The Portland daily press., 1881-03-16
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
ROBSON AND CRANE.

ROBSON AND CRANE.
Shaksseare's COMEDY of Errors,' with
Robson and Crane as the two Dromios, drew
not only crowded but most brilliant and
fashionable audience to Portland Theatre last
night. The acting edition of the play is in
three acts, each of moderate length, preserving
the unities, and, at the same time bringing
out, in the clearest of silhouettes the charac-
tiers of the twin Antipholi, and the Dromios
One liberty is taken with the text and that
where Dromio returns with the crow, Webb,
one OF the greatest of English Dromios in
serting that scene since he considered it one
OF the gravest of errors in this Comedy of
Errors for Shakespeare not to have completed
1t. From the first appearance of these adj
mirable creations of the dramatist to the fall
OF the curtain the quaint waggery, the ex-
quisite foolery, the inimitable gestures of these
rare actors kept the audience convulsed, but
the height OF extravaganza and comicality was
reached at the conclusion of the play when
theyfdiscovered each other. A most amusing
scene ended the second act, when guards and
officers, DR.. Pinch, Adriana and Luciano were
confounded by the appearance of the Dromios,
one after the other, and the curtain fell amidst
an outburst of applause that insisted on the
appearance of Messrs. Robson and Crane.
The scene also outside the house of Antipholus
of Ephesus was exceedingly funny with the
wrong Dromio in the house shouting de-
fiance to the right Dromo and his master out
side. Mr.. Robson has the advantage of Mr..
Crane in this play as Mr.. Robson is himself
and Mr.. Crane his imitator, but this serves to
bring out the strength of Mr.. Cranes imper-
sonation all the more, since the imitation is
well nigh perfect.
praising the rendering of the twin Antipholi
by Messrs. Lpman and Dillon, there is bat
little to say. Miss Proctor was a pleasing,
pretty Adriana. 1t is curious how grand
duke is generally assumed by some actor who
looks as if Just from Chatham street or the
Bowery, and how absurd ancient costumes look
in street whose houses have Mansard roofs
and where modern churches elevate their
steeples The music by the orchestra was ex-
cellent.
The evenings entertainment commenced
with capital version of "The Cup of Tea,'
played in bright and spirited manner by
Miss Wakeman, Messrs. Dillon, Marble and
Burbeck.
HAvERLY's MINsTRELs.
Tonight Portland Theatre will again be
crowded with an immense audience anxious
to see Haverly's great Mastodon Minstrels
An exchange says:
Notwithstanding the extremely tedious
weather, an immense audience greeted the
Mastodons at the opera house last night.
Without going into particulars, we aref ully war
ranted in saying that the company is the best
minstrel troupe put on the road by Mr.. Haver-
ly, and he has put more good ones on than any
other man in the business. The songs, dances,
sketches, witicisms, instrumental music-in
fact everything-was first class The grace
full evolutions of the well disciplined dancing
squad, in glittering spangles, elected the most
enthusiastic applause from the immense au-
dience, which was composed mainly OF our
most aristocratic citizens.
THE GALLEY SLAVE.
Friday and Saturday the "Galley Slave"
combination will appear at Portland Theatre.
The tickets are now ready and we should adj
wise an early application for seats. The box
office at the theatre will be open for the sale of
tickets this morning.
"Olivette" is not coming at present. We
notice in Boston an injunction has been put
on its production by Laurent-Corelli, by the
Court, until the question of the amount due to
Mr.. NorcroSS is settled.
Mrs. +. j. Stetson will give an entertain
ment in this city about the 23d inst, con-
sisting of dramatic recitalS and music.
Hazel Kirke will be given by one Of the
Madison Square companies at New Portland
Theatre, March 23d and 24th
Signor Campanini is slowly recovering from
the severe cold which has prevented him from
singing for the past 10 days, and he expects to
be able to appear on Thursday evening at the
Brooklyn Academy in "Il Trovatore.'
The stage pictures which are disclosed to
view in cinderella at School, Mr.. Days
latest production in the line of native vaude-
vile, have not been eXcelled hitherto in har-
mony of color and ingenuity of design. The
scenery is, as it always is at the New York
beautiful, and the dresses of the comedy school
girls, which Lannouette prepared after models
selected by Mr.. DAILY from Kate Greenaway's
delightful drawings, are bewitching in their
quaintness and coquettishness.