Punch: Punch (75.1878)

September 28, 1878.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. HI

OUR REPRESENTATIVE MAN.

On the Weather—A Word to the Wise—Genevieve de Brabant at the Alhambra—An Alberian Ballet—A Signature—And a Postscript.

j a m "^S^s^^K-^""^ Led by the nose by

|l_ ^ ^ ^ jlisg Constance Loseby ?

Miss Soldene is the right artiste in the right place. She tills the stage with her presence, and, what is still more important, she fills
the house with her voice. Her singing voice I mean, not her speaking voice, but the talk is really objectless at the Alhambra, and
Decbow's oft-quoted order to "cut the cackle and come to the 'osses," applies directly here, when the sooner the cackle is cut, and
the quicker we get to the music, singing, and dancing, the better the public are pleased, invariably. I should like to hear a violent duett
between Miss Solder and Mdlle. Rose Bell, the two Ladies par excellence for such a stage as that of the Alhambra. Couldn't they
tear passion, and caps to rags, in a sort of Billingsgate quarrelling scene like that in La Fille de Madame Angot !

As to the story of Jenny Vatve. Heavens ! I've seen it many a time and oft in Paris and London, and if I can make head or tail of
it I'm what—according to the authority of Mr. Welter's legal adviser—the Lord Chancellor said he was in confidence—and, of course,
in a Pickwickian sense.

But who cares for the details of a story in an Opera Bonffe where all goes briskly, brightly, and merrily, and where all ends
happily ? Who drilled those young Ladies in Scene 2, Act I. ? They 're as nearly satisfactory as any I've ever seen on the English
Opera Bouffe stage ; for somehow, no matter who has them in hand, " Our Girls," like true Britons, never, never, never will be slaves ;
and the ensemble cannot be obtained, which in Paris is the result of tyrannic rehearsal. Mr. H. B. Farnie, Librettist, and Stage
Director, ought to be able to do it, if any one can ; but even for him it is a Farm'ese Herculean Task. Suffice it that at the Alhambra—

" Like Don Ferdinando,
They do what they can do,"—

which isn't exactly the quotation. But no matter. As for the young Ladies themselves, not even the Alhambra Co. Limited, could expect
their cheres to be doing better. First Act went admirably. The Serenade, sung by Mile. Soldene, and Loseby winning a double encore.

The Second Act. _ I suppose the words of Charles Martel's song are not intended to be a secret ? If they are, Mr. Kelleher keeps
close to his instructions, as all I could catch, listening with rapt attention, was something about "Madame Tessaed " (which I
applauded—I always do when I hear anything about Madame Tessaed—), and "The Great Crusaders." The business of the song,
executed by Our Girls, with rapiers, is very effective.

As the Automaton Hermit—or Jack in a Box-tree—Mr. J. Dallas was very funny ; but JDroganh song, however well given, is a trifle
tedious; and it must be, when one feels that a sneeze from Miss Constance Loseby is quite a relief to the audience, as well as to
herself,—bless her !

How many encores the two Gendarmes obtained I ceased to count. Messrs. Marshal and Felix Beey are admirable, the only fault
being that the latter, Full Private Piton, is inclined to overdo the business by just so much of a hair'sbreadth, as endangers the crisp-
ness of the marked time on which the success of the duett greatly depends. Of all his burlesque duetts this is Ofeenbach's master-
piece. But what shall he do who comes after the two Gendarmes ? Virtually, the Opera is over ; and, feeling this, M. Jacobi has
brought into the last Scene a very telling Ballet—I don't know what it tells, but as may be literally said of a Ballet, cela va sans dire, i.e.
it " goes" without saying anything—which, with his inspiriting and melodious accompaniment, now graceful, now grotesque, gives a
brilliant finish to as bright and as satisfactory an all-round performance as has been seen for many along night at the Alhambra, and
which I have no doubt will be seen for many a long night to come.

By the way, Miss Rosa's spirited dancing, and her leap into the Bohemian Boy's arms, are things to be seen and applauded.

Then followed about 10*45 (too late) a Ballet of Action, the story of which was written, or danced, by Mr. James Albery, the_ Author
of The Two Boses, which was not a Ballet, though the name sounds like it. I suppose the lateness of the hour prevented my being able
to follow the story, which went away on any number of legs, and I did not feel inclined to pursue it.

I gathered from what I saw that an elegant Spanish Princess—who never appeared less at her ease than when seated in a large
chair, for her legs, except when used for dancing, seemed to inconvenience her muchly—was, somehow or other, ill-treated by an elderly
and apparently inebriated Turkish Gentleman, whom, at first, I took to be her father. Further consideration caused me to alter my opinion,
for how should a Spanish Princess be the daughter of a Turk—whether inebriated or not is no matter ? So I concluded he was
some relation : uncle perhaps. He was always attracting his niece's attention to one of his fingers. Why ? Had he hurt it? Did he
want sticking-plaster ? For the life of me 1 cannot make out why that disreputable old Turk bothered the Spanish Princess about such
a trifle. Well—then a Gentleman in blue took a spear and a shield from the Princess, and made a great fuss about going to do some-
thing, but did nothing. Well—then vague people brought in gilded coal-scuttles for the Princess's inspection, but I fancy she didn't