“Haste to the Wedding.”

The Era, July 30, 1892, p. 9.

Under the title of The Wedding March Mr Gilbert’s adaptation of Un Chapeau de Paille d’Italie was first produced at the Court Theatre in November, 1873, and the amusing piece has since been revived with success. There are few playgoers who are not acquainted with the adventures of the young gentleman who, on his wedding day riding, in the park, gets into a difficulty owing to his horse making a meal of a lady’s straw hat, and who, in his endeavours to replace it, encounters an old flame in the pretty milliner who supplies the article. The fun of the piece is caused by the expedients of the young husband to escape his old sweetheart, and the ridiculous conduct of the wedding party following him everywhere.

On Wednesday evening the reception of Haste to the Wedding was generally enthusiastic, but there were a few who failed to see the tunefulness of Mr Grossmith’s music, and when these gentlemen appeared in response to the invitation of the bulk of the audience, the dissentients made sarcastic remarks as to the verdict the critics would pass upon Haste to the Wedding. Undoubtedly there are points in the performance where improvement is desirable. There is a want of finish and completeness in some instances and a tendency on the part of some of the performers to play the piece in the style of a “screaming farce” of the old school. Those who appreciate the “topsy-turvy” ideas of Mr Gilbert will understand that his whimsical fantasies and quaint lyrics require a quieter mode of treatment than this, and the piece will be greatly improved when performed in a less boisterous manner.

Possibly also the music of Mr Grossmith hardly reached the standard expected. What Haste to the Wedding required was a series of bright melodies in the Offenbach pattern, but Mr Grossmith has hardly had experience as a composer to qualify him to write an elaborate score. He conducted the orchestra himself, and had evidently taken a hint from Sir Arthur Sullivan and Mr Solomon in the art of introducing whimsical effects in the orchestral accompaniments. But the treatment of an operatic score cannot be hastily acquired. It can only be the result of experience and training, and it was clear that Mr Grossmith was in this department of music a novice. He was, however, more successful in some of the songs, which, being tuneful, catching, and simple, answered their purpose, and gained frequent applause.

Having explained the reasons why Haste to the Wedding failed to win the unanimous approval of the audience, we pass to the more grateful task of commending the items that completely secured the favour of playgoers. Mr Gilbert has written some of his drollest lyrics, and among the performers who delivered these with the humour and drollery they required may be named Mr D S James as the Duke of Turniptopshire. This absurd representative of the aristocracy has a craze for idolising operatic tenors, and one of the funniest scenes is where he mistakes the young bridegroom for a petted Italian vocalist. The Duke regrets also that he was not born a “common-place man.” He utters this lament as follows:—

Mr James deserved the applause he won, his performance of the part and delivery of the text being admirable. Mr Frank Wyatt as the volatile bridegroom was also extremely happy in his conception of the character. His grotesque dancing was an amusing feature, and the perplexities of the young husband in his search for the hat were very amusing. Mr W. Blakeley was eccentric as deaf old Uncle Bopaddy, and Mr Lionel Brough represented the father of the bride, who so frequently changes his mind, with plenty of farcical drollery. Mr Sidney Valentine seemed to enter into Mr Gilbert’s eccentric ideas as completely as any of the performers, and as Major-General Bunthunder he was quaint and amusing, making much of his comic song “The Order of the Bath.” Mr George Grossmith, jun., appeared with success as Cousin Foodle. Mr Welton made an entertaining personage of Cripps, the milliner’s book-keeper. Mr Frank Atherley as Captain Bapp also merited commendation. Miss Ellis Jeffreys was very successful as the Marchioness of Market Harborough, “an emotional noblewoman.” Miss M. Studholme was the pretty and idiotic bride, the daughter of the stolid market gardener, and constantly in trouble about a pin which has gone astray in her wedding array, a mishap which cannot be remedied during the marriage festivities. Miss Sybil Carlisle made a very attractive representative of Mr Woodpecker Tapping’s old flame, Bella. She has a pretty lyric, and sang it with much taste:—

Then Bella reproaches the bridegroom, who has deserted her for the market gardener’s daughter. Miss Day Ford and Miss Haidee Crofton as Mrs. Leonora Bunthunder and Patty were quite satisfactory, and a host of attractive young ladies represented the wedding guests. The representation, although certainly wanting in finish, was never deficient in vigour. The exertions of the performers, combined with the drollery of Mr Gilbert’s fancies, and the catching tunes supplied by Mr Grossmith, chiming in with the lively echoes of the old-fashioned melody “Haste to the Wedding,” ought certainly to attract.

Transcribed by Arthur Robinson

Page modified 27 December 2020