The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-11-19
GAVE STATES EV|DENCEIHPLAYAND1HE P[AYERS|
FRAWLEY COMPANY WELCOMED
TO HONOLULU.
Brilliant Audience Greets Old Stage
ayorites-Chrstoph Jr., Scores
Initial Success of the Season.

III was great pleasure 10 me 10
meet the Frawley company again, and
very evidently my pleasure was shar-
ed py the very large audience that as
sembled at our pretty opera house
last night. As the old favorites stepp-
ed on the stage each was greeted with
a round of applause, showing that the
Honolulu play goer has q warm spot
in his heart for the playerfolk and
is ready to bid them welcome.
OF course everybody was there, and
the house was gay with pretty tot
lettes, bright and eXpectant faces. 1t
was a typical Honolulu house at its
very best, and in spite of the wealth
er, which was abominable, every seat
was filed. In one respect Honolulu
audiences are curious. They get so
interested in the play, are so intent
upon the story that is being develop
ed upon the stage that they appear
almost cold. But it is coldness
which means really more than the
warmest applause, for it means the
deepest attention to the players and
not an action, not line, is lost. Thus
there can be no complaint here. as |
! have' noticed in other places, of the
| action and dialogue of the stage being
| spoiled bN the. society chatter in the
boxes and the stalls. But every now
! and again this attention is broken by
| some bright and witty line, well de-
! livered, or some excellent bit of by
play, and the the merited hand is
| given. and the soul inspiring sound
rises which the player loves, and
which makes him redouble his efforts
! to please The Frawley company
know their audience now, and are alb
lie to value the attention of their audi
! tors at its true worth. T..
| saw Christopher, Jr., couple IF
wears ago. with John Drew and Maud
Adams in the lead, and Mrs. Adams as
Mrs. Glib. The rendering of its bright
dialogue and pretty situations loses
nothing in the hands of the FrawleyS.
1t is a piece which requires very
delicate touch. Played as broad farce
there would be nothing to 1t. but han
died with artistic skin, as it was han
died last night by Frank Worthing
and Blanche Bates. it is one of the
most amusing comedies of later years.
The part of Dora Hedway calls for
sweetness, mingled with archness,
which Miss Bates gave to IA nicely.
The absurdity of young girl being
married to a man she did not know,
is lost sight of in the manner IN
which Miss Bates handled the part. 1t
seemed quite possible that such Il
thing could have happened and that
the convent was the only solution for
n difficulty of this kind only you feel
quite confident that this bright, wiu-
some young woman, never really in
tends to carry out her idea She is
far too natural to have any such NOR
bid intentions. however much she
may talk of them. All this Miss Bates
portrayed admirably. with a delicacy
which calls for the highest commen-
dation
As for Frank Worthing. he surpris-
ed me. | have always seen him in the
line of leading man, but he showed q
capacity for light comedy last even
ing which | never gave him credit for
I confess I expected to be disappoint
ed, and | was, agreeably. From the
moment Mr.. Worthing entered. to the
time the curtain fell on the pretty
tableau of Christopher and Dora lock
ed in one another's arms, he never
failed to- hold his audience, and wheth
er comic or at times pathetic, was al
ways playing at high level. Worth
> ing is thoroughly good actor, h'
never slurs his part, or mars it by ov
eracting. He is thoroughly natural
and he delivers his lines with excel
= lent point. What could be prettier o
more effective than the manner II
which he gave the last words that tn
curtain fell upon in the first act
There is nothing melodramatic in th
ending, merely little poetic idea o
the dove, which, unless expressed will
. point, would be utterly lost, but i
was not lost. The last act calls upo'
: the exercise of considerable versitility
: but Mr.. Worthing was quite equal tt
the call, and was grave and gay, anus
ing and loving, showing as quick an'
ready resource of facial expression
4 and gesture as one could desire. |
was real pleasure to see such wei
= balanced playing. To see Blanch
S Bates and Worthing play together
to see "A well finished and perfect hi
of dramatic art. 1t is no mere acting
it rises to artistic naturalism.
!. OF course the piece affords little fo
/ the other characters to do, the Who'll
n of the play lies between Dora an
Christopher. 1t is essentially tw
= charactered. But the support wa
very good. Harry Corson Clark
made an excellent Glib. the man who's
: wife never gives him chance of say
ing word for three acts, and VIII
: only gets Off "Ilurrah" at the end c
II the fourth. Clarke had an N"alleu
opportunity of showing his quality {
o by-play, and kept the house ttterin
c from start to finish. Selena Iohnso
= and Eleanor Robson are additions
d the company and | should say WI
prove very good actresses. i,dHi-
Frnwley is always bright and read
{ and willing TO take parts which do NJ
thrust him forward, aS some manager
u insist on doing. PhOsa McAllisie
y made an excellent Mrs. Colt She
every inch an actress and most impo
tant to the success of company is
good cold woman" \ word of sp,
cial praise must be given to Geor2
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