The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-04-19
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
UNDER THE RED ROBE.

of Stanley Weyman's novel Under the
Red Robe" has done remarkably good
piece of work. He has retained the prln-
cipal scenes of the novel and ne has In
vested them with all the warm coiorlng
that belongs to the time of the great
cardinal.
The plot of the play in brief is this:
Gil de Berault, French gentleman Of
family, has become gamester and duel
list. acquiring on account of his skill
with the sword the cognomen of the
stBlaok Death" He fights duel con-
trary to the edict of Richelieu and is ar
rested, Richelieu gives him his choice of
the scaffold or to play the spy, and at
great risk go to Cocheforet and arrest it's
owner Henri de Cocheforet, rebel, and
bring him to Paris. 1t is Hobson' s
choice, and De Berault accepts the Cardi-
NAILS mission. But after he reaches the
chateau and mests. Henri's sister he falls
in love with her. All the good in the
man comes to the front. He arrests Henri
to prevent a captain of His Eminence' s
guards from selling him, and with Henri,
his wife and sister, starts for Paris.
When they reach the crossing of the roads
that lead, the one to Spain, the other to
Paris, he gives Henri his freedom, after
telling the sister all that he has done. DE
Berault then rushes to Paris and finds
Richelieu, no longers, as is supposed, the
great Cardinal, but in disfayor with the
king. But De Berault tells the Cardinal
IN tic
why, and that he has come to pay the
penalty. Renee de Cocheforet, his sweet
heart, has also come to Paris to see Rich
ellen and plead with him for De Be-
rault's life. The shrewd old Cardinal
sees the chance to reclaim q rebel and
save strong friend by pardoning De
Berault and marrying him to Renee and
SO all ends happily.
The play is exceedingly well cast and
acted. Mr.. William Morris as De Berault
has all the swagger and dash of the bravo
in the earlier scenes that give place to
the sterling qualities that make the true
man after he has met Renee de Coche-
foret, while Mary Hampton as Renee
possessed all those charms of person and
manner that went to make up grande
dame of the period. Two scenes in the
play between these two actors stand out
with the olearness of a silhouette on
account Of the power and finesse of the
actors. They were the scene in the Sec
ond act where Renee lashes De Berault
with the language Of contempt and
scorn, and he brings her to her knees in
shame, and the one in the third, where
De Berault tells the story of his life to
Renee at "the parting of the ways" and
gives Henri his freedom. The audience
that had been so quiet that breathing was
audible, at the close of these scenes broke
into thunders of applause and called the
curtain several times.
4 But these actors were not the only ones
of merit. The foppish captain of the
guards; the brusque lieutenant (whose
straightforwardness drew recognition in
the third act, when he tells Renee what
despicable life De Berault has led);
THE great Cardinal, SO well personated by
that sterling actor, Giles Shine, whose
every word dropped clean cut from his
lips; the dumb servant, Clon, whose devo-
ton to his master and mistress termi-
mated only with his life, these 1were all
good. The plsy was we'll staged and
oostumed correctly. The audience crowd
ed the house and many were turned from
the doors.
UNCLE TOMS CABIN.
For two nights only, Friday and Satur-
day, April % and %, with grand,
special children's matinee at $50 Satur-
day, Stowe & Co.'S. Uncle Toms Cabin
will be the attraction at Portland Thea.
tire, when they make their re-appearance
after an absence of over two years. This
large company, which numbers over forty
people, will appear at the extremely low
price of 10, 20, and 80 cents, with a
grand ladies' and children's matinee al
10 and 20 cents only. Little can be said
of Uncle Tom as the subject is known
to young and old alike, but it may be
added the above company is the largest
now on the road and should not be con
founded with any other bearing the same
name. A grand street parade will be
given at noon, showing all the outdoor
features.
HERMANN. THE GREAT COM
PANY.
Leon Hermann, the chosen SUCCESSOR
to Hermann the Great, and the nephew
OF that famous magician, will make his
debut in this city next Friday, Saturday
and Saturday matinee at the Jefferson
theatre. With him is Adelaide Hermann,
the graceful and charming widow of Her
mann the Great, and one of the features
Oh the programme of these popular enter
talners will be the wonderful spectacular
dances to be given by Mme Hermann.
her Tame as a dancer is world wide and
the hewlldering beauty and grace of her
dances have made her the leading artist
of the world in this line. Thousands of
colored lights are used, and her dances
are dazzling spectaoles of brilliancy. Leon
Hermann has already established his
ability to succeed his late uncle. and the
anth1siastic racentiouS aooo.5 ~. d,