The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-04-12
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
The Mikado.

| The Mikado of Gilbert and Sullivan,
| like the real Mikado-if tradition is to
| be accepted as fact-will never grow
| old. at least so old as to lose its beauty
and charm, and especially so as long as
| it can be produced as we'll as the present
company of amateurs gave it. 1t is
great thing, unsteady considered, for
any citv to have within its borders suffic-
| lent talent to form two such excellent
companies as those that in the one case,
presented Pinafore, and in the other, Pa
thence. and last night the Mikado.
tits unnecessary to go into an elabor-
ate description of the opera of the Mika-
do at this late day. The town saw the
performance of 1892 and reveled in it.
They saw it done again by nearly the
same company last evening and were as
enthusiastic as before, especially in the
second act.
Miss Kicker as Xatisha. was as digni-
fed in mien, as grand in voice and as
fully up to the role as any one could de-
sire. Her opening aria was delivered
with great dramatic simplicity. and re-
ceived an encore. In the second act her
scene with Koko was warmly applaud
ed. She received very handsome bou-
quet.
Miss Florence knight as Yum-Yum
acted with spirit ana sang her music
deliciously. Her rendering of the moon
song in the second act was most artisti-
cally done, both musically and dramati-
cally. Miss Henrietta Rice as Pitti-Sing,
would have astonished her audience if
they had not been somewhat prepared
for her graceful and maize acting by her
appearance in Patience last week, and
she sang charmingly. Her scene in the
first act and song For he is going to
marry Yum Yum" was delightful, and
in the scene before the Mikado in the
second act, she was compelled to accept
an encore. Miss Stockbridge as Peep
Boo, both acted and sang we'll DR..
Nickerson as NanlSi-Poo sang his music
very sweetly. Mr.. Frank Pierce, gave a
capital Interpretation to the part OF
Pooh-Bah, and Mr.. Harry Merrill to that
of Pish-Tush. DR.. FL. F. Twitchell was
seen in the part of the Mikado for the
first time and he acted it well and sang
effectively. His verses on Warden Har-
per and the Ward ballot steal brought
down the house.
OF course Mr.. Elliott Mitchell was ''all
there as Koko. In the very first act
his topical song abiding in turn to the
officers of the Eridano-who were all
present-and to the political situation,
with pointed allusion to the Ward /
affair, set the house wild, and on re-
call he was presented an elegant rag
baby. In the second act his gyrations
during "The Flowers that Bloom in the
Spring." and his rendering of the "Tit-
Willow song brought forth demand
for encores.
The chorus all through the opera was
well balanced, strong and tuneful. The
orchestra was large and did its work
well. The opera was of course well
staged and handsomely costumed. The
last performance will be given tonight
and there should not be a spare seat.
The Stowaway.
The Stowaway made it's annual APP
pearance at Portland Theatre last night
to the usual delighted audience of low
ers of melodrama. All of the cold real
ism of water tanks, fire engines, rain
storms and other sensational devices of
modern stage invention were discounted
and relegated to complete oblivion by
scene in which two genuine bank burg
lars, graduates of Sing Sing, but now
happily reformed gave realistic and
scientific object-lesson in safe-blowing.
Duly provided with an uncracked safe
and all the requisite implements of their
profession, the knights of the SHADY
art burgled in full view of the audience
amidst breathless silence finally brok-
en- by a storm of applause. The story OF
the Stowaway is too well known to
need repetition at this late day. The
scenery employed was all good and the
stage effects impressive. Mr.. Joseph
Mitchell was good as Dicky Dials, the
''Stowaway,' and Mr.. Walter Edwar dis
as Tom Ingliss, Mr.. Cossar as Charles
Fetherington, and Messrs. Kingbury,
Thorpe, Moys, Byers, Farley, Bowdich,
Misses Kirl1e, Parry, Hunt and Wilson
-, 20 o+I,o,, al,
A Royal Pass.
George c. Staley, the popular German
dialect comedian. in his successful come
dy drama, IA Royal Pass" at the Port
land Theatre, Friday, Saturday and Sat
urday matinee, will be welcome guest.
MI. Staley made an extremely favorable
impression when here last Greater at
tention is given to the musical part of
the programme. One of the scenic effects
promised is locomotive race, and is
quoted by our exchanges as being the
most wonderful and realistic railroad