The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-06-05
The PAST SEASON.

With the coming Of June, the theatrical season
is supposed to end. Combinations run into the
cities to recuperate and rcorganize; stars leave
for the Summer outing" ION the continent
managers are reOrganizing circuits and making
up new companies; while theatre propretorS are
closing their houses to clean up against the
openings in the fall. Since the great change IN
theatrical management, by which the comb.
nation play" has done away with the stock com
pany system, the close Of the season in the cities
indicates also It's close in ,he "proyinces' 30 far
as the greater lights Of the stage are concerned,
though doubtless about as many companies will
appear among Accompanies willing to work
through the extreme heat for the sake Of the re-
wards; and though the season is now nominally
closed" we find in the dramatic list Of the Wars
some IS or 40 parties still on the road.
However since the season is "closcd" il may
be interesting to look back and see what we have
had this season in Ottawa. OF musical enter
tainments we have had since Sept. LIST, 1879:
Salisbury's Troubadours, six nights Remenyi
3; Blind Tom "Pnafore," by the Juveniles and
the Church Choir, Rosa D'Erina, Berger Family,
Romeo tG Juliet, Julia Moran lin High School
HalD, Rive Ring, Fischer, Comfy and Litta all
Of which have been worth hearing; but Of which
not one.half have been we'll attended, "Plnafore"
and Romeo X Juliet" drawing the banner
houses.
ThcatrIcally we have seen Barney MaCauley,
John Dillon; Wallack's "promios," that Is, Faw-
cett; Florence IIerbert Lingard's Our Boys"
and Mother-in. Law; Carpenter of Rouen Oofty
|En,t,S ND bn EoSIitht - lam 4 N lac .
Robson & Crane: which have been worth at
tending
Those fair To Indifferent, and not taking" as
regard the better class Of the houses patrons
were: Harry Weber, "Nip and Tuck" a capita!
play of It's knd-seDsational- took i'm
mensely with sensational lovers; Roht. McWade' s
old "Rip Van Winkle;" Matte Nckers, a good
star with poor company; Wallack's "Diyorce;"
Rails "Unce Tom" drew immense house, and
was very good if one can tolerate "Uncle Tom"
now adays; Forbcs's Boarding House." &c
the I.ingards- last visits; Katie Putnam;
John W. Burton
The good and the poor are thus about evenly
divided This much can be said however, That
none III we except Wallack's DNorce'D were
SO bad as bad companies formerly here, and the
country can thank the combination systcm for
the rise in the character and quality of their
amuscmcnts.
The minstrel shows: "rhc Original Georgias, "
Haverly's "Colorcd Mastodons' and Iii llenry's
have all been indillcreut--the same old story
though the last were head and shoulders above
the others.
The readings and lectures have all been good:
Helen Pot,cr'S "Plciadcs;' Bot lngersoll and
Copeland, the latter very indifferent.
Prof. Wyman gave legerdcmain TO empty bench
cS-all he was entitled to.
Thus we have had since sept. |, Just 20 eve
ming entertainments at the Opera House, an ay-
eragc Of over per month, of which ii were in
different.
What the prospect for next season is, is hard
to determine. 1t will probably not be II brilliant
one anywhere until after the close Of the cam.
pagn; then the country will he uvcrrun with
troupcs-a large proportion OF which, ii may he
expected, will be better than we usually see here