The Portland daily press., 1895-11-27
MUSIC AND DRAMA
Waite Comedy Co.

Waite Comedy Co.
The first of tbs popular dime matinees
was given, Notwithstanding the fog and
generally nasty weather yesterday by the
Waite Comedy Company at Portland
theatre to a big audience.
The Diamond Mystery was the play
selected for tho occasion and it was well
acted. The specialties were warmly re-
ceived. In the evening there was another
crowded audience to see Byron's "Inside
Track, +" and Mr.. Beers, Miss Lytelle, Miss
Fiske and the other members of the
supporting company were heartily ap-
plauded, while the specialties gave great
pleasure. At the matinee today the
Black Flag will be gwen, and "The
Noble Out ast'' tonight. The orchestra
is fine.
The Founding.
There was good sized audience at
City hall last evening" attracted thithe1
by the much herald ed Cissy Fitzgerald,
who has sInade such hit in the larger
cities. The performance began with a
delightful little one act curtain raiser
entitled 1.-THE Man Upstairs which re
lies for it's motive, upon the unfortunate
mistake of man who took the fourth
fiat in an apartment house for his own
fat, the one bove. The fourth fiat is
occupied by young married couple,
who have had little family jar in their
first attempt at housekeeping, and con-
sequently are all the more ready to mis-
understand, while the wife Of the man up
stairs is naturally of a jealous disposition.
Of course the misunderstanding are ex-
planned in the end and the curtain falls
on united happiness. Mr.. E. S. Powell
and Miss Jane Stetson played the parts
stairs pair, in very finished manner,
and Mr.. G. W. Butler was very good
and exceedingly natural as the man up
stairs. A capital bit of character acting
was that of Miss Maggie Fielding as the
cook Mary Nolan. The audience was so
curtain was called.
Of course the event of the evening
was the appearance of Cissy Fitzgerald
and the Foundling-the new farce by
William Lestocq, the author of "Jane,"
and E. M. Robson. She was not seen
until the second act, and then she made
her advent. A round plump face, rather
prominent laughing eyes, big picture
that balanced. in most unaccountable
way ON the side OF her head and sur
mounted by wealth of white ostrich
plumes, a natty figure, llssome and grace
full; that was Cissy Fitzgerald. She
took with her audience from the first
entrance. Her dancing was very grace
full, but it was rather more suggestive
than that of the usual high klckers
seen in such companies as Frohman
manages. The situations and repartee
in the dialogue in several instances o
little broader than perhaps some of the
audience had anticipated. But the piece
was so we'll acted, it was dressed so hand
somely, that the audience enjoyed it to
the utmost and laughed heartily, applaud
ed vigorously and called the curtain after
every act.
There is very little of Miss Fitzgerald
in the play as compared with the parts
generally assumed by stars. But all her
dances have to be repeated, and it is GER
tain that in the part of the "Maybud, :"
the goddess of the Alhambra Music hall,
she gives an admirable. interpretation of
the character. A very artistic bit of
work was done by Miss Clara Baker
Rust as Mrs. Cotton, and another was
thai of Miss Maggie Holloway Fisher as
Miss Usher, the aunt OF the cad limo
thy. Miss Fisher looked and dressed the
character to perfection. Mr.. Thomas
Burns was very good Major Cotton.
easy and Slightly pompons, even under
his wife's stern eye. MIR. Keene was n
very good Dick Pennell, and Mr.. But
Ter gave another good Characterization
in Timothy. Miss Jane Stetson pleased
in her song and dance. The other char
acters were well taken.
The music by Givens' orchestra was
most satisfactory Mr.. Mitchell is to
be thanked for giving our people chance
to see the stage favorites of the metropo-
lis in so advantageous a framing.
The Stockbridge Course.
The tickets for the remaining eleven
entertainments of the Stockbridge course
are selling rapidly, and early application
will secure good seats. An exchange
speaking of Miss Jessie Couthoui, who
will give the next one, says: "T'he
opera house was well filed Saturday
evening by discrim mating audience to
hear Jessie Couthoui and her. COMPANY
The members did not arrive until late
so there was no time for programmes To
be printed. With the exception of this.
everything moved off very smoothly.
Every number presented was greeted
with rapturous applause; and when the
programme was finished, there were feel
ings Of regret that it had not bean
longer. Miss Couthoui was, of course.
the star of the evening; and her rendering
of "a Close Call" ''Darkey Christmas
Jubilee" UNITED States Ahead" and
1.-THE Prophecy of Columbus" were all