The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-05-28
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
HOBBIES.

HOBBIES
For half hour before the performance COM
menced at Portland Theatre last night the
sign standing room only was placed in the
box Office window. The audience which
assembled to welcome the Weathersby Good
win Company was one of the most brilliant
and fashionable ever gathered within the
house which has often witnessed an audience
of many of our best people. Hobbies shows
girl, her gruff and equity old father, her old
maid aunt her swell lover, a ladys maid and
her weetheart-rehearsing burlesque, which
is to be given for the benefit of the asylum for
homeless cats The situations, as may be
imagined, are exceedingly humorous, the
dialogue is bright and witty, the music is tune
fvl, and the whole piece, as has been stated, is
brim full of fun from beginning to end.
OF course Prof. Pygmalion Whifles-Mr.
N. G. Goodwin-is the leading spirit of the
piece. His mobile features, his appreciation
of fun, and the true comedy essence which is
portion of his being, make him one of the
most attractive actors on the American stage.
His powers of mimicry are excellent and his
limitations of Fechter Robson, Mayo Ray
mond and Barrett quickly caught the house,
and were all the more entertaining because
they formed part of the action of the piece.
Miss Weathersby still delights with her
pleasing voice, her fine person, and, with Mr..
Goodwin, both were recalled at the closeof
their first duet. Mr.. Stanton is as funny as
ever as Arthur, and Mr.. Burns makes
comical Major Bang, though not equal, in our
mind, to that of Mr.. Bowser. Miss Delaro is
pleasing singer and added much to the
pleasures of the evening. Of Miss Jennie
Weathersbys fairy, it may be stated it must
be seen to be fully appreciated. A critic has
said "she was the sylphest fairy ever seen on
two slate pencils"
Saturday afternoon the troupe will return
and play Hobbies" Saturday evening they
will produce their new piece "The Ramblers,"
Inc plot is that a company of strolling
amateurs get stranded in a small town and
tragedian, who is also the manager Of the
troupe, pretends to reciprocate the love felt for
him by widow, who keeps the hotel where
they are staying, and assists him in giving
performance in the theatre, where is played
travestie ON 'Richelieu." The box Office will
be open for the sale of seats Thursday.
COMPLIMENTARY CONCERT.
The following programme has been arrang-
ed for complimentary concert rendered to
Mrs Merrill by the Rossini Club, on Thursday
evening"
Misses Blanchard and OBron.
vocal Solo-Slumber song. ....:...... schubert
Miss Dodwell.
Vocal Duet-Music of the Meadow. ...........Abt
Mrs. Merrill and Mrs. Farley.
Vocal Solo-And ye shall walk in silk attire. Scotch
Mrs. Farley.
flano Solo-GondOnena .,...........L List
Miss Sparrow.
Vocal Solo-Sancta Maria ..........., Faust
Mrs. Merrill.
'o0ai no ir Mss 4rvont .Gordglam
Piano Duet-Rapsodie Hongroise, No. IL $50. Liszt
Miss Sparrow and Mrs. Dennison.
Miss Bartlett.
Misses Bartlett. Bryant and Dodweii.
MAGGIE MITCHELL.
Next Monday and Tuesday evening Maggie
Mitchell will appear at Portland Theatre sup
ported by William Harris, r. f. McClannin
and strong company. Monday night
Lorelei and Tuesday night Fanchon will be
given. The season will close Tuesday night
at this theatre. The tickets will be ready at
box office Saturday.
Miss Bryant has arrived at home in this city
from Europe, and is visiting her brother, Mr..
III. W. Bryant.
The New York correspondent of the Spring.
field Republican says: Miss Fanny Davenport
is soon to be married to a young New York ac-
tor, Edward Price. You know she has been
regarded as great beauty, and is still admired
by very large class of theater-goers.
Miss Ada Cavendish, now playing at Wal
lacks in "As You Like It," has made three
years engagement with Mr.. Canning to star in
this country.
A good deal of CONSERVATION has been Gre
ated in what was formerly fashionable quar-
ter by the purchase of the property now known
as Brewster hall, at the corner of Fifth avenue
and Fourteenth street, New York, by Harry
Hill, proprietor OF the notorious variety estab-
lishment on the corner of Houston and Crosby
streets. 1t is a-well, not exactly a school of
the virtues, and the aristocratic residents and
rich property owners in the neighborhood of
Brewster hall are naturally indignant at the
thought that playhouse OF a questionable
type is to be built and operated in their vicin-
ty:
There has been slight ripple of merriment
over a satire on popular government now on
the boards at Tony Pastors. Rumor fastened
the !, authorship Of this play on Mgrat Halstead
OF the Cincinnati Commercial. The story was
started by Journalist for pure fun; but it took
capitally, and has provoked good deal of
pleasantly in the papers and excited no little
interest to seethe play 1t has clever hits on
civil service reform, on the propensity of off
GERS to stick like burrs to good place when
they get into one, and ON the too common hab-
it of appointing men to office because they
know none of its duties, and turning them out
as soon as they learn what to do and how to do
it. The three members of the cabinet-Evarts,
Thompson and SchurZ-make the inside of
public life appear grotesque. 1t is a slight,
half-extemporized, thing, but q hit, and it
shows what broad field for dramatic working
with immense effect lies in that direction.