The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1896-11-13


anv stage at the Royal Hawaiian, al
Pauline. in The Lady of Lyons" sup
porred by Edmund Pilot as Claude
This gentleman may be credited al
being the first pretentious Hamle
known TO the Honolulu stage up TO thu
reriod Miss Fiddes visited Honolulu
with her mother, who, as Miss H
Caves. once enjoyed London reputa'
ton as a concert singer. About this
time Breslau's company was reinforced
by
FRESH TALENT FROM CAEIFOR-
MA,
Including Wm. s.. Maur Bingham and
Mr.. and Mrs. John Bingham. W. II.
Foley. who took a circus to the Islands
from here in the early part of the same
wear erected a rival theatre called the
Varieties. and for a time monopolized
things theatrical generally, even to Sc
curing the best portion Of the talent
from the other house. The company
was certainly a strong one, and IN
cluded Mrs. Foley, Joe Downing. Mr..
and Mrs II. J. Ray, and Mrs. Ches-
ter. from the Australian theatres. Paul
Emmett. a French artist from San Fran
cisco, completely "astonished the ma
tives." so TO speak, with the pictures
cue elegance of his scenic appoint
ments. in conjunction with the efficient
stage direction of the elder Bingham,
who was likewise an artistic dauber
The opening bill at the Varieties com
prised THE Wife" and The Rough
Diamond, +" with Mrs. Foley in the lead
ing characters in both, and Downing
in the comedy role in the latter At the
expiration of the season, Bingham Sc
nior succumbed to the predominating
Missionary influence" and Joined the
leading church there. He eventually
dropped into a fat thing as Adjutant-
General of the Army Of
THE LILLIPUTIAN KINGDOM,
And in company with his son Sam, who
became Captain OF Artillery and Mill
tarv Instructor, created considerable
amusement by attending church re-
gularly every Sunday in full uniform.
He likewise made an excellent thing
out OF his original profession, which
was portrait painting, but in time ISL
and life became monotonous to both,
and they returned TO the United States
and brought up somewhere in Canada.
Ben. r. Moulton assumed the manage
ment in the Fall of the following year,
with a company from San Francisco,
including his wife Mr.. and Mrs. d.
". Waller and Henry Tuthill, an Irish
comedian of the old school, VINO were
en- route to Australia, played an eX-
tended and prosperous engagement at
the Varieties, which was noted as being
the first regular Shakesperian season
Honolulu theatre-goers had been fav-
ored with. Mrs. Waller, who was quite
at home in comedy, likewise supported
Tuthill in the afterpieces included in
his repertoire. Following these came
Mr.. and Mrs. Joe Eldridge and T. c.
Greene, who occupied the theatre for a
short time with Indifferent success.
After the departure of the latter for
China. Eldridge and his wife remain
ed in Honolulu some time, supporting
such casual talent that came along.
Both eventually went to China, where
Eldridge died. A disastrous confia-
grafton. however. settled the fate of the
Varieties, and left the field to the Royal
Hawaiin. which enjoyed spasmodic
career until the Fall of 1855, when Ed
win Booth. Laura Keene, d. c. Ander-
son. Walter Bray, Mr.. and Mrs. Ha-
milton and others, who were returning
TO San Francisco from an Australian
trip. put in an appearance, opening in
"Charles H. and the customary after
piece. which was followed later in the
season with Hamlet, Lady of Ly-
ons. Richard III' and other legiti-
mate attractions. A quarrel occurred
between Miss Keene and Mr.. Booth,
which resulted in the lady's immediate
departure for San Francisco. James
Garden. who was at one time mem
Der Of the old California stock COM
pany. was also one of Booths remark
able trans-Paciic company, of which
Uncle Dave" Anderson was stage
manager.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATION WERE
RARE
And costly in Honolulu in those days,
and as q matter of economy, the wan
dering Thespians found it convenient
to take up their quarters in the rear
of the theatre. and a native boy was
secured as cook and general utility
hand. The Honolulu experience OF
Edwin Booth and his stage associates,
if written up, might furnish material
for an interesting article; but at pres
ent. want of space prevents any al
fusion to details Garden became in
fatuated with Hawaiian life, and re-
mained for some time in Honolulu af-
ter the others had continued their jour
ney to San Francisco, and when the
atricals were duh, he occupied his leis-
ure as salesman in a meat market.
Walter Bray. who afterwards embraced
the minstrel profession in Honolulu,
returned in less than a year with a
dramatic company, organized in this
city. under the management of w H.
Wilder, of which
THE VENERABLE WALTER LIE
MAN,
Frank Mayo, Louise Graves and heI
sister. Caroline. were the principal