The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-11-26
BRET HARJE'S SUE WINS FAVOR
WITH THE AUDIENCE.
The Story of the Lone Farm Touches
Many Hearts and the Verdict of the
the House was "The Best Yet"

The dramatilation of stories and
novels has been favorite occupation
of the playwrights lately. and Sue be-
longs to this class of play. 1t is very
seldom that this form of adaptation
is satisfactory. Under the Red
Robe" and the prisoner of Zenda," :"
though the latter has magnificent
spectacular effects. are by no means
good plays. The fact is the work )f
the novelist and the work of the dra-
matist are distinct, and a good novel
by no means makes a good play. The
novelist obtains his success by delicate
touches, the dramatist by broad wash
es. If you take one of Miessonnier's
pictures and enlarge it to three sheet
poster size, you would lose all the
beauty of the original-and this is Of
ten the case with a story dramatized.
In Sue there are strong situations.
and some very delicate character play
ing, but the play is really centered in
one act. the second. The Introductory
first and the winding up third are
weak in construction and contain un-
necessary characters which story
writer may use. but which play
wright should avoid. But, these res
marks | make of the play, not of the
players-and having made them, I
may add that | would willingly see
Sue again, well mounted as it was, and
admirably as it was rendered.
The simple, innocent Sue, with her
disreputabue father, and her duh and
prosaic surroundings, was eXcellently
portrayed by Miss Bates. What is t
that Miss Bates does not do we'll? The
very innocence of Sue leads nearly 10
her downfall. Poor little starved heart
with its aspirations for something 20
relieve the monotony of the Lone
Farm on BoliHs Plains, where there
is nothing bm dust clouds from one
years end to another. and where even
the calves upon whom she bestowed
her love, are taken from her to go 10
the butchers. The longing for the
excitement of the unknown makes ev-
Ell the tawdriness of a travelling c;r-
Gus seem Elysium and the coarse
grained acrobat vision from the up
per world. All this Miss Bates show
ed as the play developed. and the les
son of the hollowness of it all is learn
ed, and Sue repentant returns to the
rough. but honest, heart that loves
her so devotedly, but knows not how
to show its love.
Frank Worthing's Ira Beasley shows
again what IA thorough all round ac-
tor he is. His make up was admirable
and many people did not recognize
him as he shambled onto the stage.
Ira Beasley is an intensely pathetic
character. \ pure heart, with great
powers of love, wrapped in dull,
rough, homely husk, through which
at first it is difficult to see the pure
gold. In some touches it reminded me
of the carrier in Dot Boucicault's s
dramatization of the Cricket on the
Hearth" and | must have seen that
before Mr.. Worthing was out of pet
ticoats. The jealousy of the self con-
tained man, his depth of feeling wor-
king through the slow, acting brain.
was artistically shown. The utter de-
spair after he has, as he thinks, kill
ed the sheriff and his wife has left
him, and his willingness to leave the
world forever, were touched in with a
master hand. Mr.. Worthing's portray
al of this character was criticised in
California, but | must say | have no
fault to find with it.
The opportunity of showing his
power came to Wilson Enos in the
character of John Scott. the sheriff.
and he took it as | felt sure he would.
The Irritation and drinking scene with
Sue was well carried out, so was the
Il I,l, .
fun strength of the actor came out
when he depicted the wounded man,
striving to save himself to carry out
his duty, while the shock of his fall
and the loss of blood from his wound
numbed his brain and his senses. The
scene was realistic and powerful and
deserved even more applause than II
obtained.
William Levers showed ability in
the somewhat trying part, Parson Da-
yies, and enunciated his lines with
clearness, while he showed the re-
pressed energy of the priest, who, rs
a man would have felled the rascal
Jim Wynd Dan Frawley) to the
ground, were he. not prevented by the
duty he owed to his cloth, with abili-
ty. Jim Wynd is such an internal rns-
cal that one must sympathise with the
actor that represents him. Mr., Pep
ry, rs Silas Prescott. was very good
His makeup was capital, and his rep
resentation of the worthless father Of
Sue was to the very life.
The setting in the second act was
very pretty. It.represented n Califor,
nit farm yard and was most realistic
The scenery was especially brought
from the coast.
/ was glad to hear so much praise
Of the play in the lobby. Evidently
Sut hit the popular taste, and an
pleased TO chronicle it. Many thought
it was the best thing presented yet
The Fatal Card, which will be giver
on Saturday evening, will please
this taste even more, 1t is a strong
drama, full of telling situations, and
blood curdling enough to suit an audi
ence at Morosco's. | for one will en-