The Hawaiian gazette., 1897-11-26
TlG FTaVlGy Company PIGaSsS All
In Shenandoah.
WAS A FAITHFUL PORTRAYAL
Elaborate Settings-SpeciaIS Scenery
And Accessories-Good Work
of Those in the Plays Cast

brought out under the direction of its |
builder. Mr.. Bronson Howard, in the
United States eight or nine years ago.
It was produced for the first time in
Hawaii by the Frawley company at the
Opera House Saturday evening last.
Criticism Of the drama here would be
quite out of place 1t is more than a
success. 1t is a standard. Comment
from the Island standpoint need not
be lengthy.
Shenandoah is stirring and salts
factory Ii plays upon many of the
emotions without appealing to any of
the prejudices. 1t presents that adj
mirable patriotism which is devoid of
exaggeration. Beautifully balanced
are the lines and the scenes and stu
ations The only flag shown is the
white one carried when a dying prison
er is exchanged. Realism, there is, but
most happily that feature is not over
done The horse figures best when he
is described by Gertrude Ellingham"
CAIiss Bates. She pictures such horse
as would certainly command the love
of a woman or affection of hero
One of the odd things Saturday night
was the laughter from the audience
when a sentry walked along his post.
Now. that soldier was a real soldier
from the garrison here He does his
tour every day and knows how. He
was perfectly natural on the stage.
But somehow the thought the man was
not an actor caused the spectators to
laugh at him. This is a puzzle. There
was not a smile. though, when a lot
OF soldiers from the barracks appear
ed on the field. Perhaps the cannon
enforced seriousness.
Shenandoah is just such play as
one who would give the subject any
attention would readily believe could
be easily constructed from the history
of the great cavalry episode of the
great war. Some wonder at once why
Shenandoah" was not given birth
long before instead of the many
clustering was pieces inflicted from
time to time since the great conflict
terminated Of course the characters
are stagely conventional, but Their they
are created for the stage.
Mr. Frawley's chief obstacle in
mounting Shenandoah" here is lack
of room The space is much as thea
tiers of the same caliber in the States,
but there is hardly enough of it for
such a play. However, little or no
fault can be found with the accessories
or the settings. The special scenery
was fine indeed. The representation
Of Lookout Mountain and the Shenan-
doah valley was revelation to people
familiar with that locality Even the
signals were correct. Admiral Miller,
L. s. n. read them from his box and
several gentlemen in the body of the
house knew the messages before they
were announced from the stage There
were no delays behind the scenes. A
few little shortcomings did not escape
notice A lapse of memory caused one
of the officers TO say in a single SEN
tence that he was positive of some
thing and TO add that he was also al
most suspicious it Then the search
ing of Thornton, the prisoner by cor
poral and of Col. West of his own coat
tended to remind of the joke about a
q
Again. it was difficult to make out at
one time just whether Col. West
thought he was the fair ones prisoner
or she his prisoner, or both. But then
a real officer really in love might have
been just as much confused.
The audience liked the play immense
ly and was more than pleased with the
presentation Of it. The honors were
very fairly divided. Mr.. Frank Worth
ing has seldom been seen to better adj
vantage. He and Miss Bates had sew
eral strong situations. requiring and
bringing forth their very best efforts
and they carried the house right with
them. Madge Carr Cooke and Eleanor
Robson were prominent in the cast and
equal 10 all occasions. Harry Corson
Clarke and Miss McAllister furnished
the comedy and did it satisfactorily.
Mr.. Blakmore was excellent in the
death scene he had. H. L. Burton's
sheridan makeup was work of genius,
Wilson Enos was a clever and quiet
william and George Bosworth was a
signal officer who attended strictly to
business.
Miss Selene Johnson's acting well
sustained the good opinion gained by
her work in Christopher, Jr," She
was faultless in her lines and tainted
with charming grace When she re-
covers she does not inquire: Where
am II" Mr.. Bronson Howard is the
first playwright to leave that out.
Mr.. Frawley and Mr.. Levers were
young looking oficers, though the same
might be said of worthing Mr.. Fraw-
ley gave a very fine touch to his love-
making scene with Jennie Buck
thorn" Miss Wrenl. Mr.. Levers, by
the faithfulness with which he inter
preted the character of a Confederate
officer evidenced to his friends and all
others that he has not mistaken his
vocation and that he is an established
man Of the stage.
Herbert Carr and Frederick Perry
were Just what the Honolulu public ex-
pected they would be when Mr. Fraw-
ley sent favorable advance notice con-
corning the two new members of his
company. Mr.. Carr was superb in his
portrayl OF the honest husband who
could not accredit ill-thoughts of the
wife and of the stern but loving father
who never forgot that he was soldier