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I THINK, however pleased you may look in your stall while listening to
the charming music of Mr. CELLIER in _The Sultan of Mocha_, you will
agree with me that that gifted gentleman has been most unfortunate in
the selection of his _librettos_. _Dorothy_ was certainly feeble, but
the revived opera at the Strand is feebler still. I admit that the work
is well staged, equally as to scenery, dresses, and _mise-en-scene_, but
the plot and the dialogue are unworthy of serious criticism. When the
curtain rose upon a capital "set" of the Thames near Greenwich Hospital,
when there were a lively chorus and a pretty dance, I imagined I was
"in" for what other occupants of the stalls would have called "a real
good thing." But the characters had only to talk to cause a sense of
depression to envelope me, that nearly moved me to tears. Ponderous
allusions to such recent "topics" as Lord CHARLES BERESFORD'S signal
from the Royal Yacht at the Naval Review, the ENDACOTT matter and
Turkish impecuniosity now and again attracted my attention, and I felt
that I would give worlds to slumber as does the hero in the Third Act
who appropriately sings himself to sleep. But Mr. CELLIER'S music made a
success of _Dorothy_, and it is not impossible that "the movement may be
continued" in the _Sultan of Mocha_. Of those who take part in the
performance I may single out Mr. CHARLES DANBY as fairly amusing. I do
not remember to have seen him before, and it is to be trusted that the
applause of a London audience will not cause him to favour a policy of
exaggeration. So far he is good--not too good (as Mr. BROUGH was wont to
amusingly observe), but just good enough. The voice of Miss VIOLET
CAMERON is as strong as ever, but at times I traced a _tremolo_ that
might wisely be abandoned. Mr. C. H. KENNEY has good intentions, and no
doubt some day will be seen and heard to greater advantage. I was not
surprised to learn from the playbill that as the _Sultan_ Mr. ERNEST
BIRCH was making "his first appearance." Of the remainder of the cast,
Mr. BRACY sang well and acted fairly as "a heart of oak," and the
sailors, villagers, and slaves were sufficiently comely to satisfy the
requirements of a Strand audience met together to enjoy an _opera
bouffe_.
A new _lever de rideau_ added to the programme of the Globe has called
attention to the merry moments of _The Doctor_. From the first this
piece went wonderfully well--now it goes better than ever. The house is
nightly full of patients, who seem willingly to give themselves over to
what I may call "the laughter cure and joke treatment."
_Dandy Dick_ has moved from the Court to King William Street, Strand.
Mr. CLAYTON, capital as the Dean, and Mrs. JOHN WOOD inimitable,
exquisite, everything-superlative as the lady horse-owner. Mr. BISHOP
now plays Mr. ARTHUR CECIL'S part in a manner that reduces our regret at
the absence of his predecessor to a minimum.
A wonderful piece called _Racing_, by the "Great MACDERMOTT," is being
performed at Islington. It is composed of a mixture of Comedy and
Tragedy. Both ingredients are equally funny.
Removing my _gibus_, and laying down my programmes and opera-glasses, I
again sign myself
ONE WHO HAS GONE TO PIECES.
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