The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-05-02

We are panied to have the fact to record that
one OF the best entertainments ever offered to
our citizens, ranking with the Thomas con-
certs, the Harley Newcomb concert, Booths
performances of Hamlet and Othelo, and Mag
gle Mitchell's Fanchon. met with but little
support or encouragement from them. But to
the couple of hundred who gathered at the
Portland Theatre on Saturday night an intel
lectual feast was presented that will not quick
~ fade from the memory. We must confess
that we did not SO much wonder at the slim
audience, for there is little excitement created
by the announcement that lady " no has
been moro severely criticised than any other
actress that has appeared upon the American
stage for years, intends to read ones of the
most beautiful and at the same time most diff
cult poems in the language, supported only by
a lady pianist, who is to interpret Mendels-
sohn's exquisite music, Emusic which requires
an orchestra like that of Thomas to do it full
justice. If then we say we have not enioyed
an evening so much for long time, we think
we shall also express the opinion of an audi
ence which though small in numbers evidently
hung upon every word of the play and every
note of the music.
MIS-. OiduonS possesses not only a face of
rare beauty, the features most delicately CHS
elled, the head small, we'll poised and graceful
ly set on the shoulders, but her eyes are some
thing wonderful in their size and expression.
at one time meltin G to tenderness, at another
sparkling with fun,-at one time throwing forth
gances that would repel the most venturesome,
at another so sad that it seems as if all hone
had been abandoned. With none of the con-
ventional aids to render Midsummer Nights
Dream effective and popular with a miscella-
neous audience-no gorgeous scenery, no troop
OF short-skirted beauties of the ballet, no grand
orchestra of trained musicians but
most musical and flexible voice, rare beauty
and expressive features, supported by piano
accompaniment, she yet interprets the varied
characters, from the gruff bass of Nick Bottom
the weaver to the dignifed tones of the Duke
Theseus, from the tiny voices of Cobweb and
Mustard Seed to the sprightly, rollicking notes
of Puck, so faithfully, accompanied by grace
of gesture and a perfection of acting that
holds the spectator captive. 1t is true that she
hardly seems to possess the physique and
strength of voice to fairly delineate such
"hard-handed son of Athens" as Bottom. and
That her rendering of the play of Pyramus and
ThIsbe makes it rather more of burlesoue
than Shakespeare intended, and there NAV also
be some fault found with her rapidity of utter
ance throughout the comedy; but as Puck,
tnat merry wanderer of the night" she was
charming, and as Hernia she gave most eff
fectlve rendering of the lines commencing.
,Hep me Lysander. help mel do thy best
10 PUCK Ills crawling serpent from my breast"
Mrs. Siddons is most excellent comedienne
and we think that as Rosaind or Viola she
would be especially charming There is one
fault we should Judge that she possesses,-a
want of sympathy with her audience. This
may have been owing to the dispiriting effects
of a small audience on Saturday nioht. Int it
seemed to us that it was natural, q sort of re-
serve, GOODNESS like that which is almost ba-
bitual with the English as people, Never
less we thank her for most delightful enter
tainment, and also Miss Button, whose accom-
paniment was superb She played that most
exquisite music of Mendelssohn with touch
so firm, and yet SO delicate and crisp where
those qualities were necessary; so full of ex-
preston, especially at the close of the play,
that we hardly missed the full orchestra. Her
rendering Of Liszt's "Rhapsodie,'' previous to
the reading, showed her admirable skill to
perfection. We can only trust that we shall
hear her again in Portland soon and that Mrs.
Siddons may give our citizens an opportunity
offs seeing her as Rosalind or Viola, supported
by good stock company at no far distant day.
The temperature of the hall was uncomforta-
bly, cold, and the management very tardy in
commencing the entertainment.