The Portland daily press., 1898-08-30
MUSIC AND DRAMz.
RIVERTON PARK.

WOStS AMI ONaf1uFs
RIVERTON PARK.
This week Germans Merry Makers
were announced at Riverton and it may
have been observed that nothing was said
anywhere about who makes up the COM
pany having SO pleasing name. The
audience gathered on yesterday afternoon
and listened with much attention and
appreciative applause to the concert by
the Fadettes 1t was of the usual high
order. Then came the Merry Makers.
First an Irish comedian who told Stories
danced and sang, then lady blcycllst
who gave fine exhibitions of skill on the
treacherous wheel, then ventriloquist
and comedian whose performance is SO
fine that it will have to receive more at
tention before the week closes, and then
Waterbury Brothers and Tenney" was
announced upon the placard. Knowing
ones began to look at each other. Surely
these names are familiar. Then the
ushers began to bring in the paraphernalia
with which the teams work is done, and
there was piece of sticky fly paper
among the many other things. No body
ever forgot Earnest Tenney's unhappy
collision with that fly paper, and the
knowing ones began to cheer. In
moment the great comedian himself APP
reared, riding on that identical tricycle.
over which we have all laughed before.
improvised a hitching post, and pro.
ceeded, amidst the cheers of recognition
that were coming from all parts Of the
audience to feed the "brute' which he
had fastened secur rely to the improvised
post. 1t was the advance guard of the
Aeolians, the most popular musical and
comedy team that Rlverton has ever seen.
When the cheering stopped Tenney
stepped to the front Of the stage and ex-
pressed his pleasure at being back again,
and some one in the audience said,
"We're glad to see you too," and the
cheering was renewed. The fact will be
all that will be needed to pack the River
ton auditorium to OVERLOOKING on every
appe arance this week. The team is as
strong us ever, it has many new features,
and all the good old ones retained
Riverton will not hold tho people who
will want to see these old favorites this
week.
DORA.
The offering at McCullum's theatre this
week is that pastoral production "Dora, .
dramatized by the famous novelist
Charles Reade, from the well-known
poem of Tennyson of the same title. The
cast was as follows: -
Farmer Allan, hartley McCullum
William Allan, Stephen Wright
Luke Bloomfield, James Horne
Jem Blunt, John Armstrong
Willie (ch1ld),
Dora Allan, L1sle Leigh
Mary Morrison, Beatrice Ingram
The story has been already unfolded
and this beautiful domestic idyl re-
ceived a worthy presentation.
In the first act the Christmas dinner
scene, with the table spread with the
turkey and everything else suggestive
| of the "Yuletide'' in Old England, was
notable one and as the play progresses
there is snow scene and at the end
most realistic harvest scene, a feature
of the production.
| The dialogue runs smoothly and the
| characters are quaint and simple Mr..
McCullum assumes the character of the
strong -willed, but honest and affectionate
old farmer, and gives one of the most ar
tistic representations of the season.
Though tempted at times to Feasibility
his big heart finally asserts itself and
no tinn rtoir To
all Mr.. McCullum has played this part
while engaged with stock companies in
Senttle and Tacoma, and it can be &C.
counted as one of his very marked sue.
cesses. In make up, in action and in all
that goes to make typical Farmer Allan
he hts exactly the character.
Lisle Leighs Dora is very good and
unaffected piece CT acting, characterized
by that consoienciousness and intelligence
which she throws about all of her por-
trayals, while Mr.. Wright's contribution
is marked by thoroughness and keen
and discriminating insight into the
wants of his part.
Mrs. Ingram was very effective. e'pecl'
ally in the last scene, and MIR. Horne
imperSonated the STURDY FARMER III
truly excellent manner. Mr.. Armstrong
was good and the musical numbers OF
Hatch. Shilling and Mcdonnell nave
lost none of their old time popularity
The sketches of the Maine, the flames,
the destruction of the Spanish warshlps
were innovations which caught the
crowd and all in all the Offering proved
to be one of the most charming ana Ell.
PERTAINING performances OF the present.
season.
THE GEM.
There was fine audience last evening
at the initial presentation of Parson
Jim BY Byron Douglass company at the
Gem theatre.
The play might be called nautica
drama, as the scene is located in the
vicinity of Gloucester, Mass, while the