The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-03-27
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
MARGARET MATTER.

/ -NsSN ~ NHAAiS phN ~ iaA6p Nao tAA0 o0taSANo
that, arriving at the theatre at the usual hour,
it was long while before the ladies and gem
tlemen could reach their seats in the auditori-
um. This favorite place of amusement has
seen as large assemblages before but never one
which embraced larger number of its leading
citizens.
With the fact before us that Miss Mather
has been so thoroughly written up that it
seems scarcely possible to add anything to
what has been said, still the opinions expressed
in regard to her have been many and diverse.
Some critics have praised one feature OF the
lady's acting which another has condemned.
and yice-Yersa. This is not strange. The
tastes Of theatre-goers differ in different parts
of the country. The western and southern
critics are are to be extravagant in their praise,
the northern and eastern conservative. An
admit the lady's talent but it is with many a
question as to its extent, or IL it rises &c the
height Of genius
There is little chance for great acting in
Juliet The play is loye-tale of Verona,
and il is the youthful love Of Romeo and Jul
let with which the story chiefly has to do.
But after Juliet learns that Romeo is ban
ished; when she is threatened by her father
with expulsion from his house unless she mar
ries the Count Paris; ana when, in her
dire distress, she seeks Friar Laurence, learns
of the potion by which she may feign death,
and finally, with all the hesitation Of youth
takes the sleeping draught; then are the OPP
portunlties afforded to show what an actress can
do. In one way Miss Mather was handicapped
last evening. Her Romeo could not speak the
English language intelligibly. The beautiful
lines of the great poet, assigned to Romeo,
were. in too many cafes, blurred, and the ac-
ton was crude and unfinished. That he has
power and dramatic fervor there is no doubt,
and that was eyinced by his scene with Friar
Laurence, which was greeted with hearty ap-
plause.
Miss Mather is rather petite for the general
ideal of Juliet. Almost all are accustomed to
think OF the heiress Of the house of Capulet as
a tall. willowy woman. But the lady Is so
well formed, with such a well shaped head,
and is so graceful in her movements that her
height only adds to the Illusion that she Is but
the age Shakespeare attributes to her. Her
defamation is very uneven At ono time she
seems to be declaiming set speech, at another
her lines run into each other in gway that
robs them Of their meaning Then again. she
gives the text with full appreciation Of all its
beauty. At almost all times her enunciation
is clear and distinct, and her voice is very
pleasant. It cannot be said she is very mag
netic, and vet she has the power to excite her
audiences TO hearty applause. Her eyes are
line, and she uses them with excellent effect
In fact, she has so-called speaking counte-
nance. That Miss Mather has been well taught
the art OF acting Is certain, and that she has
torded her. She Is not one OF these who-at
least IN Juliet-sway their audience at their
will with the intensity Of their passion, but she
gives promise of doing so at some future day
it must be remembered she is, as yet young 10
the stage. and that what she is capable Of
tante
Miss Mather's best scenes last night were those
IN which the comedy element predominated.
The scene with the nurse who brings her mes
sages from Romeo was arch and captivating.
Ihe balcony scene was well done but the art
was rather too prominent. Here a new feature
was introduced, where she kissed her scarf and
then passed it to Romeo, who eagerly covered
II with kisses. Ia the minuet seene-a new
feature here-she was very graceful and GIRL
ish. but the minnet, as danced By the company,
IS not as pretty or graceful as that given by the
Main Opera Co. in Boccaccio, or that danced
at the Centennial Tea Party. The most force
ful scene was that in which she accepted the
p1tACA AAOt44 Il at1lcE 1x4uIcLtcs III THO bCliun
scene itself she oyeracted. There was too much
wild clUtchiug OF the hands and harrrying
about but the lnal whirl and faint were well
executed.
Miss Mather was called several times before
the curtain and evidently created an excellent
impression. Her costumes we're very rich and
expensive, and her diamonds exceeding hand
some.
Mr.. Ievick's Mercutio, like all this sterling
actor does, was admirable and he received a
ltrXe - -. Al
Romeo, Tytoit and Benevolio. was later
called before the curtain. Mrs. Jameson was
good as the nurse. The other characters
were fair
The orchestra, under Mr. Grimmer's baton
numbered fourteen pieces and played with
much delieacy and expression. Tonight,
LEAH
BosToS-sYMPH0Sy ORCHESTRA.
The concert which will be given at City
Hall, Wednesday evening, BY the Boston
Symphony Orchestra Of sixty musicians, led
by Mr.. Georg Hsnsehel. will draw one Of the
largest and most cultivated audiences that can
be gathered together in Portland. The pro-
gramme is particularly adapted TO please, en-
bracing as il does numbers that can only be
heard satisfactorily under such conditions as
win be afforded on this occasion. Mrs. Hen
schei is one Of Bostoa's most satisfying vocal
lists, and Dir Listemann's solo will prove de-
cided feature Of the evening. The tickets are
placed at fair prices, and the railroads on the
Maine Central and Grand Trunk viii sell tick
cts for one fair.
CAMILLA URso.
The following will b. the programme for
the Camilla Urso concert, at City Hall, Thurs
day evening:
Piano solo-March, Tannilauser. Wagner .iszt
lea Rame.r~ s,be Nj psi, LsseiiHg r.rro
r..
Realization RIP Van winkle. -.... .Boucieauls
violin sonata-Insrodaeton, fasue. gigue.. Rust
Aria-Una voee." from Tho barber. .Rossini
Miss Hail.
Piano Solo fbj Waltz de Concert :. .Rabenstein
Mr.. Liebling
Dus' Ms + Han and Mr. Hansen.
Violin Solo-'sThe Witches Dance =. Paganini
Nine. Urso.
Recitation-stiyers Horse Danbury News
Mr.. Burbank
song-Yeoman's Wedding Day. ...... Pomatowsky
Mrs Hansen.
Rornanza-' Cali NE Thine own" from
Miss Hal, with violin obligato BY Nine Urso.
Humorous al The Lite Hero...-..... .Mattlison
Recitations % Pats Panorama Bnrdette
AIr. Burbank.
Tie tickets are selling well At Stockbridge's.
THE LYcEUM.
This theatre was crowded to its utmost ca
pacity last evening by an enthusiastic audi
ence. The evenings entertainment COM
menced with ''Our Base Bal Nine,D Gus
Wallace bones, Ed Clarence conversationalist,
Fred Waterhouse tamborine-the final being
sack race between Wallace and Mortimer,
which was very amusing, Mortimer winning.
The Richard Brothers remain this week and
appear in their beautiful songs and dances
They are one OF the neasest teams in this line.
Billy Deyerne commences his second and last
week here in his iigs, reels and change acts,
which are very fine. Ed Clarence a. this, his
first appearance here, in his fine baritone mot
to and comic songs, was received with great
favor. "A Matrimonial DueiD was decided
success; Miss Warmers club swing was some-
thing new, she using very heavy clubs W Ia
great ease and skill. The changes vera well
done. The evenings entertainment concluded
with the laughable sketch "a Very Hard
Case Gus Wallace and Fred Mortimer we're
just immense as the count and dnkc and made
all shout with laughter The same bill to-
night.
NOTES.
Those intolerable nuisances, persens who
chatter at concerts, are thus photographed by
Mr. George William Curtis in the concluding