Adsilge
Doctor pal-............ ....-..... .iIsuy D.
John Wellington Wells de Wol' Horper
Iadt Sargalure ............... Mare Morgan
AIinc .......... Natalie Ait
Mrs Pariet ............ ........ =. Alice Nc onlh
'oust1nle OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. GLADYS caldwell
H...ules ............... Ma Arnold
Whatever distinction the last few
years OF operet'a have attained IN
New York has been due almost entire
II to the spring revival Of The Gilbert
and sullivan works. The reyivals have
all been earnest and generally fairly
successful attempts to bring back the
public to the musical ways rom which
it has strayed during its winters of
musical hodge podge. And the chiei
shepherd in all these spring drives has
been, Of course, Mr.. De Wolf Hopper
As Mr.. Hopper said last night in his
curtain speech. unto the Gilbert and
Sullivan classics | and my companions
have put our best, however much we
may have wandered aimlessly through
the less mcritorious works in which
We nave appeared between times
The two operettas sung last night
were The Sorcerer" and Trial by
jury" neither of which had been given
here for many years. One member o.
last nights cast Of The Sorcerer,"
Mr. Digby Bell, sang the part OF Doctor
Daily in the original New York proouc-
ton, thirty-four years ago. He sang II
again last night and received a vel
come that made the tears start TO his
eyes
In THE Sorcerer" Mr.. Hopper was
at his best as John Wellington Wells.
and gave his "patter" songs ss only ne
can give them and never miss word.
Arthur Aldridge's fine voice made one
only regret that his Alexis could not
always find the pitch. while Miss
Natalie Alt made an attractive Aline
and Herbert Waterous sonorous SIR
Marmaduke.
Tie lbretto Of The Sor-erer," with
It's love potion ana the go. uing COM
plications, is not one OF G. nerts mas
ter eces, though il is amusing, but It's
music is as melodious and rightly as
any of Sullivan's later scores. In fact
in IT are good bits of "Pi afore' and
The Mikado." Absolutely spontaneous
is he music. music OF the one com
pos, of the last two aurdred years
whose melody and whose. style are Eng
lish and nothing else. L VAS pity
i ~ n
/ last nights orchestra. for =. score IS
one worthy of jealous ret ding.
Trial by Jury" is little more than
cantata, but it is a delicious one
from beginning to end one endless
Anglo-SaXon sentimentaliSm IN the
law courts been more effectively satir-
lied. and the Judge what part for
De Wolf Hopper. OF course. Mr.. Hop
per played il, and even II these suG-
gestions Of "gagging" he drained from
it its last drop of fun.
An able coadjutor was Mr.. Danforth
Usher. figure played in the vein OF
true burlesque, while Mr.. Aldrldee a.
! the Defendant and Miss Alice McComb
as the First Bridesmaid were we'll IN
tho picture.
One could not helm feeling, in listen
ing to Trial by Jury" that Barrie, in
his court scene in THE Legend OF
/ Leonora," had but pIagiarized and SOFT
/ ened Gilbert's boisterous fun. The
/ same satire and philosophy are in both
All who love music and all who love
FUN should go this week to the Forty,
eighth Street Theatre. They will find
I there the best of both.
Besides, Mr. Hopper will probably
make 20 them one OF his inimitablc
speeches. The one he made last nigh,
was worthy OF Gilbert himself.