The Portland daily press., 1898-08-08
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
THE GEM.

4
This week Mr.. Douglas is to give his
patrons at the Gem chance to soc that
clever comedy. 1.-THE Arabian Nights, I"
from the pen of Sidney Grundy, that
clever and popular English playwright,
who has contributed SO much to the COM
edy success of the English stage. Mr.
Grundy is also the author of that great
| recent success "Sowing the Wind. +" In
"The Arabian Nights" Mr.. Grundy mas
given to the stage one of its oleverest
comedies. 1t is a delightful, clean,
amusing story, rich in its humorous STU
ations that follow one another in rapid
succession and keep the audience III
roar. The play has had wonderful sue
cess in New York and the larger cities OF
the country, and was one OF the famous
Daley theatre successes. 1t was later
DINE by Charles Frohman's famous
company of comedians, OF which Mr..
Douglas was member, at the Standard
theatre in New York. 1t tells the story
of young husband who comes under
the watcEful eyes of an over-zealous
mother-in-law. The wife being away
on a visit the young husband conceives
the idea of going out one night disguised
as a character in "The Arabian Nights"
and what was intended as only lark
turns out quite seriously for the young
man. when the following day a young
woman whom he had CHANGED to. meet in
the park, turns up at his house and re-
fuses to leave. His only salvation is to
introduce her to his mother-in-law as his
niece, whom they are at that moment
expecting. Then comes no end of COM
plications, first the arrival of the genuine
niece, then his wife, then his friend, the
Tilted lover of the young lady who is now
installed in his household as his real
niece arrives, and between them all he
is in an awful fix, and during ali that
time he is never able to evade the watch
full eyes of his mother-in-law. 1t takes
three acts to straighten out matters.
which finally end satisfactorily to all but
the mother-in-law. The cast will be as
follows:
Mr.. Arthur Huntington,
Mr.. Byron Douglas
Ralph Ormerod, MIR. Francis Byrne
Joshua Gillibrand, Mir. Walter Thomas
Dobson, Mr.. Robert Lowe
Rose Colombier, Miss Lansing Rowan
Mrs. Huntington, Miss Virginia johnson
Mrs, Gillibrand, Miss Agnes Proctor
Daisy Maitland, Miss Myrtle May
Mr.. George Allison Of Daniel Froh-
mans Lyceum theatre company will
Join Mr.. Douglass company and will
make his first appearance with the com.
pany in 'As You Like It,. Mr.. Allison
has been identified with all the Lyceum
theatre successes for some years, and Mr..
Douglas takes pleasure in announcing
his advent in his company.
|ANOTHER WEEK OF "THE ENSIGN"
The success of "The Ensign" at Nc
Cullum's theatre last week has been un-
precedented in the annals of amuse-
ments in this city. Over 11.OOO paid
admissions were taken at the door and
it is safe to say that this exceeds any at
tendance that was ever accorded pro-
duction at local theatre. Since Wednes-
day evsning hundreds were turned away
at every evening performance, unable to
obtain even standing room and the same
state of affairs ex sted at two matinee
performances. The production is I'M
questionably superior one. Anything
| to excel it in the extent and magnif1.
cence of the scenic display is not recalled.
It is in its entirety that ''The Ensign"
takes precedence over all other summer
productions and equals any presented
during O winter season. The stage set
tings of the first, third and fifth acts are
as handsome and elaborate as money and
to know that 5000 was expended on the
scenic and mechanical effects before the
curtain was raised on the first perform
ance last Monday night This is more
than twice the expense entailed in any
other attraction that Mr.. McCulluln ever
presented, and the results obtained from
this extra outlay of time and capital are
very evident in tie completeness and
detail of the production.
The story Of the play is also ons OF
| live interest, being founded on one OF
the most famous incidents that occurred
during the civil war, viz: the capture
of Mason and Slidell, Confederate ambas-
COA31AAAsA1AN- -
the q. S. frigate San Jacinto. Capt.
Wilkes was given vote of thanks and
a medal by Congress for efecting this
capture and was personally compliment
ed by Gideon Welles, then secretary of the
| navy, and President Lincoln. These
| three famous men and also Admiral
Farragut are prominent characters in
this great drama and their impersona-
lions are absolutely perfect. being made
up from photographs that appeared in
Leslie's Weekly in the great review of
the civil war that was published by that
paper. The representation of President
Lincoln, given by Mr.. Homer Granville,
is alone worth visit to the theatre. Re-
served seats can be secured for any per-
Torrance during the week at Steinert &
Sons music store, 5l7 Congress street,