LES MESDAMES DE LA HALLE ("The Paris Market-Ladies"). Harrow Opera Workshop, 17 December 1977 at Hatch End School, Headstone Lane.

This delightful but unassuming operetta was one of the hundred or so composed by Offenbach prior to his full-length masterpieces. This work was the first in which Offenbach was allowed to use an unlimited number of characters, and also a chorus. Although hampered by a small stage, Oliver Broome, the conductor as well as the Producer, came up with a very clever production. Three stalls took up a lot of the stage but gave atmosphere. The plot itself is not very funny, hinging on the love of the three "ladies" of the title (men in drag) for Croute-au-Port, a cook-boy, played in this production, and quite effectively, by a woman. Croute-au-Port is in love with Ciboulette the coloratura fruit-seller who has quite a nice song. They both have a duet in waltz-time (there are several waltzes in the score), with a more interesting fast section in a different rhythm. The diction all round could have been improved upon. I was sitting near the back and not all the words of the usually comprehensible translation were audible. In short, a very enjoyable production, and one looks forward to their next productions, Ten Girls but no Man by Suppé and Die Beiden Padagogen by Mendlesohn, April 27-29, 1978. (abridged.) RICHARD DUPLOYEN

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