The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-08
BILL NYE AS A CRITIC.
he ClscoUsses rOucHlNGLY UPON
ACTOR o'coNNOR's HAMLET.


The past week has witnessed the closing
debut OF the great Shakespearean humorist
and emotional ass, Mr. James Owen OCon'
nor at the Star. theatre During his extra
ordinary engagement he has given us Ham,
let Phidias and Shylock, Othello and Richie
lieu think I like his Hamlet best, and yet
II l. a pieasurS to see him in anything where
IN ne Kills himself.
After seeing his Hamlet am Of the opin.
ion that ne did wisely in choosing New YORK
for debuting purposes. for had no chosen
Denver. Col. at the end OF the third act
kind hands would have removed him from
the stage by means Of benzne and rag.
But James owen OConnor has done one
thing Which | take the liberty Of publicly al
hiding to He has taken that saddest and
most melancholy bit OF bloody history, trim
mel With assassinations down the back and
looped up with remorse, insanity. duphclty
and unreouited love. and he has filed 1T with
silvery laughter and caulif1ower and mirtL,
and various other groceries which the audi'
epce throw In from time to time, thus max
ing 1t more Of a spectacular piece than IL u
under the conservative management OF sucn
old school men az Booth, who seem 70 tnlnK
that Hamlet should he soaked full OF sadness
went to see Hamlet, thinking that would
be welcome for my sympathies were Win
James when | heard that Mr. Booth was
picking Oh him and seeking TO injure him
went TO the box office and explained who
WINS. and stated that had been detailed to
come and see Mr. OConnor act, also that In
what | might say afterwards my instructions
were 10 give it to Booth and Barrett II
found that they had tempered with the audi
ence in any way.
Tho man in tho box office did not recog
nize me, but said that Mr. Fox would extend
IN me the usual courtesss ! asked where
Mr. Fox could 10 found, and be 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 q large tin oven, and looking TAR, far
away conversed with him in low, passion
ate tones. and asked him where Mr. FOX
could tie found He did not know, but
thought he was still in Europe. went back
and told the box office that Mr.. Fox was IN
Europe. He said no, | would find him in
side We'll, but how will get insideT
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
q dead cat I'D his overcoat pocket.
went back. and. springing lightly over
the iron railing, 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 mt the
stage door. and which had been contributed
by admirers and Old subscribers TO Mr.
OConnor at a previous performance
When Sir Fox got through with that
presented 10 him my card, which Is as good e
piece OF Iot 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.
OConnor had instructed hiE to extend no
courtesies to the press whatever. The press,
he claimed. mad said something derogatory
to Mr. OCounor as tragedian, and while
he personally would he tickled to death to
give ne two divans and folding bed near
the large fiddle, be must do az Mr. OConnor
had bid--or bade him, | forget which; and
so keeping tack his tears with great diff
Guilty. he sent me back TO the box office, and
although was already admitted In general
way ! went to the box office and purchased
a seat believe now tlat Mr. Fox thought
he mad virtually excluded me from the house
when he told Inc 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 we're
not over a dozen ladies present
Pretty soon the orchestra began to ooze in
through a little opening under the stage
Then the overture was given 1t was called
"Egnont." The curtain now rose on scene
in Denmark | had asked an usher to take q
note to Mr. OConnor requesting an audience,
but the Toy had returned with the statement
that Mr. OConnor was busy rebearsing his
sohloquy and removing a shirred egg from
his haldome
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
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 good assortment Of gestures that will
fit the play itself James has provided him.
self with set of gestures which might do for
Little Eva or Ten Nights in Barroom,"
he makes a mistake. Hamlet is a man whose
victuals don't agree with him He feels
depressed and talks about sticking bodkin
into himself, but Mr. OConnor gives him
light. elastic step and an air of persiflage,
bonhomie and frisk which does not fit the
character
Mr. OConnor has sought In his conception
and Interpretation Of Hamlet to give 1t
free and jaunty Kokomo favor-a nameless
twang OF tansy and dried apples which
Shakespeare himself failed to sock into his
great drama
In seeking to combine the melancholy
beauty OF Hamlet's deep and earnest pathos
with the gentle humor Of "A Hole in the
Ground" Mr. O'Connor has evidently corked
himself, as We say at the Browning club, and
It Is but Justice after all. Before we curse
the condemnation OF the people aud the press
let u carefully and prayerfully look our
selves over aud see II we have not over esti-
mated ourselves
There are many men alive today who do
not dare say anything without first thinking
how 1t will read In their memoirs-men
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