The Portland daily press., 1895-12-28
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
Pistol.


was repeated last evening to a very fash
for the benefit of the children's
ward of the Maine General hospital. The
pretty little theatre was packed to the
walls, and it seemed as if enough tickets
could have been sold to have filed an
audience room twice as large. The corps
of nurses at the hospital or portion of
them, in their attractive white gowns
and caps, officiated as ushers, and seated
the ticket holders with the ease and
readiness of the more experienced male
SEX Several of the members of the hos
pital staff acted as a committee to see
that everything went off smoothly in
front of the house.
The story of the play is full recital
with every circumstance of that notable
historical event-the most romantic in
all history-marked by queens abdica-
tion of a throne to assume the regency of
a heart. 1t was brilliant court in those
days, and after all the years that have
gone that briliiance finds faint, but, we
hope, a true reflection on our little
stage. Once more wearers Of stored
names move before us and court, as of
old, the favor of men.
The opera opens with the court OF the
Queen of France in fly time The queen
accepts the homage of her attendants,
Prospero the lord chamberlain, dlseourses'
in their presence, on foreign affairs "A
number of callers drop in. including His
ROYAL Highness the Duke of YORK;
Romeo, desperately lonesome and ineHab-
ly sweet; the two sinners, one poet OF
the Ayensdy Press and the other of the
Already Argus; Audrey, maid IN search
of place and Pistol, ia Sherlock Holmes
mystery. These strangers thrilling ad-
ventures and the stories of their loves
make up the story of the play-provlded
there is any story-and from the rise to
the fall of the curtain, the wit and humor
of the play. and the bright taking music,
keep everyone laughing and thoroughly
pleased.
The burden of the operetta rests on
the shoulders of Mr.. Charles Barrows and
Messrs Hight and Whitehouse, respective
" the Pistol and the Two Sinners. Mr..
Barrows is natural actor, and he danced
and sang with remarkable abandon,
while the dances and songs Of the trio
was well done as anything seen on the
vaudeville stage. Mrs. Whitehousea as
Audry, sang very sweetly, Mr.. Hannibal
Emery was exceedingly amusing as
Porspero, Mrs. McKim was stately
Queen of France, MIR. Mansfield was the
Romeo, and his topical songs were warms
ly applauded, and Mr.. EHasting Webbing
as the Duke, also made an excellent I'M
preston. Mrs. Thompson as Rosalind
and Miss Stevens as Desdem ona, were
exceedingly good, and the quartette in
the second act by Rosalind, Desdemona
and the Two Sinners, was redemanded.
In fact tie encores were SO frequent,
throughout the evening that it seemed
as if everything was encored. The opera
was brilliantly staged and costumed,
and Mr. Murray played the accomp ain
ments admirably. The programmes were
gems of the printers art and reflect
great credit on the Thurston Print. They
will be kept for souvenirs. The ladies
who took the part of ladies in waiting
were Mrs Talbot, Misses Weston, Lang
thorne, Noyes. Cram, Foster, Fassett,
Eleanor Cram, Helen Brown. Dow, Nc
Dowell, knight, Cobb, Shaw. Allen,
Mollie Brown and Fletcher. Mr.. Payson
and DR.. Coleman were the men at arms,
Mr.. Dow my lord high cook. Mr.. Ilsley
Noyes my lord high key-ring, and Messrs.
Davis, Talbot, Whitman, Allen and Mo
Dowell, beaux in ordinary.
One of the hits of the evening was
made by Mr. Barrows of Massachusetts, a
brother of Mr.. Charles Barrows of this
city, who gave splendid female imper-
sonation, appearing as prima donna and
singing the "Last Rose of Summer. Z"
bringing down the house.
Shakespeare Water Cure
The coming production of this brilliant
play is under the auspices of young
peoples society connected with one of
Portland's chur ches. Besides seeing
one of the best and most complete thea
trical performances of the season, those
who attend Kotzschmar hall on the even
ing of Dec. 31st, will have the satisfac-
ton of feeling that their money has
gone for some charitable or church
work Remember that all seats are one
price, and are on sale at Stock bridge 8,
Monday, Dec. 31st.
A Week of Rober.
Portland theatre will be a popular rem
devious for our amusement patrons next
week, the attraction being Katherine
Rober and her company Of ladies and
gentlemen who with the talented star
won such favor in our city few weeks
since. This occasion will be even more
enjoyable than the first engagement, as
the company has improved materially
since their absence and have several new
plays for the deleotation of their friends
and .the new acquaintance they are
bound to make as a result of the fayora-
BILE reputation growing out of the weeks
stay earlier in the season. And besides
there is now connected with the combi-
nation band and orchestra second to