The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-01-10
MUSIC AND psAMA


BECAUSE SHE LOVED HIM so.
10 is but infrequsptly thst Portland. or
Tor that matter any city. 10 favored with
so bright and sparkling an entertainment
az that afforded by Mr.. Charles Frohman's
excellent company In Mr.. Giliette's
conasdy Because She Loved Him So.
We say infrequsntly, because In this
90 mody each actor was provided with .
part that fitted like glove, and each in
dividusl characterization was . finished
piece that, Joined with the Others, formed
tho mosaic OF beautiful picture. Then
again the play is clean and wholesome.
IL Is fun, pure and simple from begin
ming to end.
The story Of the play Is not elaborate.
Oliver and Gertrude West. a young mar
I ried couplc, live in London in consider
able style, with butler and q score Of SER
| wants. But Gertrude 10 of o Jealous dis
position and, while she loves Oliver deep.
ly, is still little suspicious Of him. The
| butler wants to get Of to dinner Of lis
cronies on the same night that Mr.. and
Mrs. West are to give q dinner party.
The maid sympsthizes with the butler
and puts up a scheme 10 prevent the
West dinner party and give the butler the
| night OF. When Mr.. West comes home
the maid manages to spray his coat with
new mown hay perfume and put two long
golden hairs on the back. This Is enough
for Mrs West She cannot be argued with
She breaks up the dinner party and de-
termines to 20 home to her parents, good,
honest. deli ghtful Johniand Martha Wood
bury, in the country. But Oliver goes too,
because he determines that they shall
hear both sides Of the story. Tom Wood.
bury. Gertie's brother. gets ahead Of them,
and tells the old folks all about 1t, and In
order to make the young couple see the
foolishness of their ways, the old people.
who are intensely loving and never had
word In oil their married lives, make
up fictitious quarrel and raise particu-
lar Cain so that Oliver and his wife have
to stay and try and reoonciliate the old
people. As a result the scheme Of the
old folks works like charm and In the
end the young couple are reconciled.
The manner in which this story is told
by Gillette and portrayed by the company
Is something that cannot be presented on
paper. 1t has got TO DO seen to be en-
joyed. Mr.. John K. Dodson rs the father.
John Woodbury., and Miss Kate Meek as
his wife, w,re remarkably strong. The
scene In the second act where John and
his wife dine together. wns one of the
most artistic that has been seen on the
boards for many a day, while the addition
of Maggie, the servant, Maggie Fislding)
with her interru ptions. tlled In the Pic
ture perfectly. Mr.. Edwin Arden a. OIL
YER, and Miss Ida Conquest, as Gertrude.
were extremely natural in fact that was
one of the great charms Of the play, its
uaturalness. Another excellent scene
that we recall was the game Of whist
between John and Mrs. Weatherby, Mime.
Gonzales, Ueonora Braham Of Mir. Froh-
mans Duke of York theatre company
and Mr.. Marsh (W. b. SMITH, an old
friend. Marsh affection for the Madame
was sc great that the manner in which
he poked his feet about in an effort to
touch hers. created the greatest amuse-
ment But why attempt to dwell on in
dividual seems and characterss 1t was
enough to feel one self laughing so hearth
ly and spontaneously and to be thoroughly
absorbed in the play. The audiences. so
large and brilliant. crowded the house,
and cslled the curtain after each act. and
was not satisfied without calling 1t four
times at the end Of the second and max
ing every member of tho company re-
spond.
A TERRIBLE TIME
Harry Rosers's company opened a three
days engagement at the Portland theatre
inst evening and gave the first presenta-
ton of farce comedy entitled "a Terri.
BILE Time"
The play fulGils the prophecy of the
title in the first act when q modern Don
Juan becomes infatuated with a rrtired
comedienne and follows her homel III ON