The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-10-09
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
MISS cRAMEoRp,s READING.

| ~'AA'S
Miss Laura E. Crawford of Brunswick made
her appearance as a reader at Pine street
church last evening. There was good audi
ence present notwithstanding the hot weather
and the applause would probably have been
much stronger if the reading had been given
anywhere but in a sacred edifce. The accous-
tic qualities of the auditorium were good,
enabling the reader to be heard to advantage.
Miss Crawford possesses good physique,
tall and well proportional. Her voice is of
good compass, flexible and musical and she
enunciates very distinctly most of the time.
| We heard her read ''Robert of Sicily" THE
Organ Builder 1.-THE Deacons Confession"
The Woong OF Henry w and Daisy S
Faith" Of all these ''Daisy's Faith was the
most successful, for the reader caught the
childlke spirit of her subject and interpreted
the character with simplicity, that seemed
| to bring the childlviYidly before the eye. The
infantile grace of speech, the trust in her
mother and God that kept Daisy from being
"afraid'' when she was almost scared to death,
was admirably rendered, and one could al
most see the big tears rolling down the child s
| cheeks. at the same time her face was wreaths
ed in smiles when she discovered it was only
| Rover.
'Robert of Sicily was very we'll rected and
it was in this selection, as a dramatic reader
Miss Crawford was most at home. AS she has
| more experience, and her voice gains strength
and breadth she will probably become a strong
| light as a reader. Among some of the faults
| she needs to overcome are rolling her RS, at
times, as if to give more solemn effect, and
repeating the first letter of word as l-lay in
stead of lay. This is trifing blemish that
can easily be remedied.
During the evening quartette composed OF
Messrs. Colby Tukesbury, Pennell and Shaw
furnished some pleasing part songs, and
| Messrs. Colby TukeSbury and Shaw rendered
"Larboard Watch with fine effect.
MURPHYs MINIATURE OPERA.
Tonight the Murphys Miniature Pinafore
Company will appear at City Hall. Seats can
be secured for any one Of the three evenings,
or the matinee, at Stockbridge's at once. The
Boston Commonwealth says:
1t is now twelve weeks since the Murphy
| Juvenile Pinafore Company began its engage
ment at this theatre, the manager probably
little dreaming that the season would run
three months However, such has been its
success, and it not only attests the popularity
of the opera, but it well attests the fact that
the children are fully competent to interpret
the work in a manner to please the most exact
ing critics. By this we do not mean the pro-
fessional critics alone, but the public, for it
is safe to say that when the public, by its pat
ronage, supports play or an opera, it must be
worthy OF their patronage, not only for It's own
merits as q Qfanlallc OF musical Work, DuI dlSo
on account of the perfectness of its interpreta-
ton. Although there have been some changes
made in the cast since the first representation
of the opera, it has lost nothing in its general
effect The wonderful performance of little
Miss Corinne Kimball as Buttercnp, would
alone repay the visitor for attending.
NOTES.
People are beginning to talk about the Grey
ellers'' who will appear at Portland Theatre the
10th.
Remember the sale of reserved seats for the
Grand Army course will begin at s tonight.
The new Brooklyn Theatre opened Tuesday
night, ON the site of the burnt edifice, with
Clara Morris in a new version of Jane Shore
written by Dom Patt. The play had not been
properly rehearsed, but it was evident, the
New York Times says that it was a dramatic
failure.
Theodore Thomas is giving concerts in New
York but the papers say the orchestra shows
the lack of his drill, since they live in New
York and he in Cincinnati.
Carlotta PATHS concerts in New York are
great successes, and the new pianist is highly
spoken Of.
Joe Murphy with the kerry Cow" combi-
nation at Portland Theatre, Nov. 3, q, 5.
Mr.. G. H. Thayer, manager of Murphy's
Pinafore Co., arrived at the Falmouth last
night. He will bring Joe Jefferson to Port
land Theatre Nov s.