The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-02
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
Willie Collier in zone of the Boys"

Last night Mr.. William Collier and
company appeared at Portland Theatre
in Kidder's farce-comedy in three acts,
of Zone of the Boys" 1t is not a boist-
erous, horse-play drama, but piece
rather quiet in action, bHt full of very
bright, if rather slangy dialogue. Ike
Bennett is d village youth, with thirst
for strong drink. a kindly feeling for a
game of chance. a settled aversion to
work in any form, and a craving for ex-
element, whether in the form of fun OF
fight. His brother Ben is the village
schooImaster, whose worth is not much
appreciated in this bustling age. Though
Ben chides@Ike on his worth less ways
and vicious habits, Ike is kept very busy
keeping his brother from being strampled
on and winds up by saving Ben's girl.and
allowing the pedagogue to marry her.
There are also several other excellent
characters. Roxbury Codd and his wife
Hannah, two mean codgers; Horace
Tanning, an artist, who tries to ruin
Miriam, but is baked first by his wife
Laurel, and secondly by Ike. John Eel
ton, d commercial traveller, VIII makes
love to pretty Abble Hull, the hotel
housekeeper, and excites the ire of her
lover, Jim Latham, and last, but not
least, To-day Tufts, an awful warning, a
boy who is into everything, and obliges
verybody.
Mr.. Collier as "Shiftless Ike" gives a
most amusing Characterization. He is
bright as dollar, quick-witted, and
while his methods are all his own, there
is still a recollection of Sol Smith Rus
sell in his style. The other characters
are all we'll taken, because they are i'll
the hands of well known actors, most of
whom have been seen here in other
plays. This was the cast:
"Shiftless Ike" Bennett, one of the
boys. William Collier
BENJAMIN Bennett, his brother, the
Village schoolmaster, NJ. l.. Heck bert
Roxbury Codd, an ex-warrior,
James B. Gentry
john FELTON,, a commercial traveller,
H. A. Smith
Horace Tanning, an artist,
Jim Latham, slow. but sure,
Gerard Anderson
Teddy Tufts, an awful warning.
Edward Clark
Miriam Arnold, proud and pretty,
Elaine Winter
Abby Hull, housekeeper at the hotel,
Louise A lien Collier
Hannah Codd, a woman with opin-
ions, Helen ReImer
Laurel Tanning, type of many,
Matte Earle
The piece kept the house in ripple
of laughter from the beginning to the
final curtain. Mr.. Collier was called
out at the end of the second act. The
dance in the second act was heartily ap-
plauded. The play will be repeated at
the matinee and the evening performan :
ces today.
The Amazons.
Monday morning the tickets will be
Oh sale at Miuchells ticket office, No. $50
Congress St.-Center & McDowelPs store
= for Pinero's great comedy of "The
Amazons," which so delighted and as
tonished Boston and New York critics.
Mr.. Char les Frohman's great New York
company will present the play at City
Hall February 9th. The. Boston Journal
speaking of Mr.. Frohman's company's
presentation of the play, said. "The
above company, appearing SO short a
time after the Lyceum Theatre Company,
is unavoidaply compared with the
Lyceum Theatre Company. Last even
ing's presentation impressed one fact
forcib ply on the mind and that.is the ex-
cellence of Mr.. Pinero's comedy. 1t is
not often THAI one can see play which
is professedly for amusement purposes
only presented by two different COM
panies within two months anda enjoyed
every moment of the second performance.
And the fact that it is possible to do
this in the present case is also a feather
III the cap of Mr.. Charles Frohman's COM
pany."
Grand Opera.
Those desiring season tickets for the
Grand Italian Opera Co. performances to
be given at Mechanics Building Boston
orders to Abbey, Schoeffel & Grau, IRE
mont Theatre, Boston before Feb. 9th.
Kel1ar.
Some of the new features of Kellar's
entertainment are the Shrine of Koomra
Sami, the Mystery of l. HASA, the Mys-
tic Light of Bala, Sonnambula, the
Phantom Bride and many others. Seats
on sale at Stock BRIDGES next Monday.
Notes.
The Fairfield Opera House is to be i'm
medately closed to shows for several
weeks. and during that time the in
terror is TO he almost entirely made over.
New opera chairs will he provided for
the gallery, which will be entirely re-
constructed, couple of private boxes
built, handsome chandelier hung cost
ing five or six hundred dollars. 1t is in
tended to expend about $4,000 in reftting
the interior.
Miss Mary McCobb will give a reading
in Reception hall soon.
I'm Old Kentucky" which gave so
much pleasure a fortnight ago. will be
seen at City Hall April % and "a.
Schlotterbeck's Eucalyptol Cream is for
the skin and complexion.