The Portland daily press., 1897-11-10
MUSIC AND DRAMA
A CoNTENTED WOMAN.

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was trst brought out in Portland last
season IL scored an instant success. On
that occasion the beautiful Caroline Mis-
keln Hoyt was seen in the character of
Grace Holmes, whose wealth of charms
and fetching ways made her a great
favorite at once. The piece like it's pre
decessors, which have achieved a far roach.
ing popularity, is satire, and in this
case, woman suffrage and the boodl,po
characteristics of certain elements in the
political organizations are made the main
themes. 1t has much less tendency TO
farce than the other plays of this author
if we omit 1.-The Texas Steer.'' There are
introduced of course, certain amirable
specialties, that appear legitimately, and
in no way interfere with the action of
the play.
The scenes of ga Contented Woman"
are laid in Denver, where Mr.. Benton
Bolf1es runs for mayor, and owing to a
little pique his wife permitsherself to be
the opposition candidate. r OF course this
gives opportunity for satirizing the
woman suffrage question, and for forcible
hits at campaign methods. In the end
Mrs. Benton Holmes willingly gives up
her 1nayoralty in favor of her husband
and concludes that home Is woman's
sphere Many bright songs and concerted
numbers are introduced including Hoyt's
topical song "The Barbecue" 1.-THE
Women's Campaign Song and num-
Der of coon songs by Holiness butler,
with chorus by the girls, that were en-.
cored last night againTand again.
Miss Belle Archer makes a very good
Grace Holmes. She is bright and natural
and she is at one moment the sweet and
loving wife, and the next the sharp,
shrewd female politician. Mr.. John H.
Browne in the rising young politician
who wanted to be mayor was very pleas
ing, while Mr.. Harry D. Byers as Cutting
HintZ, his bachelor brother-ln-law, was
excellent. Portland's favorite. actor of
the old Museum days, Matt Snyder, was
about as realistic a Brighton Belts, the
manager of Holiness campaign, and a
gambling saloon proprietor. and his wife,
Rose Snyder, was as effective in her way,
as Aunt Jim, the earnest advocate of
woman suffrage. Mr.. Charles p. Morri-
son was very amusing as Uncle Todie--
Jim's other half-and Mr.. Barry Maxwell
was capital negro butler Sandyke
Beard Miss Henrietta Lee was very good
as Mrs Ebbsmith, q lady who it was we'll
to be on the good side of politically, and
to be avoided socially. and the other
characters were well taken. A great
feature of the play was the dancing of
Miss Bonnie uottie, who takes the part of
Miss Peet, the lady's maid. She is re-
markable acrobatic dancer, and withal a
very graceful one. Herswonderful feat of
pirouetting on one leg, with the other
raised above her head, for the space of
three minutes is something never hithero
attempted.
! A Contented Woman is handsomely
staged and costumed. It will be- given
at matinee today and evening perform
ance tonight.
FANNY RICE.
Fanny Rice and her clever company
will be at The Jefferson Friday and Sat
urdaysevenings, November IL and IS, in
her latest and greatest success, "At the
French Ball." which is said to be by far
the best play Miss Rice has ever had, in
asmuch as it permits with perfect con
sistency the Introduction of an abundance
of pretty music and all of Miss Rice's
clever specialties, and at the same time
tells lesson midst laughter, pathos, mirth
and song. Reserved seats go on sale this
morning at nine o'clock. 9%
THE GAIETY.
A most notable feature of the week s
entertainment at the Gaiety is the must
cal team Grant and Pomphret. They give
a funny sketch entitled "Zeb's trip to the
city, and their performances on some
queer instruments such as the Marimbo-
a South American invention-and the
Meloharp are worth the price of admis-
sion. Their ''coon stuff is inimitable
while the musical coats which they bring
into effective play are indeed novel. The
coats are an idea of their own and alto
gether this team is by far the most
unique seen on the boards for many a
day. Forester and Wheeler are pleasing
in their vocal selections while the
magician feats of Hornmann and the
"Giratfe act capture the crowd. The
show is worth seeing and popular prices
prevail.
FRIEND FRITZ.
The attraction at the Jefferson next
Monday and Tuesday evening will be
doubly ocwelcone, not only as bringing
back those sterling favorites John and
Marion -Manola Mason, butsshat beauti-
full musical and pastoral drama, Friend
Fritz. ;"
1t has been several years since seen
here but all will remember it's sweet and
touching love story, charmingly told nv
experienced artists well fitted to inter
pref it, and with it's beautiful setting
picturesque costuming and appropriate
musical numbers, makes it restfulra and
thoroughly enjoyable evenings entertain.
ment, pure and wholesome and leaving
only pleasant memories behind.