The Portland daily press., 1880-05-07
MARY ANDERSON .

MARY ANDERSON.
Last evening Miss Anderson made her APP
pearance at Portland Theatre before one of the
largest and most brilliant audiences of the sea-
son. Every seat was occupied and, after the
rising of the curtain, standing room only was
afforded late corners.
Although Miss Anderson's Evadne was con-
sidered at length in these columns last year, it
may not be out of place here to refer to some
of its many exelencies. The fair tragedienne
has changed but little, if any, since last
March. She still possesses the same tall, will
lowy figure, (Which she manages with remark
able grace,) the same lovely face with features
that mirror the most fitting emotion, the same
rich, clear voice, and the same expressive
ness of gesture. 1t is not until the second act
that Evadne appears upon the scene, but
from the moment she steps forward from the
rear of the stage in her apostrophe to Vicen-
EOS picture, until she embraces the statue of
her ancestor, Miss Anderson holds her audi
ence captive by the grandeur and passion of
her acting There is not probably an American
actress at the present day who can so wildly
depict the emotions of the woman Struggling
between the loves of lover and brother" as she
can, nor can we remember more beautiful
display of elocution than her pleading with vi
cenzo before Colonna arrives to vindicate
his sister. 1t was an exhibition of passionate
love and patlios that would have melted the
stoniest heart. Throughout the scene the
house was hushed to the completest silence
and every word, even the faintest, fell upon
tho oar lika the note of a silver bell The act
was also marked by display of wounded wom-
anly dignity that could not fail to impress it.
self upon every manly nature, and caused vi
cenzo to appear of very coarse material; an
object for contempt. The grand climax where
her outraged womanhood cried out against the
slaughter of Vicenzo, land, sinking to her knees
she prayed Colonna to take her life, had
grand tragic sweep to it that carried all before
it. In the second act where she tells Vicenzo,
when he asperses her HONOR if ''angels
trumpet tongued had spoken he should not
have believed them her words burned into
the brain as her figure lowered, and her eyes
blazed, very Rachel. In the statue scene
made picture that will always live in the
memory. Miss Anderson was called before
the curtain at the close of every act.
Mr.. Mines Levlck made, as was to be eX-
pected, an admirable Colonna. The stern
proud nature of the Italian noble, whose life,
and that OF his sister, was mere nothing COM
pared with family honor was thoroughly UNI
derstood and excellently interpreted by him.
Mr.. Atkins Lawrence was fair Vicenzo.
During the evening the orchestra gave the
MERRY Swiss Boy with solo and variations
for rnet,-played by Mr.. Burnham,-with
much taste.
Tonight Sheridan Knowles great play
The Hunchback,-is underlined, and Ingomar
the Barbarian for the matinee, Saturday.
Saturday night Sheridan Knowles exquisite
play,-Love; or the Countess and the Serf-
will be given with Miss Anderson as the
Countess. Covent Garden Theatre, London,
in 1929, was the house in which it was first
produced with Miss O'Neil in the part of the
Countess. The play had run of sxty-three
nights, which at that time was almost an I'M
heard of thing.
NOTES.
The Haydn Association will give Spohrs
last and grea test oratorio, 1.-THE Fall of Baby
lon," early in June.
The Ideal Opera Company will produce the
"Sorcerer" at City Hall, Monday oath. "Boc-
caccio" will not be brought out here until
autumn.