Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-10-28
A QUEER HAMLET
PRESENTED TO A WHEELING AUDIENCE BY
JAMES OWEN OCONOR.
The Melancholy Dane Appears in New Garb and
Creates Lots Of Fun-A Characteristic
Talk With the "Actor."


",rwas night! IIarkl / smell footsteps. II
am discovered am found.
80 God, o God My father common
gambler"
These famous histrionic gems are re-
called to mind by last evenings i'm
personation Of Hamlet by that some
what erratic genius, James Owen OCon-
or. The scene was laid in the Grand
Opera House, before an audience which
hogan TO laugh the moment the curtain
went up on the first act, and which was
thereafter in one perpetual CONFUSION
until the play was over. All the world
NAV be a stage, as Mr.. Shakespeare has
observed, but il is safe TO say that no.
where upon il has there been more
unusual Interpretation OF the text OF
Shakespeare than is presented by Mr..
O'Conor. Aside from the liberties he
takes with the text, his dressing OF the
part is rather astounding. His blond e
beard is supplemented by wig OF long
blonde hair and eye glasses, ana
his costume is well calculated
to provoke smile Of itself.
But the real mirth-provoking part is the
cute little antics he cuts upon the stage.
His gestures, his criss-croSS mode OF
getting over the stage, and his voice
complete the catalogue Of peculiaritles
which are startling, and the combined
10 f,naniuaf do
scribed: the performance must be seen.
Hts support ranges from good to at,
rocious. The "Ghost" is fairly well
taken by Mr.. Kennedy, Mr.. De Liston,
as the First Actor" is good; "Ophelia'
PLAYED, by the way, by "A Wheeling lady,
Miss ColliLs, is well done, and the rest
run from that down to regular barn
Stormers.
After the performance Mr.. QConor
was seen by a REGISTER reporter: Inc
object of the interview was to refute
the charges, and in part TO readjust the
world of tragedy, the outcome OF which
is best told in the comic-tragedian's own
peculiar, jerky, sawed-otf style OF con-
versaton:-
do play Shakspearc-well, should
- you're a rcporter-ah-alw like
to meet newspaper men-yeS, do-see
gave some newspapers 500 piece
once-See-but you needed put that IN
YOU know-Wherc was ! bOrn-well
now-New York in lsi9-bOrn on April
lst-April Fools day-See-funny
date to come on.-Now. see here-iirst
Is lawyer-then a reporter-See-at-
4. TAIlann hist nf
Columbia-you know-did big work on
speaking-way up on amateur work
got sort of elated-you know-sce-al-
ways been stage strickland struck bad,
too-you know-See-waS in London re-
porting-saw Henry Irving at Lyceum-
first time Irving ever played Hamlet
see-I saw it yer know-thOught-you
know-if Irving could do it, could,
too-se e-Played Hamlet myself two
nights after in London-See-big hit
Sce-put my stage shoes right on-yOu
know-been at il now fifteen years-sec
am 45 years old-you know-tifth
season in Hamlet-See-got it down
chillY-ah. sec Drink deep or touch not
the Perian Spring-catch-ah. yes-See
Hamlet says in third act
..Tweak me by the nose.
Give me the lie in the throat as deep the
lungs
Pluck of me beard and blow it in me face"
All old ShakeSpearcs say so, Booth,
Salvini, Irving, Barrett, kecne, all OF |
'em-don't use beard. play it right
see-I do. used to say, ''Pluck off me /
hair. | don't nOw-See? There's hid
den fun in IIamlet-sce? Big actors |
don't see it. read between the lines. |
mark ye-Sec? 'S'why | play Hamlet /
funny-sce? Hamlet guys Polonius-
sce?-and he guys the gravediggerS- /
Won know. I've studied Shakespeare, | !
have-sec? Had to gag Hamlet one |
night at Pottsyille. Pa. SOS the audi |
ence would understand it. And then |
n-See?-SccOnd scene Of first act
Hamlet says
As perchance hereafter shall think meet 10 |
put an antic disposition on.
See-antic spoSition-another reas-
play cOmic-lost money
well. ! should $4,000 in six years
have Il big reverence for Shakespeare
| do-See-I sing in Hamlct-too-mark /
We other big actors don't-see-I've stud |
led Shakespeare have-am now un-
der contract to write articlc-Ses-
about hidden humor in llamlet-see-
for New York HcTuid-you know-Just
bought new play hayc-See-"The
EN- of Savini'S son
six copics-coSt 30 cents apiece
older Salvin tried to play
it-no success-NOw James Owen
Coner tries IL see -- Salvini
couldn't work it-you know
Have | changed the play of Hamlet
well now your hitting me-See-ShakeS-
peare's version wasn't quite clear-Sce
james Owen O'Conor's version changes
it about one-eighth-you know-curtail
it some too-See-accOrding to size OF
See-and their patiencc-you
know-great student human nature
See-my gait is pace, slide, halt-see-
gait is Il great thng-know Hamlet
says Ills Sienna; know him
by his t''-See-started out
with - people - see - only use
l. now-have played it with peo-
double up-catch-have
even played it alone-see-juSt recitcd
'cm great-played
Othcllo to Sl2 house in Michigan-See-
eggS-wcll, now you hit me- know a
good egg-you know-when see it
scc-uSed to play with screen-see-up
in front Of the Stage-Sce-wcil-good
day.