PRINCESS THEATRE.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2026, 2 November 1869, Page 2

PRINCESS THEATRE.

Mr E, P. Whitworth’s adaptation of Offenbach’s opera bouffe of “ The Grand Duchess of Gerolatein,” was produced for the first time last evening. Allowing, of course, for those shortcomings which inevitably attend the performance of a new piece, “The Grand Duchess” maybe fairly pronounced a success. But there is room for great improvements. The principal and most successful part of the piece is the first act. It opens with a view of an encampment on the Austrian side of the Alps, with the Matterhorn in the distance. As first represented, the scene is shaded by the morning mist, through which the tents cf the soldiers on the hill side, and a solitary sentinel warming himself at the camp fire, are just discernible. Then the fog gradually lifts until the scene is shown in its entirety, with the foreground occupied by the soldiers of the Grand Duchess’s army. The play then commences. The plot is exceedingly meagre, and can be told in a few words. The Grand Duchess is wooed by Prince Paul (Mrs Howard), hut Ins fallen in love with a private in her army, named Fritz (Mr Whitworth). The latter, however, is engaged to a village soubrette named Wanda (Miss Nyc). The Grand Duchess raises Fritz from his low position to that of a noble, and commander-in-chief of her army in a short space of time ; but, finding that he does not return her affection, she with equal quickness strips him of his newly acquired honors, and marries Prince Paul, Fritz retiring contented with the village schoolmastership, and Wanda. The action of the piece is confined almost solely to the first act; the other two acts are quite minor ones, possessing little animation. This is the fault of the piece, and requires to ho immediately remedied. The dialogue in the second act, too, is lamentably weak—notably in the love scene between the Grand Duchess and Fritz. The second scone is the reception room of the palace, which is prettily illuminated; and the third scene a tapestried chamber, hung with a well executed representation of the Bayeux tapestry. The music was, on the whole, well rendered. The best selections are in the first act. Miss Forde, as the Grand Duchess—a part that she sustained surprisingly well—sang the rondo, “Oh I dote on the military” capitally, and was loudly applauded. The song of the regiment went well, save that the chorus was given rather unevenly. The “Hamburg journal,” which is 1

a lively bit of music, and the Sabre song, with which the first act concludes, were well sung by Miss Forde, the last mentioned having to be repeated. In the second act, Miss Forde sung “ Toll him from me,” very nicely indeed, considering that she suffered from a cold. The “Song of the Glass,” another lively piece of music was well sung. Miss Forde and Mr Whitworth were called before the curtain at the end of the first act. As the different performers get more used to their parts we have not the slightest doubt they will appear to greater advantage than they did last night : we shalljthcn notice them individually, but we cannot refrain from remarking now that the performance of Mr Howard as General Bourn was a capital one. One of the most satisfactory things in connection with the production of the piece is the way in which it has been placed on the stage. Every attention has been paid to detail ; the dresses are all new and thoroughly appropriate; and the accessories have been capitally designed. The scenery, as we have already said, is excellent, and reflects the highest credit on Mr Willie, who received a call before the curtain. The mechanical effects, too, were well managed. Last, but not least, is the orchestra ; and no small amount of praise is due to M. Fleury and his assistants, who rendered the accompaniments in capital style. The piece is to be repeated during the week.