The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-01-24
MUSIC AND DRAWN
ROBINSON OPERA COMPANY.

ROBINSON OPERA COMPANf.
The Robinson Opera company made It's
first appearance in Portland last evening
at Tho jefferson in the tunefui and ever
popular opera of FRA DiavoIo. IL was
a magnificent audience that greeted the
company and we'll pleased one as Well
"Fra Diayolo'' Is as famil liar TO Port
land people as household words. It's op-
portunities for pretty costuming ana
scenery are we'll known and Its principal
airs have been whistled for generations.
The company Is not large In choral
strength hut the chorus is well trai ned
with strong voices. The principals gave
muoh Measure. Mr.. Frank ID. Nelson
has a strong baritone which he uses with
good effect, especially In "On Ionder
Rock Reclining aud the concerted
music. and he acts with commendable
shirt. MIR. Charles n. Holmes has u
tenor voice of considerable sweetness and
compass, which he used with good effect
as Lorenzo, and Miss Minnie Jarbeau dis
plays a sweet soprano voice of much
power and made decided hit as Zerlina.
She was sprightly in her acting aud In
the disrobing scene In the second act kept
her audience conyulsed with laughter.
She sang "Hastep Tomorrow" with much
taste. The great factor was the sextettc
at the Gloss of the second act by Lord and
Lady Allcash-Mr. Tom Whyte ana Miss
Essie Barton--Miss Jarbeau, Mr.. Nelson,
Mr.. Holmes and MIR. J. Ii. Oakley
Giacomo. Both Mr.. Oakley as Giacomo
and MIR. J. L. Young as Beppo proved
good comedians
Between the acts there were many
views Of our Presidents, statesmen, mill
tary and naval heroes. and war vessels
thrown on the screen, and the Mandolin
and Guitar club provided excellent music
BE sure and goStonight Matinees wee
nesday and Satur1ay The kinetoscope
broke down last night but VIII be oil
right tonight.
SPEARS COMEDY AND DRAMATIC
COMPANY.
Last evening mt the Portland theatre
Edward L. Spears Comedy and Dramatic
company opened its annual engagement
before an audience which packed the
house and presented the four act comedy
entitled "a Hero in Rags" II is but
inst to the management to say that the
production was forced one and did hot
present the full strength OF Mr. spear S
company, as the Red Cross Nurse,
would have done and which had TO be
abandoned at the last moment because OF
prior rights.
The play, however, went smoothly and
received very satisfactory presentation
Mt the hands of his capable repertoire
company. Its. story is quite familiar to
Portland play goers and was seen here
quite recently ui.der the title OF Jerry
the Outlaw" The cast was adequately
filled and Marie Martin, who Is an old
tnvorite, was warmly welcomed and 9th
ers in the female roles. Adele Carleton
and Anna Clark, portrayed their char
acters in very pleasing manner.
Fred Chauncey as Gerald Watson, the
tramp, carried good share of the burden
Of the action aad did it well. John
Walsh was the villain and MIR. Shepard
the manly lover, while the dignifled Col.
Lee fell to the lot of Norman Gilbert.
Others in the we'll balanced company
who will appear later on are William
Knepper, Robert McClung, Walter War
rem and Miss Flosse Folner.
The company has some good speciality
artists Baby Martha, Marie Waltehs,
little girls contribute some songs IN a
very cunning manner, and musical
monologue by Frank Clayton received a
good round Of applause, Robert Nc
Chung gives good singing turn and a
notable feature was an addition to the
regular orchestra which came from tho
company
The company has a splendid repertoire
of standard plays and ut today's matinee
"The Senator's Daughter" will be pro-
duced and tonight Passion Slave" Is
the Offering in which Mr.. Spear is cast
for the leading Iole
JOHN DREW.
John Drew in Henry Arthur Jones's
comedy of society manners The Liars"
will be the attraction at the jefferson
theatre next friday evening, Jan. 9Tth.
Mr. Drew recently concluded a very sue
cessrul four months ran in this play at
the Empire Theatre, New York, and
comes here after a remarkably brilliant
engagement in Boston. In the seven
years of his stellar experience, under
Charles Frohman's management, MIR.
Drew, il is said, has never had more
popular comedy than 1.-THE Liars" 1t has
leen accepted as u perfect vehicle for the
expression of this versatile and polished
artist, and the enthusiasm OF the fair sex
over it gives corroborative emphasis to
the assertion made when it was first pro-
duced, that 1t is wonan's play.
The character of Sir christopher Deer
ing, a sort of social meddier and a men.