The Portland daily press., 1891-02-20


Mankind" the great Boston Theatre sue
cess, was put on the stage at Portland Thea
tire last night with the beautiful scenery
painted by Goetz and Somers, and the novel
effects that marked its production In Bos-
ton. @
Mankind" was first put upon the stage in
London in 1881. The action begins ON the
Ramsgate Sands, where the spectators SYM
patty Is demanded for Alice Maitland, a
beautiful young woman. whose father, grown
rich by mining In Africa, has died and left
her, his natural daughter, all his property by
will. Neither will nor legatee is to be found
at the beginning of the play; Alice has suf-
fered hardship of some sort and disappeared; ;
the will Is eagerly sought by several interest
ed persons. One Of these is Mr. George
Melton, half brother to Alice's father. He is
well aware that. as Alice was born out of
wedlock, he would be his brothers heir-at-
law. This is reason enough for Melton's
wishing to get hold Of the will, and one Dam
lei Groodge, an old sharper and financial
agent" desires it as an opportunity for his
line of business. In the interests of brevity
let 1t be stated that Alice Maitland presently
appears at Ramsgate, and that the will is put
into her hand. From this point onward it
must, we think, be evident to any beholder
who has taste for following the principal
thread Of dramatic web that Mankind"
resolves itself into game which might be
called "Will, will, who has the will?"
As produced at Portland Theatre last
night the play aroused the audience to great
enthusiasm. Mr.. a. A. Weaver gave
strong portrayal of Groodge, the old sharp
or, Mr.. Charles w. King, was an excellent
George Melton, Mr.. Frank Lander was at
home in the part of Philip Warren, Mr.. E.
7. Weber as Peter Sharpley and John T.
Craven as Darnaby Bright, Lizzie Goode as
Alice Maitland, Blanche Ring as Constance
and little Gertle Boswell as Jessie, were all
pleasing. The rescue in the second act of
the heroine by the fishing boat and the at
tack by the mob of Paradise Place In the
last act, were very realistic. In this last
scene hundreds of glass windows were de-
stroyed.
The play will be repeated tonight, Satur
day matinee and Saturday night, and should
draw houses only limited by the size of the
auditorium.
LoTHRoP's STOCK COMPANY.
This week Lothrop's No. Stock Company
has packed the Bangor Opera House each
night thus far and if the experience of the
preceding nights is criterion the record will
be broken in Bangor.
MIR. c. A. Wilson, acting manager of Port.
land Theatre, writes that he has perfected
arrangements to transfer the company to this
city for next week and will present a grand
repetorie of plays consisting of Passion
Slave" "The Galley Slave" the great Fifth
Avenue success. Golden Giant" the "Octa-
roon," "A Celebrated Case" and the great
Union Square Theatre success "The Bank
er's Daughter"
This company has been augmented by sew
eral excellent stock actors and the personnel
at the present time is j. Gordon Edwards,
Kate Glassford, James 81. Keane, Justin
Paige. Harry Clements. VIM. Henderson,
Leigh Mcdowell, Francis Kingdom, Eddie
Wheelock, Annie McVeigh. Lillian Tucker,
Nellie Hancock. Mrs. VIM. Henderson, Lau-
ra Porter, Amelia French and Mabel Colby.
ORGAN RECITAL,
The organ recital to be given by Mr.. Hen
ry E. Duncan at Congress Square church
tomorrow afternoon is causing much talk in
musical circles. Mr.. Duncan is a very fine
master of the instrument and his reputation
as such will crowd the house.