The Portland daily press., 1875-12-20
THE MUSEUM.


Mr.. Edwin Byron brought his engagement
at the Museum to close Saturday night in
"Richard ILL.," The engagem ent has been an
emlnently unsatisfactory one to him, and Mr..
Byron has not been able to do himself Justice
This has been no fault of his nor of the man
agement, but due to the circumstances gener-
ally understood to the public, who are willing
to make all necessary allowances.
Saturday evening there were several bad
hitches in the representation. The 'blare of
trumpets and of drums" was not heard in the
proper places, the scene-shifting was slow, aud
there were various hafassing and vexatious
circumstances. Mr.. Byron grew nervous at the
many vexations, and at some omission near the
close of the fourth act he forgot his line, caus-
ing some delay. AS the curtain fell he stepped
before it, and addressing the adence, express
ed his regret at becoming SO embarrassed. He
said he knew he was doing himself injustice.
He and the entire company had labored under
great disadvantages during the entire week, the
absence of Mr.. Arnold hav ing thrown the thea
tire into temporary confusion. He wished to
thank the company and the management, who
had done all they could to make his engage
ment as pleasant as possible under the circum-
stances They had all labored hard during the
week. Mr.. Norris especially, who, wishing to
see the piece run smoothly Wednesday after
noon assumed three characters. The stage
manager, he said, had this evening been oblig-
ed to act and also to attend to other business;
the prompter had withdrawn from the theatre;
and the mishaps which had occurred were no
faults of the management or company. He
closed by humbly throwing himself upon the
kind indulgence of the audience.
This eminently proper explanation, which
Mr.. Byron made in justice to himself and the
company, and which was received with ap-
plause, was turned into an alteration by the
appearance of Mr. Snyder, the stage manager,
before the curtain. He was much excited, and
accused Mr.. Byron Of insulting the actors in
the remarks just made. Mr.. Byron had
brought no prompt-book with him, and was
neither an actor nor gentleman. His remarks
were greeted with mingled applause and Kisses.
Mr.. Byron thereupon reappeared, saying that
as the matter bad gone so far, further explana-
tion was necessary. He began to explain the
circumstances of the engagement. He had de-
sired to throw it up, and had offered fifty dol
lars forfeiture. When he got here and saw the
confusion matters were in he remained to
oblige Mr.. Wyer and to tide him over hard
week, though a lucrative engagement was
waiting his acceptance AS to the structures
of Mr.. Snyder, he had only to say that he had
come to the Museum the week before and gone
through the business with the stage man
ager; that it was not customary for stars to
carry prompt-books of "Richard IIP' about the
country with them; and that the traditional
business" of the play was understood in every
well-regulated theatre in the country. At this
both Mr.. Byron and Mr.. Spyder withdrew in
accordance with request from behind the cur
tain, and the play went on. The temperance
of Byron in the next act was the signal for
perfect storm of applause.
The difficulties at the Museum have resulted
in the withdrawal of Messrs. Bascomb and Mo-
nell. Mr., Bascombs place will be filled by
Mr.. Harry Gale of New York. Mr.. Monells
place is as yet untitled. Mr.. G. B. Waldron of
Chicago. who is to begin weeks engagement
next Monday, has arrived in town.
This evening Mr. William Calder, great
favorite with the Portland public, opens his
engagement in Grip Van Winkle" His ina
personation'of the lovable Dutch vagabond has
always been popular in this city, and his rem
dition is said to have greatly improved since
last season, good as it was then. He has a null
titude of friends in Portland and they ought to
give him packed house on his temperance
this evening. The following is the cast:
Rip Van Winkle. e.......................W VIM. Calder
Der1ck Won BeeKman-- ,....,,...s...J. Sutherland
HendTick Yedder, (aged 5............L Little Lotte
NICK teuuer. "A. IA. ADAMS
oacoo oCeln. .Ge0Tge ElWell
Soohies. T. DarCOu
Lid fetiC6 OuTClS
Gretchen (Rip's Wife. ).......... Isabella Preston
ACT SECOND.
Hendr1ck Hudson, ............. I'm. b. Snyder
Swaggerino "a Dwarf rD.................H H. Bradley
ACT THIRD.
An Elapse of 20 Years.
Rip Van Wrinkle. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. .Wm Calder
Derrick Won Beekman. man................J. Sutherland
Heindrick Vedder (aged 25 ......... Chas. Norris
SOChios'' r DarIOn
k1Oeu IL Drduley
Gretchen (Married to Won Beekman)
Isabella Preston
Meenie. Florence Stratton