The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-12
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
Rory of the Hill.

Mi. James c. Roaoh's play of RORY
of the Hip drew good audienc to
Portland Theatre Saturday night. The
piece, an outline of whose plot was given
In the PRESS, has several stirring sit
uations, is well constructed and abounds
in witticisms and good music. Mr..
James @. Roach himself is an eccentric
comedian, who never neglects the little
bits of stage business that go SO lar to
round out an effective presentation. He
plays quietly, but with sufficient force
and earnestness, showing great reserve
power. He is quite a magnetic actor,
and has his audience with him from the
start. Mr.. Roach had very agreeable
support in Miss Brag gins, as Miss OAR
ley, lady whose singing at once won
her favor with the audience. Mr..
Joseph A. Wilkes was a capital Squire
Darling. Mr.. Walter was effective in the
odd character OF Mask, a ticket-of-leave
man. released from Jail on promise to
act as police spy, but who wears a
that he is has birth mark and prom
ised his mother to cover his face. MIR.
Shea as McSlinic made good deal of
fun, ana the other characters were well
taken. sThe Emerald .Quartette sang fine
.ly, and there was excellent dancing by
Mr.. Roach, Miss Kate O'Neil. and
little lad, whom Mr.. Roach discovered
in New York when the boy who BACKED
boots in front of hotel was dancing
jigs, and engaged him. The scenery,
such as MIR. Roach could use, was good.
The audience was quite enthusiastic.
The Jules Grau Opera Co.
Boccacio will be the first opera to be
produced by the Grau company during
their coming engagement at Portland
Theatre, which commences tonight,
when they will present the original YER
sion of this opera, together with mag
nificent costumes, made from the original
designs by Austin, London. The opera
will be cast to the full strength
of the company, Miss Edith Mason, the
prima donna, appearing as Fiametta,
Miss Myers as Boccacio, a role in which
she has made a great success, and Bessie
Fairbairn, the coincidence, as Petronella,
and who will introduce her famous
Hunting Song, in which she made such
a great triumph at the Alhambra, Lon
don. Miss Marriott will appear as Isa-
bella. the cooper wife. Stanley Felch
will have lots of chances to display his
great abilities as a comedian as Lamber-
tuccio, and he will introduce song from
the Isle of Champagne, called All Ma
tions. The Widows dance will be an
other novelty, and the indications are
that large audiences will witness the
performance of this opera. The COM
pany is said to have an admirable chorus
of twenty voices, and good orchestra.
There will be big demand for seats or
we are much mistaken.
Tomorrow evening, "Amorita,n one of
Casino ever knew in the days when it's
company contained several of the promi-
nent stars Of today, wilfsbe the bill.
Sousa's Band.
This morning, at Stockbridge's, the
tickets for Sousa's Band concerts will
be on sale. Those who fail to listen to
probably the most graceful and capa-
BILE of bandmasters, to fifty of the most
accomplished living musicians, and to
the great vocalists presented. will be the
chief losers. And when they learn, after
the concert, how much they have missed,
they will have only themselves to
blame. Portland has rarely been fav-
ored with better concert than the one
in prospect