"The Nautch Girl; or the Rajah of Chutneypore."

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 1 October 1891, Page 2

"The Nautch Girl; or the Rajah of Chutneypore."

At the Savoy theatre, London, Messrs Soloman and Dance have produced an opera very much on the same lines as those presented at the same theatre by Gilbert and Sullivan. The scene is laid in India, and thus opportunity is afforded for scenic effects, magnificent dresses and graceful dances. The Opera was received with the greatest enthusiasm by the crowded house, and a warm reception was accorded to all concerned.

The following description of the piece is taken from a contributor's letter to the Press : — The two scenes — a street scene in the outskirts of Chutneypore and the courtyard of Rajah's palace are brilliant and full of the sunlight of an Indian climate. The first scene represents an avenue ol palms, through which one sees the suburbs of the town. Right and left are a curio shop and a well, carts and baskets arc being drawn hither and thither by white clothed turbaned Sudras, and picturesque girls boar pitchers on their heads to and from the well. The second scene is most gorgeous, and magnificent pavilion of the Rajah, supported by seven lofty rod pillars, beyond it a shining white and gold dome, and in the background a temple. On the right of the audience is the building wherein Indru is imprisoned, a low rise covered with tropical foliage, leads up to the iron-barred cell, at tho back a high wall and under which is the principal entrance — glows with bright scarlet creeper. Here and there masses of blooms are growing in richly gilt jare. Above all is a cloudless sky.

It is" impossible to describe the richness and variety of the dresses, the stage is literally aglow with the glimmer of gold and the sheen of the silver from the ornaments and embroidery on the Nautch girl's loose robe?. As they sway gracefully to and fro in the languishing Eastern dunce, and greens, reds, blues, greys pinks, mauves and all the colours of the rainbow mingle in well arranged confusion, the effect can only be described as kaleidoscopic. There is nothing gaudy, everything is striking, but harmonious and in perfect taste. All the Nautch girls are a delicate brown tint, wear long blade tresae3, and are adorned with gold and silver breastplates, girdles, armlets, bangles and headpieces. The principal singers have a most magnificent wardrobe, Solomon, or even the Queen of Sheba, in all their glory could not compare with one of these. White sheeny silk, and golden gauze are the materials of two of the principal dresses. It needs the pen of a " Celia " or a " Viola " to give the ladies an idea of the details of these triumphs of the dressmaker's art.

In giving an account of the Opera the writer explains the plot which is too long, but in which he gives a few verses of some of the humourous songs with which it abounds. This is one verse :

The secret of my past success is simple in its way : I caro'ully avoid unlucky actions night and day, I never pared my finger-nails on Friday in my life ; I : d rather cross tho river Slyx than cross a table-knife, I never from my house turned out a blackhaired pussy-cat ;

And when I meet a squint-eyed girl I alwa\ s go like that 1 And if I see a hunch-back pass, I touch him vrtien I'm p.ble.

And never since the innocent days of childhood have I ever so far forgotten myself as to put my boots upon the table. The orchestral accompaniment is full of little jokes, the different instruments cowing in with bits expressive of crossing a tableJmife, miaouing like a cat, breaking^ a-looking-glass, singing of as # cuc!koo» and so on. The long recitative ending, sung very rapidly except the last, words, e.g. "o— ver my left, shonl— der," caused great laughterv In another part the idol Bumbo doubts whether he has done wisely in returning to life. He knows "so many idols, private and public, relegated eventually to oblivion and neglect." This introduces anotherof the amusing songs in which the opera abounds, with the refrain — "They get another idol—that one's put upon the Rhelf." I cannot do better than quote the first and third verses : — When a fashionable tenor, in a fasoinating way, Unutterably yearning, just evades his upper " A," Then ladies of all ages sit and simper, stare and sigh, And adore his locks luxuriant, and deep and rolling eye, But as middle age approaches, and he takes

to singing flat, And is getting rather bald, and unromantically fat ; Then they transfer their devotion to some adolescent elf — They have found another idol — that one's put upon the shelf. When a trav'ller equatorial returns from foreign parts, With a manner dictatorial, and photographs and charts. They list in rapt attention to the tales he has to tell, And they dine him, and they wine hinii and they marry him as we'l ; Then come .mmours, and ill-humours— . tales of quite another kind, As to comrades half deserted, and con. tingents left behind ; And that traveller, indignant writes and justifies himself, But. well — they get another idol — that one f 8 put upon the shelf.

The allusion to Stanley is enthusiastically received, as are later on a bit of Ibsen and a take-off of the Society craze for ladies of the aristocracy dancing ballets. It is one of the cleverest points of the opera, the way in which topics and crazes of the day are introduced, quite naturally and most effectively, without being lugged in by the ears.

The acting and singing throughout are first-class. As for the dancing that must be seen rather than described. It quite comes up to one's idea of what Nautch dancing must be. Even had the opera itself been a failure, the gorgeous mounting, the richness of the dresses, and the grace of the dances, would do much to carry it through. The London pa^J^ as a whole, have little but praislHt' the performance.