The Somerset reporter., 1896-03-05
THE OctOrOOn.'
Clubs Presentation of Bouclcault, Pa
InnII. Drnlnti.

a C.owded House Witness the Milburn
Clubs Presentation of Boucicaults Pa
NOUS Drama.
That Skowhegan is always ready 10
literally patronize home talent was
evident, Friday evening, by the large
audience that filled Coburn hall to
its utmost seating capacity, to witness
the performance of "Thc Oetoroon."
Dion Boucicanlt's' stirring drama Of
American life as presented by the Mil
burn Club.
The audience was The most fas9iona-
bic ever in Coburn hall, containing many
faces seldom seen al Il dramatic enter
tainment The affair WAS also quite
dressy, the toiettes of many Of tie ladies
being extremely pleasing. Another
agreeable feature was the fact thai many
OF our fair sex left their theatre hats
at home thus enabling those sitting be
hind them to obtain a full view Of tie
stage, instead of looking at ii creation
Of the milliner throughout tire even
ing.
The plot of "The Oetoroon deals with
life i'll the south before the Val. the
scene being laid on the plantation of
Tenebonne. The first act represents
the lawn of the plantation George
Peyton, nephew of the late Judge. has
Just returned from Europe He falls
in love with Zoe, the Octoroon. bui as
the plantation is heavily mortaeed, it
and all the slaves must be sold to pay
the debt 1t was supposed that Zoe
was free, but owing to the fact that the
plantation was ineumber,d A. the time
the papers were made out, She must be
sold with the rest. At the auction she
is bid off by MeClosky, the yillainous
oyerseer, but rather than 90 with him
she takes poison, just as she is about to
be taken from his clutches, and dies.
OF the acting of the entire company
only words of praise can be said. II is
safe to say that more finished amateur
performance was never given in Skow-
hogan. The role of George Peyton Vas
most acceptably PLAYED bv ". p. Stead
his love making with Zoe being finely
acted. As Salem Scuddcr. the Yankee
oyerseer of Terrebonnc, r. II. Amber
son gave pleasing delineat:on of a
difficult character, never departing
from the quaint Massachusetts dialect.
!. Il. Frost was excellent in the NEGRO
character sketch of Pete. the old family
servant: Il. T. Patten made stately
Sunnysde: f. 5. Cairns was a brusone
Capt Rats; f. {. Poolcr surprised his
friends as Wah.no-tee, the Indian chief.
and with Master Harry Graves. the
Paul of the east was called before tie
curtain at the end of the strong scene
which brought act two To Il close. The
other male roles were filled by A. Rob
inson as Lafouche; f. f. MeNeelie as
Col. Pointdexter; J. W. Steward rs
jules Thibodean; Morris Gledhill ais
Gallon; G. L. Durrell as Judge Jackson,
DR.. f. O. Sawyer as Den Trifysse; and
W. X. Elliot as Scion. Messrs. +. c.
Dow, f. X. Philbrick and Edwin Gled-
hill also appeared as Grace, Minnie and
Dido females slaves.
The principal male role. Jacob Me
i Closky, was filled by that sterling actor,
/ PhineaS Laach, under whose direction
the piece was staged. Mr.. Leach has
appeared in skowhegan before and was
no stranger to a large portion of the
audience. The character of McCl9sly
is a thankless one, but in the hands of
/ Mr.. Leach it was exceedingly we'll
acted, especially his scene in the swamp
where he meets his death at the hands
of the Indian.
Too much cannot be spoken in favor
of the ladies who so kindly consented
to assist Mrs. K. b. Shepherd as
Mrs. Peyton, widow of the late Judge,
made handsome, dignified matron, as
suming most creditably difficult role.
The Dora Sunnyside of Mrs. +. W. Allen
was gem. Her up as Dora Sunny
side, southern belle, was immense and
her acting was most vivacious. 1t Is a
part that can easily be overdone but Mrs.