The Portland daily press., 1876-01-18

The MUSEUM. 1.-THE Mechanics Wife" is
melodrama run mad, bundle of stage tricks
and striking situations huddled together with
little order and no merit. The first act deals ex-
clusively with misery. There is dire poverty,
an election from tenement on account of nom
payment of rent, an elopement which ends in
fraudulent marriage, death scene and curse
upon which the curtain comes slowly down,
Very rich people are arrogant to very poor
people with little reason, and oppress them
with no reason at all. The Mechanics wife,
''Grace Croft" is one of those which have
been oppressed. For some reason, apparent
doubtless to her but not at all clear to the au-
dience, she holds that an heiress (Elnor) the
''haughty heiress' of the cheap novel, has
brought her husband, "Robert Croft to his
death, and over his dead body she devotes her.
self to revenge. In the second act she blossoms
into a Monte Cristo in petticoats, appearing as
"Lady Tracy" woman who filings about hun
dred pound notes as profusely as an elm-tree
filings down its leaves in autumn, who appears
in most unexpected places, whose house is
palace of illusions, and who evidently wears the
ring of Solomon, for she has the djnns in her
employ-said djnns taking the form of cob
bier (Phil Flopson) who has nothing to do with
shoes, man (Matthew Oliver) who is some-
times game-keeper, sometimes policeman, and
sometimes deputy avenger, and young (Let-
ty) woman of preternstural shrewdness who is
always popping out in unexpected places, and
upsetting the plans of the wicked, The djinns
discover that Captain Warmcliffe," a high
toned villain, who is the husband of the heir
hos @lo
with the humiliation of these two and the joy
of all the good people, the she djinn having
found out that the fraudulent marriage between
minnie Oliver" the village beauty, and ''Sir
PercylArmytage," another aristocratic rascal,
is not fraudulent after all. In the third act
more mysterious changer take place. The
proud heiress is found occupying the humble
cottage of the mechanics wife, and the Aven-
ger and all the djinns come and gloat over her
misery. "Captain Warmcliffe," aided by
Bryant Cunningham" a scoudrel of low de-
gree, rob and nearly murder ''Sir Norman
Tracy an eccentric gentleman whose eccen-
tricity appears to consist in the carrying of
thousand pound notes in his pockets and
brick in his hat. The she djinn opportunely
waltzes in and discovers the crime, and the
play closes with the utter discontinue of vice
and the triumph of virtue. The drama abounds
in the grossest improbabities, and the plot is
tangled skein which three acts are INSULT
cient to unrave
The character os "Grace Croft absurd
though it is, affords Miss Miles opportunity for
that strong and picturesque acting which we
have learned to expect from her, though the
impersonation is far less pleasing than any she
has before offered. Mr.. Calder as "Phil Flop
son" made some clumsy attempts at humor.
He is less happy in broad comedy than in any
other line he plays Mr.. Arnold was good
enough Matthew Oliver" Mr.. Snyder good
"Warmcliffe" and Mr.. Ulmer ali excellent
cunningham" Mr.. Shorey was feeble as
"Robert Croft" Fortunately he died in the
first act. Mr.. Gale was very tame "Sir Per.
cy." Unfortunately he lived through the three
acts. Miss Waldron was sufficiently cold
and naughty "Elinor," Miss Ulmer, as the Sir
repressible Lefty" a sort of avenging spirit in
short skirts and slippers, was sprightly and en-
tertaining.
The play will be given until Friday evening
The sale of seats for Miss Cameron's appear
ance Monday evening, will begin Thursday
morning.