The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-05-04

THEATRE.--The theatrical season of Messrs.
Smith, Hadely & CO'sCompany, which has been
playing at Deering Hall for few weeks came
to a sudden termination, and while we regret
1t should have done SO, We are at no loss
for the reasons which compelled such an event
The Company was, as whole, the best, prob
ably, that has ever opened in our city. 1t en-
braced a large amount OF talent MeSsrs
Sheridan, Ogden and Lndley are fine players
and in saying this we would by no means DIS
parage other gentlemen of the company
Miss Lowering, Miss Webster and Mrs. Wild
man are actresses of considerably more than
ordinary ability. In fact, there were fewer
men sticks" in the company than are ordinar-
lily found in the best stock companies OF
Boston. The lessees, Messrs Smith and Had
ley, promptly attend to their business; are gen
tlemanly, affable aud accommodating. In all
respects they seem to have done the honorable
thing They paid their bills promptly, and
though one of the company, in brief note in
our columns intimated that the salaries were
half-week behind, they have shown us receipts
in full from the members of the company,
proving that they did not practice any catch or
unfairness upon those whom they employed.
Why, then, stop their entertainments
Certainly their audiences were moderately
large, and of highly respectable character
The order in the house was uniformly good,
few or no rowdies were ever in the galleries,
and the lower floor always contained good
representation from the first families in tho
city. The stage performances, on the score of
good taste, were always unexceptionable
Why, then, the failure? To our mind it is not
difficult Of explanation. In the first place the
company was large-perhaps too large-and
therefore expensive. The orchestra, also,
was large and expensive. To support such a
company and such an orchestra, would require
full house every night And why was the
house not full? Not because there are no
friends of the drama in Portland; not because
our people do not appreciate good playing; not
because the taste of our people has been vita
ted by entertainments Of lower and less
worthy order. What, then, Is the diff
culty-the Sion in the way? We answer;it
is the tack cfa better theatre; of a pleasant,
attractive, well-ventilated comfortable place.
easy of ingress and egress, where our people
can take pride in goinghnd in introducing their
friends.
Deering Hall, it is true, is the best-the only
place we have. 1t is centrally located, is per.
haps large enough, hut the entrance is very
unpleasant. the stairs are steep,-often dirty,
almost unavoidably so in dirty weather, the
room is poorly ventilated, the seats are uncom-
Portable, and the uncarpeted floors make the
echoing sound Of footsteps exceedingly annoy
ing to those who wish to hear what is being said
or sung. We know the proprietor of the Hall,
or the lessee, is gentleman in all respects, and
spares no pains to make it all that its construc-
ton will allow to obviate its unpleasant fea-
lures. He has painted, papered and improved
it, and we would say no word to initiate
against his interests. But that we need bet
ter place; a neat, comfortable, commodious the
atre or opera house to meet the wants of our
city, is undeniable. 1t will take time to get up
such building, and while doing SO we must
make the best of our present Accommodations,
and we hope our people generally, will over
look, as much as possible, the disadvantages
till they can be overcome by substantial i'm
provements.
That public spirit will yet meet and provide
for public necessity in this regard we will
not allow oursef to doubt, and when this shall
be done, and Portland shall, among its other at
fractions for both citizen and stranger, have a
good theatre we shall be glad to see Mr.. THAx-
TER placed in charge OF the building, and
Messrs. Smith, Hadley, s. Co., with troupe of
their own selection, coming money by enter
flaming its crowded audience room.