The Portland daily press., 1897-11-15
MUSIC AND DRAMA
FRIEND FRITZ.

Clever people, fine singing, beautiful
music, elaborate costumes and new
scenery are the ingredients of that tempt
ing and savory entertaining dish which
will be served to the patrons of The JEFF
ferson, Monday and Tuesday evenings.
All these fixed in goodly proportions
constitute, Friend Fritz, ~ the Manola-
Mason company's beautiful musical, pas
toral eomedy-drmaa Of Alsatian life.
Portlsnd has had the pleasure of seeing
this charming adaptation Of Chatrain S
''L' Amago Fritz" and the story of the
drama is too well remembered to require
extended notice. Suff1ceit to say that it has
clean, wholesome theme, and teens
with wit, pathos, clever situations and
musical numbers gal ore.
This is the last opportunity of seeing
this piece, as the new play, fouded on the
courtship of Miles Standish, is we'll under
way. and the Masons will be seen later in
the season in it Stanislaus Stange and
Julian Edwards, the author and COM
poser respectively of Madeleine, or the
Magic Kiss. - "Friend Fritz" and other
operas. are at work upon it, and the
ssCourtsbip of Miles Standish'' will have
a production in January at a prominent
Boston theatre.
Jack Mason is displaying all his old
time form as an artist, and gives q de-
Iightful portrayal ofthe large hearted bach
eIor, Fritz Kobus. Marion Manola is in
excellent voice and will prove to her
many admirers that she has lost not
whit of her divine gift. The supporting
cast is strong one.
WIZARD OF THE NILE.
There have been comic operas and
comic operas, and some Of them have
been dated pretty well back. But "The
Wizard of the Nile'' is the only one that
ante-dates the Christian era. The ad-
vantage of this is obvious. There is no
such thing as calling the author to ac
count on the ground that he has over
stepped the bounds of dramatic license.
Who knows whether King PtoleIny sang
topical songs, or whether the queen baked
bread for condemned prisoners? 1t seems
violent stretch of imagination to pic
ture Cleopatra, at any age, innocent Of
any knowledge of love. but, even as to
this, who can tellP At any rate the an
cient Egyptians as they are represented
in "The Wizard of the Nile" are q vastly
jollier lot than the specimens that abound
in our museums. The comic opera
Egyptians are lively entertaining folk,
and in Mr.. Smiths ibretto they work
out very clever story, to which Mr..
Herbert's music furnishes the most pi-
quaint sauce. This production will be
seen at The Jefferson Saturday evening,
Nov. 20. Reserved seats ready Thursday.
GAIETY THEATRE.
The bill to be presented at the Gaiety
theatre this week is one that cannot fail
to please all who attend. The bill opens
with the Klondike maidens, in which fun
flows fast and furious. There is spicy
opening burletta entitled 1.-THE Lawn
Party" after which the following artists
will appear: Senator Frank Bell In
stump speeches and topics of the day, in
which he will speak on the recent street
commissioner investigation; Collins
and Ray, in bright and entertaining
travesty sketches; Mr.. James Neary, the
celtric king, introducing wonderful
dancing and limitations; Miss Florence
Corbin, in a melange of songs; those
pleasing entertainers, Renoh and Ken
edy, knookabout artists; the Helstons,
English top boot dancers; to conclude
with the langhable burlesque. "O1d Gold
Tramps,' full of comedy, mirth and
music.
THE DEACON'S DAUGHTER.
Lillian Kenndy has been seen in Port
land several times in farce Icomedy of
The Deacon's Daughter" She will
again be seen in the character at Portland
theatre on Friday and Saturday next
The management state that the play will
be given with the same cast andMscenery
as when presented in the slarge, cities.
The tickets are now on sale at the box