The Portland daily press., 1882-01-09
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.


For the second time Saturday evening,
Portland audience was afforded an opportunity
of witnessing Gilbert and Sullivan's last satire;
that of Patience" The first time was earlier
in the season when the opera was given by the
Grayson troupe. On this occasion the Boston
Museum Company, fresh from their triumphs
In the ''Athens of America" in Philadelphia
and Montreal, presented themselves to the IA
yorable notice of very critical audience
which fairly filed City Hall, and which was
disposed favorably towards them from the out
set When the Grayson troupe essayed PA
tience' it was their very first effort. They
were disappointed in their costumes, which
had been specially ordered for the occasion,
and were also compelled to present the opera
without sufficient rehearsal. tits therefore a
matter of congratulation that the Grayson
troupe should have done SO well
1t may be urged that it is the performance
Inv the Boston Museum Company that we are
called upon to criticise at the present time,
and that the Grayson troupe has come and
gone. Comparisons are, however, always in
order. and especially SO in a case like the pres
emit The Museum Company was advertised
az having given one hundred and thirteen per-
formances of Patience and as bringing an
enlarged orchestra and chorus, with special
scenery 1t was therefore to be expected tnat
the audience would witness remarkably hne
Interpretation of the opera. The Grayson troupe
made no pretension but gave the opera, IN re-
sponse to a demand, to the best OF their ability.
The difference between the two representa-
tious. in many respects. was not so very marx
ed. The principals, if we omit the Bunthorne
and LADY Jane of the Museum Company, were
mnch better on the part of the Graysons, while
the orchestra and chorus were much more COM
plete and more au fait in the business OF the
piece on the part of the Museum Company
What change would have resulted If Miss
Sadie Martinez (the original Lady Angela) and
Mr.. Haworth (the original Grosvenor) Of the
latter organization had taken those respective
roles can be only matter for conjecture. Ii
il would have made decided change, such
one as would have effaced the remembrance OF
any other performance, then the management
did very wrong not to have retained them IN
the cast because the public cannot ana VIII
not forget and are tired OF promises that are
not fulfilled.
Let us not be misunderstood as intlmatlng
the performance was not good one, Tor 1t
was But it was not as good as anticipated.
The orchestra and chorus, as we have before
stated were excellent The former was adj
mirably led by Mr.. Braham and embraced
number of our Portland musicians. Inc
choruses especially the male portion, executed
their work with vim and finish. The chorus
of dragons in the first act was given with
life sorority and dash that earned on en-
phatic recall. The grand ensemble near the
end of the first act, with its rich, mellow
effects, also received the honor of repetition.
b,1%o 0f iOgtan0G2 selected
from the many. The principals, however,
were really very weak, and apart from those
we have mentioned, dramatically SO as well;
In fact Bunthorne, Lady Jane, the chorus and
orchestra carried the opera
Mr.. Wilson as Bunthorne, the feShly poet, is
not seen to as good advantage in the character
as in that of Sir Joseph Porter. In the latter
he may be equa1led; we doubt ii he could be
excelled That he is a remarkably good actor
goes with the saying. That any sncn extra va
Moain's.-the Grayson Bunthorne-ln make
up, would be admitted to the consideration OF
select London drawing-room, we don De-
lieve. The wigs they both wore would damn
them. while the bilious-tinted countenance OF
Mr. Wilson, whatever it may have appeared on
other stages, seemed CHASTITY in the glare OF the
footlights of City Hall. But here adverse
criticism stops His acting, while extravagant
was exceedingly funny, and his scenes WITH
Lady Jane were not only inexpresslDly comic
II
tations of the estbetic school. In these he was
ably seconded by Miss Amy Ames (lady Jane)
who, although herself extravaganza, yet fully
carried out the authors description. She was
formidable black-haired, heayy-browed
estbetic.n and she was MASSIVE. Perhaps one
of the best thines in the whole opera was the
duet $50 go to him." by the two IN wnlch
Bunthorne's refrain OF
Sing sHey to you-good day to youe
Sing bah to you-hai ha! to YOU"
Sing HBooh to you-pooh, pooh to you!
And that's what shall say,
called for prolonged encore. Mr. Wilson's
dancing and esthetic poses were no inconsld
cradle feature in his Characterization. dlS
ease and lightness were noticeable
Mr.. Miller's Algernon aGrosvenor-the ldyi
lie poet-was far inferior to that OF M Ferrll
Of the Grayson company. He lacked the re-
markable grace of the latter, his clear enuncia-
ton and his good voice Mr.. Miller was stiff
his attitudes were forced and his enunclation
indistinct His principal song of the Ma as
net," the beautiful duet 'Prithee pretty IN aid
en- his share in the duet with Bunthorne, "A
most intense young man." went almost iol
nothing 1t was a very colorless charactefla
ton. Mr. Evans was fair Colonel Calyerly,
singing the part better than he acted 1t: Mr
Peppers Duke" was nowhere alongside o.
Mr.. Harry Notions of the Grayson troupe
either in singing or acting. Those who saw
the latter will remember with what admirable
| effect he gave the concluding line OF each verse
| of his song ssYour maiden hearts, how lndis
| cribable his manner az he repeated these
words:
sweep, weep, all weep!"
Miss Pearl made pretty Patience" bul
| neither in voice nor in action was she adapted
| to this character, and she omitted her princjpa
aira Love is plaintive song" Misses O'LearJ
| and Deane were fair in the parts OF Lady An
| cellar and Lady Saphir. The best feature Of
Miss O'Leary's representation was her delivery
| of the lines:
aMarked you how grandly,ihow reent1essly thu
damning catalogue of crime strobe en- till retribu
ton like poised hawk came swooping down on th'
wrong-doer"
The "Love-sick maidens'' are worthy OF espec
ial praise for the grace and perfection of theiI
| aesthetic attitudes and movements As an IN
| stance of one of the many excellent points they
| made we may mention their responses to Gros-
| yenor's poem of Teasing Tom" they rang il
all the infections indicating the emotions from
| that of depreciation at the knowledge of hi
| being bad boy to the shudder of horror
| when they heard of his dropping hot ha' pen
| MES down his little sisters back.
The opera was very well and appropriated,
| costumed and placed on the stage; stage b.
! the way on which, unfortunately. much of thu
| effect is necessarily lost.
| NOTES.
| Henry Phillips, agent for I. W. Keene is il
town. Mr.. Keen will appear at Portland Thea
| tire as Richard Ill and Macbeth.
| The West Falmouth Band have their concer
| Tomorrow evening. They will be assisted b,
| Mrs. Kate knight, Miss Clara Merrill, A. How
ard Ruxton Prof E. A. Blanchard. director