The Portland daily press., 1879-10-21
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
ENGAGED.

ENGAGED
Portland theatre-goers were treated to new
sensation last night; satire on society,
''broadly farcical," as the author states, but
treated without extravaganza in tone, gesture
or costume" In the hands of company less
competent to cope with the authors intentions
Engaged would prove flat as dish-water
The mock heroics in which Mrs. Agnes Booth
INDUCES, in the mouth of any actress of ordl-
nary ability would seem the rawlings of an
idiot. The plot of the piece has been already
told in the PRESS and needs no recapitulatlon
here. From the rise to the fall OF the curtain
constant ripple of laughter ran through the
audience, rising at times to shouts OF merrl-
ment.
The beauty of the acting last evening con-
sisted in the fact that so well balanced was the
company, all of them proving themselves SO
competent to grasp the several characters they
assumed, that the most absurd and homogeneous
sayings were invested with that reality that
made them seem proper, even while the nearer
was laughing at them till the tears came in his
eyes. and some, like the ''grinning skeleton at
the feast" were intensely satirical in their
truth ''When man has lost all his money,
tains a truism too many have appreciated. The
sudden drop from the heroic to the common
place was intensely amusing and decidedly
Gilbertian. ''Belvawney, L love you with
love that is maddening, consuming in It's
power, but business is business, and wish to
know. your pecuniary position, could only
have been written by the satirical dramat1st oil
our day. Who but Gilbert would have con-
cocted an interview between bride and bride
groom elect on their wedding day, when the
groom tells the bride what nice little games
they will play in the evenings after marriage,
such as her invention of twelve cent dinner
at night and ordering it next day, or measur..
ing him for clothes and making them out OF
real cloth after she had got "a perfect fit.
OF the actors we can have only words OIL
praise. Mrs. Agnes Booths Belinda was one
of the finest art pictures ever seen in this CITY,
Her tart scene" in the second act was one OF
the most artistic bits of characterization pos
sible to the stage. Miss Rachel Sanger was
admirable as Miss Symperson, and the know
ing manner in which the little tomtit' posted
her father on the liability of shareholders, was
enough to make a lawyers head buzz. Sidney
Cowell was capital satire on the modest
Scotch lassie, and Mrs Gilbert an excellent
"mther'' Mr.. Lewis was intensely comical
as the 'young man of prosperity" claiming
every pretty girl as the "tree which bore the
fruit of his heart" and especially brought
down the house when recognized by the Nc
Farlan es.in his own house. Mr.. Owen was
very good Mr.. Symperson. one of the best old
men ever seen in Portland. The other charac-
tiers deserve special mention.
1t would be impossible with the space at our
command to enumerate 1.-THE OF the bright
sayings or situations in this admirable play
We are glad to know that large and brilliant
audience was in attendance, and if it had not
been for two local attractions, the visit OF
the Cadets and the Art Pictures, the house
would have been crowded.