The Portland daily press., 1883-01-13
MUSIC AND DRAMA,
A BUNCH OF KEYS.

A BUNCH OF KEYS.
Such was the title of Hoyt and Edouin's
musical farce, in three acts, produced at Port
land Theatre last night. The plot was recently
published in the Press. There was large
audience present, the auditorium-it is pleas
ure to state-was comfortable, and laughter
and applause succeeded each other in quick
succession. The piece will bear COMPRISING
into two acts to advantage. If il depended in
any degree on its dialogue it would be dose;
but it don't. There are lots of bright, spark
ling musical numbers introduced; the ladies of
the company dress prettily, sing we'll, and act
gracefully; Willie Edouin and Mr.. Powers
make great deal of fun, if it is rather of the
horse-play order; Alice Atherton sings Ar
thur and Martha' charmingly and gets an en-
core, as do Misses Gunther and Brevoort in
their duet from the "Mascotte"; the hotel
burlesque is capital, and SO is the hanging
scene al the close of the second act. Bunch
of Keys" will draw.
ADA DYAs.
Tonight Miss Ada Dyas, supported by an ex
cellent stock company led by Mr.. Barton Hill,
will appear at Portland Theatre in "An I'm
equal Match" The st. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat says:-'Miss Dyas and her company add
ed their share of the stage illusion so charm
ingly that the story of the village blacksmith's
daughter, transplanted from her simple rustic
home to the circle of her titled husbands ac-
quaintance, where hypocrisy, heartlessness and
affectation beset her on all sides, was as full of
interest and abounded in as many touches of
nature almost as if the incidents were not
fictitious, but bore the stamp of living reality
Miss Dyas, who is herself capable and bril-
liant actress, assumed the artless open-hearted
buoyant and true nature of Hester Gracebrook
with such consummate art that the audience
was delighted with the Characterization and
expressed its approval in most emphatic and
upmiStakable manner The part is light, it is
true, but there are opportunities given the ar
tiste, aud of these Miss Dyas takes full advan-
tage; not only in the sunlight of her village
home, but amid the SHARES and under the
cloud that Arncliffe's title and position have
spread for her, she interprets Hester's charas-
ter so faithfully that the friendship and sympa-
thy of the house are always with her, and the
conquest begun at her first entrance lasts until
the final curtain falls.
THE MIGHTY DOLLAR.
"The Mighty Dollar written by Mr.. B. E.
Woolf, is picture of life and manners at
Westinghouse satire upon the behavior of Con-
gressmen who make trade of politics and are
willing to aid in passing bills Of any kind SO
long as they are paid for it. The Honorable
Bardwell Slote, the hero of the piece, has been
accepted as a character drawn with a firm
baud and many clever touches. Mr.. Slote is a
gentleman who views his duties to his constit-
usnts and his country as entirely subordinate
TO the duty he owes 10 himself-to live well at
their expense. He reverences Uncle Sam
particularly his pockets-iike the "plous Edi-
tor" and his views are those of another Char
acter in the "Bigelow Papers, who tells us
that
Every fool knows that man represents
Not the fellows that sent him, but them on the
fence
Impair tally ready to jump either side,
An make the fust use of a turn o. the tide.
l he walters GU Providence, here in the city,
Who compose what they call a State Central Com
nifty;
Constituents air hendy to help man in,
But afterwards don't weigh the hef. of pin.
AS played by Mr.. Florence, the man stands
before US in the most lifelike fashion. Ii the
highest kind of acting be that in which the
hiStrIon loses his own identity and becomes for
the time, as it were, the very man he repre-
sents (and surely that should be the aim of all
actOrs), then Mr.. Florence's Bardwell Sote
must Do pronounced one of the most ad y ira
bic and remar kable representations of the day
In appearance, in manner, and one might al
most say In character. he is ompletely
changed as If he were some other person; his
individuality is completely lost. The imper-
sonation is finished to the minutest detail, is
full of humorous touches and never in tie
least exaggerated. The Mighty Dollar will be
given at Portland Theatre Wednesday eve
ming. Sale of seats Monday.
NOTES.
The musical entertainment and readings will
employ some of our best talent at Vaughan
street Chapel next Wednesday evening.
Don't forget the benefit to Den Conway at
the Lyceum tonight.
Callender's Minstrels will pay Portland re-
turn visit Jan. 9th at City Hall, enlarged by
h1re Ef,li
No. 2, making the largest minstrel company
ever organized.