New-York tribune., 1920-01-25
By Fl. E. krehbiel

We suppose we ought to apologize
to the Americans Singers at the Park
Theater, the majority of the writer's
Tor the newspapers who are showing
An interest in their performances and
Mr.. Hlnshaw's patrons for presuming
% make the observations which we
have in mind on the current per
formarfces of Gilbert and Sullivan's
"perettas. But we shall not. 1t is no
iault OF ours that we are alive TODAY
and obliged TO write about works with
WnIch we became acquainted in an
earlier and happier day and which we
nave admired with an admiration as
sweet as love ever since. Nature NOT.
having lntervened TO prevent the affic-
'loh' we could cXtrlcate ourselves only
ny neglecting our duty to The Tribune
or committing suicide, which. accord
ing to the logic of Robin Oakapple.
would De crime. And we are moi
crmlnally disposed. And so we live and
cke we write
II Is dlYertng. even if trif'e dis
composing, TO all oldster TO read Of the
preservation of traditions in the cur
rent performances of Gilbert and Sul
livan's operettas. OF course. there are
performers on the stage to-day who
remember how the D'Oyly Carte com
panles presented those works. There
must be, for there are writer's for tho
Il
mere need be no disparity of age be
'"een the two classes But it is nos
slble that old writer's have preserved
IDEALS which time and the changes in
pubic understanding and taste have
ooltterated III veteran performers. II
10 possible, too. that old actors. thouyh
knowing what is right, have neither the
opportunity nor the capacity longer to
do the right
De Wolf Hoppers Secret
Nertain 1t ls that the fundamental $
on which the exquisite art Of Gilbert
and Sullivan are built have been ip-
nored on the operetta COR, so-called
comic opera) stage for decades as com
pletelv as they were ignored before Gil.
oert and Sullivan came upon the scene
The comedian is again become wha,
once he was, crudely, rudely, obvious
laugh-provoker. A many years ago. in
the heyday of the old Casino. we talked
with De Wolf Hopper about his clown,
ing In perverson OF a Niennese on.
're'ta. My boy, my boy he SAID
We got 70 have laugh when | come
on. III do anything, any old gax, to
ret that laugh. III weep and throw nv
cars on the stage floor in the shape Of
'orpedocs; hut must get my laugh s.
And he did He came on the stage rid.
iNf on ihe wings OF gale Of wind.
no'f'ng on 20 an umbrella And he
hoonooed when tho opportunity came
and exploded torpedoes on the stare
Inc people laughed. Hopper was funny.
oscruciasingly funny. II wasn't Gil
bert and Sullivan piece, but he would
rave done the same thing if IL had bcau
Consider now the other. the Gil
n"rtian, view OF the essence Of humor.
or comicality. II you wish. When "rhc
Hisado was in rehearsal az the Savoy
iheater, in London. Miss Jessie Bond
IN one scene gave Mr.. George Gros-
snith Che was ho-Ko Of the play1 a
push, ard he rolled completely over on
tho stage. Mr.. Gilbert WAS directing
tne rehcarsal In mis- charac,cristically
poh,e manner he interrupted with
Would you mind omitting that"
"Ceytainly, II you wish IT," replied
Mr.. Grossmith, "ou, get an cnormons
suzh ny H."
so yop would y you sat dorm on a
'of~ pc commented Mr. Gilbcr,.
'1I.tly
Hero we hsv. an iIlustration Of th.
irsrshce between me acting Of ,he
srcs comedian and tho new ,yps