The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-05-17
BILL NYE AS A CRITIC.
HE DIscoURsEs ToucHlNeLY UPON
ACTOR o'CONNOR'S HAMLET.

A Few Remarks on the Manner In Which
the or "Did Up" the PIay-Mr.
Nye's frilling Reception at the Star
Theatre.
The past week has witnessed the closing
debut of the great Shakespearean humorist
and emotional ass, Mr. James Owen O'Con-
nor at tine Star theatre During his extra
ordinary engagement he has given us Ham
let. Phid and Shylock, Othello and Richie
lieu. ! think | like his Hamlet best, and yet
it is pleasure to see him in anything where
in he kills himself.
After seeing his Hamlet am of the opin-
ION that he did wisely in choosing New York
for debutlIg purposes, for had he chosen
Denver Co.. at the end of tho third act
kind hands would have removed him from
the stage by means of benzine and rag.
But James Owen O'Connor has done one
thing which / take the liberty of publicly al
luding TO. He has taken that saddest and
most melancholy bit of bloody history, trim
med with assassinations down the back and
looped up with remorse, insanity, dupicity
and unrequited love, and he has filed it with
silvery laughter and caulihower and mirth,
and various other groceries which the audi
ence throw in from time to time, thus max
ing it more of a spectacular piece than it is
under the conservative management of such
old school men as Booth. who seem to think
that Hamlet should be soaked full of sadness.
went to see Hamlet, thinking that would
be welcome, for my sympathies were with
James when | heard that Mr. Booth was
picking on him and seeking to injure him. |
went to the box office and explained who |
was, and stated that had been detailed to
come and see Mr.. O'Connor act, also that in
what might say afterwards my instructions
were to give it to Booth and Barrett if |
found that they had tempered with the audi
ence in any way.
The man in the box office did not recog
nize me, but said that Mr. Fox would extend
to me the usual courtesies. ! asked where
Mr. Fox could be found, and he said inside.
| then started to go inside, but ran against
total stranger, who was ION the door," as we
say He was feeding red and yellow tickets
into large tin oven and looking far, far
away conversed with him in low, passion
ate tones and asked him where Mr.. Fox
could DO found. He did not know, but
thought he was still in Europe. | went back
and told the bex Office that Mr. Fox was in
Europe. He said no, | would find him in
side "Well, but how will | get inside9"
asked eagerly, for could already, fancied,
hear the orchestra beginning to twang its
Tyre.
walk in" said he, taking in So and CIV
ing back fifty cents in change to man with
u dead cat ii lis overcoat pocket.
went bf and, springing lightly over
the iron raA.ng, while the gatekeeper was
thinking over his glorious past, ! went all
around over the theatre looking for Mr..
Fox found him haggling over the price of
some vegetables which he was selling at the
stage door, and which had been contributed
by admirers and old subscribers to Mr..
OConnor at previous performance
When MIR Fox got through with that l
presented to him my card, which is as good a
piece of job work in colors as was ever done
west of the Missouri river and to which |
frequently point with pride. %
| Mr. Fox said he was sorry, but that Mr..
| O'Connor had instructed him to extend no
courtesies to the press whatever. The press,
be claimed, had said something derogatory
to Sir UConnor as a tragedian, and while
he personally would be ticllled to death to
| give me two divans and a folding bed near
the large fiddle, he must do as Mr. O'Connor
had bid--or babe him, | forget which; and
so. keeping back his tears with great diff
Guilty, he sent me back to the box office, and
| although | was already admitted in a general
way, | went to the box Office and purchased
| a seat. | believe now that Mr.. Fox thought
he had virtually excluded me from the house
when he told me | would have to pay in or
| der to get in.
| bought seat in the parquet and went in.
| The audience was not large and there were
| not over n a. -stn ladies present
Pretty SOC, che orchestra began to ooze in
through little opening under the stage
| Then the overture was given. 1t was called
"Egmout" The curtain now rose on a scene
in Denmark had asked an usher to take a
note to Mr. O'Connor requesting an audience,
but the boy had returned with the statement
that Mr. O'Connor was busy rehearsing his
soiloquy and removing a shirred egg from
his halidome.
| He also said he could not promise an audi
ence to any one. 1t was all he could do to
get enough himself for a mess.
Mr. OConnor introduces into his Hamlet
a set of gestures evidently intended for
another play People who are going to act
out on the stage cannot be too careful in get
ting a good assortment of gestures that will
fit the play itself. James has provided him
| ANA
Little Eva or Ten Nights in Barroom,
but they do not fit Hamlet There is where
he makes mistake. Hamlet is man whose
victuals don't agree with him. He feels
depressed and talks about sticking a bodkin
into himself, but Mr. O'Connor gives him q
light, elastic step and an air of persifage
bonhomie and frisk which does not fit the
character.
Mr.. O'Connor has sought in his conception
and Interpretation of Hamlet to give it 6
free and jaunty Kokomo lavor-a nameles:
twang of tansy and dried apples which
Shakespeare himself failed to sock into hi
great drama
In seeking to combine the melancholy
beauty of Hamlet's deep and earnest patho
with the gentle humor of "A Hole in thu
Ground MIR O'Connor has evidently corkeC
himself as we say at the Browning club, anC
il is but Justice after all Before we curs
the condemnation of the people and the pres
let IL, carefully and prayerfully look our
selves over and see If we have not over est
mated ourselves.
There nre many men alive today who d.
not dare say anything without first thinking
how II will read in their memoirs-mel
whom we cannot therefore, thoroughly en-
joy until hey are dead, and yet whose grave
l.