The Portland daily press., 1897-12-27
MUSIC AND DRAMH.
LA TOSCA.

Ii was small, but deeply interested
audience that witnessed Fanny Dayen-
port, and her excellent oompany's per-
Torrance of LA Tosca,'' at The Jeifer-
son, Christmas matinee, while at the eve
ming performance there was hardly q va
can't seat in the spacious auditorium.
The play of La Tosca deals with Rome
at the beginning of the century. Its
scenes are laid in the church of St.
Andrea, the Franese palace, Mario's villa,
and the castle of ST. Angelo. They are
sufficiently Iurid to have pleased the taste
Of the Venetians in the days of the cele.
DRAFTED Council of Ten. All of the terrors
of the Inquisition are brought into play.
there is double dealing on the part of
those who are high in power, murder by
the use of the knife, and a cleaning out
of the principal characters at the end by
means of the bullet.
There is scope in the play for mag
niticent display of the passions and Miss
Davenport is never at loss to emphasize
every one. The scene in the torture
chamber is one of such borrowing ma
ture as only the brain of Sardou could
fifty picture. The climax of hate and
rage were aptly illustrated in the fourth
act, where La Tosca stabs Scarpia, and
then with the most intense and bitter
passion Kisses out Idle, devil, de- as
she pushes him back into the chair and
stabs him again and again. Another
magnificent scene in the last where she
thn <ri1l hat hoC
on her, that Marin is nearly dead and
she has no more desire to live. Though
out the play Miss Davenport never for
gets her art. To have seen her in La
Tosca is a portraiture to be remembered
for life time. AS in Fedora her cos
curtain calls were many.
Mr.. Mcdowell as Baron Scarpia was as
cool, deyelish and natural as it was pos
sibls to be, while Mr.. Jewett's Mario
was strong The long list of supporting
characters was admirably filled. The
play was finely staged. 1t is to be hoped
that Miss Davenport will be seen here
again soon at another time than the hoIi.
day season.
PORTLAND THEATRE.
The walls of the Portland theatre could
scarcely have contained larger audiences
than those which greeted Katherine
Rober and her excellent repertoire com
pany at their initial performances on
Christmas day. In fact hundreds were
turned away and unable to gain admis-
sion.
At the matinee "Miss Dixie was the
comedy presented, and in the title role
Miss Rober had good scope for the exer-
else of her mirth provoking qualities and
with old time vivacity and sprightliness
she made the most of the opportunity
offered.
In the evening "The Paymaster'' was
the attraction. 1t is military drama
and the plot hinges on the attempt of one
orlcer to bring into disgrace another, who |
crosses his path in love affair. Miss
hoper takes the part of the Irish heiress,
whose hand is sought by the unscrupu- |
lous Colonel, personated by Henry Dris- |
COLI, ana shows her versatility by success
Iuily portraying character, quiet, but |
yet forceful. The fun in the play centres
about the role of Larry O'Brien, as
suned by John Weber. Kitty Bingham
MADE good servant and Gang charming |
Dear Little Baby" Franklin |
hltohle, In the title role, was conspicu-
ou'ly to the front and quite acceptable. |
me relocated officers, personated by
Aessrs. MoHugh, Rowe, Somers, Healey
ana Moran, were brilliant in dress and
lively in action.
Seth Gaffney, Grace Hami "a and
Maude Scott completed the fem&' cfst |