The Portland daily press., 1879-11-04
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
KERRY Cow,

WV
Owing to the storm Portland Theatre was
but half filed last evening at the production
OF the Irish drama "Kerry Cow" Those
who were fortunate enough to be present en-
| joyed most pleasant evening, and witnessed
one of the best pieces of acting ever given in
this city. Cow is an Irish word, meaning
blacksmith, and the principal part, that of the
"Kerry Cow" or Kerry Blacksmith, was TAX
en- by Mr.. Jos. Murphy. To say that Mr..
Murphy's acting was good, conveys only
FAINT conception of his rendition of his part
last evening. The audience manifested their
appreciation in frequent and hearty applause.
The dialogues are bright, full of sparkling
Irish humor. The stage representations can
not be too highly praised, that of the black
smith shop in the third act deserving special
mention. Here live horse is driven into the
shop, on the stage, and the kerry Cow
makes horse shoes. A genuine blacksmith
with his shop is brought before your eyes The
trained carrier pigeons also form
striking and interesting feature in the produc-
ton of the drama.
The support was strong. Miss Young is
good actress, and has the true conception of
her part. Mr.. Rees Davies makes an excel
lent Major Gruff, Luke Martin a good Mr..
O'Drive The play itself furnishes an excel
lent opportunity for a defamation of Irish
character its tender pathos, its broad humor
and its inimitable wit. The play will be pro-
duced again this evening. Let there be the
full house which it deserves,
EMMA ABBOTT OPERA co.
On Wednesday evening the Emma Abbott
Opera Company will make their first appear
ance in Portland in Masses new opera of paul
and Virginia" Several of the members of the
company are old acquaintance Of our musical
public. Mrs. Seguin, Miss Marie Stone, Mr.
Macdonald, Mr.. Karl Mr.. Castle,-who will
possibly be here-and Mr.. Stoddard are no
strangers Misses Abbott, Maurel and Gil
bert, with Mr.. Ryse, will be heard for the first
time.
In regard to Miss SAbbott, well known
critic says, sin one respect she excels most
singers OF English words, and that in clear,
enunciation. AS an actress she is wholly
unconventional. She seeks to express the
emotions CT the heart as she herself might feei
them under similar circumstances, and being
of an emotional nature, some OF her scenes are
rendered in highly demonStratiye way. She
has some notes in her voice of ravishing
sweetness and she does not neglect to use them
on opportunity.
The operas will be put on the City Hall
stage with all the perfection possible, in seen
cry, accessories and costumes. The orchestra
is the company's own, and numbers seventeen
pieces, a very strong organization. The
chorus is large and strong. The tickets are
selling rapidly at Themes under Music Hall,
and should be secured at once.
JOE JEFFERSON.
1t is q long time since Mr.. Joseph Jeffer
sons last appearance at City Hall in his world
famous rip Van Winkle.' The New York
Tribune-Mr. William Winter-says OF Mr..
Jeffersons temperance in that city:
The charm of the impersonation remains UNI
broken, and it was again seen to scatter merri-
ment, and to light up in many faces the ten
dernesS that shines through joy-the tear lat
sparkles through the smile. That charm is
compacted of the most various qualities; for
many of the extremes and contrasts OF human
life are crowded into Rip Van Wrinkles expe-
rience, making him representative and al
most universal type, and many OF the loftl-
est spiritual attributes that are possible to man
are combined in his nature. The spectator
sees but half the meaning of this marvellous
performance, who discerns in it nothing more
than the portraiture of an eccentric, rustic
character, in an old Dutch settlement That,
indeed is all that the ordinary representative
of the part is able to reach. Jefferson goes
much farther, for he takes US away from the
region of the passionate, he lifts us above the
rem once more, and for moment happy. The
cool rain beats upon our faces; the sweet,
strange odors of the night and the woods are
around us; the winds whisper in the trees; and,
whether with CLEANS OF remembrance OF some
post existence or premonitions of some nober
life to come, we are borne into a better world
of freedom and power, This is the awakening
of the soul, under the stress Of the magma
ton. In the forest scenes and with the
spectres this actor reaches an ideal height
which it would be very difficult to match in
any form of art or to admire adequately in any
form of words. The response which his words
met, last night, was to the last degree sympa-
thetic, and this may surely be set down as
equally an honor to the auditory and the actor
The tickets are ready at Stockbridge's.
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