The Pirates of Penzance

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 47, 4 October 1890, Page 2

The Pirates of Penzance

The Assembly Booms were well filled last night with an appreciative audience to witness the production by the Marioa Atnnk'Ui's of the popular opera " Pirates of Penzance." The performance on the whole was admirable, while the dressos, scenery and stage nttings were excellent. The scenery we understand was painted by Dr Skermun, and reflected great credit on that gentleman. The leading performers did their best to please, and in nearly everything succeeded admirably. Their first venture " Pinafore" was well staged, The Pirates was if anything better. The opera is one of exhilarating variety. It is is a river of mirth fed by small tributaries of wit, sarcasm, rhyme, reason, comedy, singing and characterisation. Mr F. M. Deighton and Mr G. H. Barnett sustained the parts of Captain and Lieutenant of Pirates respectively in good style. The song of the former, " A Pirate King," was a superb piece of vocalisation, his voice being a- good, deep, clear bass of good range and strong power, hia only fault being an indistinctness of articulation. The latter gentleman was heard to advantage in the solo part "Here's your Crowbar." The chorus m thiß number was rather marred by the entire absence of melodramatic style, the very words " with catlike tread" suggesting the manner in which it should be rendered. As Major - General Stanley, Dr Skerman was inimitable. His soliloquies, semiofficial speeches, and " orphan " witticisms were pungently rendered ; hia song " A Modern Major-General" being pointedly given, and his enunciation particularly clear, a word of praise being due ior his excellent make up. Mr A. R. Fitzherbert, as Frederic, was fairly successful, but his pourtrayal lacked animation. He has also the unfortunate habit of singing to the stage inßtead of to the audience. His singing was better in the concerted rather than in the solo music. The Sergeant of Police was allotted to Mr F. Bishop, and it seemed as if the part had been specially written for him. His physical attributes are certainly " bobbyish" and he looked the character. His song, " Policeman's Lot " fairly brought down the house. Mrs Humphreys, as Mabel, took chief honors. She was in capital voice, her enunciation was clear, and her acting well sustained. Her song " Poor Wand'ring One " was ably sung, and the lady had to respond to a vociferous encore; altogether Mrs Humphrey scored a greater success than eh© did in " Pinafore." Miss Boss' impersonation of Ruth evidenced Mr Smith's (the conductor) wise judgment in allocating it to her. All her vocal efforts were touchingly rendered, and her voice showed great pathos. As Edith and Kate, two of the General's daughters, Mrs Awdry and Miss Nicholson were very good. Mrs Awdry'a singing was full of feeling and expression, and being in splendid voice she sang with effect. The strong point of the opera was undoubtedly the chorus l which was strong, well balanced, and always in time. The 11 Ha, ha, ha" and No. 10 " How Beautiful and Blue the Sky" being exceedingly well rendered. Special mention should be made of" Policeman 811" in the tarantara chorus. The excellencies of the music were prominently arid well brought out by a small but efficient orchestra under the leadership of Herr Norberg, several necessary instruments being conspi cuous by their absence. The clarionet was yery effective, but was too prominent in some of the duetts and trios. Great credit is due to Mr W. Smith, who weilded the conductor's baton with his customary skill, to whom, in a great measure, is due the success which attended the production of the opera, as was likewise the case on a former occasion when the Marton Operatic Company, under the same gentleman's able.conductorship, produced " Pinafore" in Feilding.