The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-11-22
AT THE WAR PLAY
The FraVley Company Pleases All
In Shenandoah.
WAS A FAITHFUL PORTRAYAL
Elaborate Settings-Special Scenery
And ccessories-Cood Work
of Those in the Plays Cast.
WAS A FAITHFUL PORTRAYAL

The war play shenandoah" was
brought out under the direction of it's
builder, Mr. Bronson Howard, in the
United States eight or nine years ago.
1t 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 standard. Comment
from the Island standpoint need not
be lengthy.
Shenandoah" is stirring and salts
factory. 1t 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 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'
Miss Bates). She pictures such a horse
as would certainly command the love
of a woman or affection Of a 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 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 then 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
ters of the same caliber in the States
but there is hardly enough of it for
such play. However, little or nc
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 a revelation to people
familiar with that locality Even the
signals were correct. Admiral Miller
U. 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. 4
| 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 a cor
poral and of Col. West of his own Goa
tended to remind of the joke about
hunt for a pocket in a woman's dress
Again, it was difficult to make out a
one time just whether Col. Yves
thought he was the fair ones prisone
or she his prisoner, or both. But thel
a real officer really in love might hav
been just as much confused.
The audience liked the play immense
ly and was more than pleased with tn
presentation of it. The honors wer
very fairly divided Mr.. Frank Worth
ing has seldom been seen to better ad
vantage. He and Miss Bates had sev
eral strong situations, requiring an
bringing forth their very best effort
and they carried the house right wit
them. Madge Carr Cooke and Eleano
Robson were prominent in the cast an
equal TO all occasions Harry Corso
Clarke and Miss McAllister furnishe
the comedy and did it satisfactorily
Mr.. Blakmore was excellent in til
death scene he had H. l.. Burton
Sheridan makeup was a work of genui
Wilson Enos was a clever and ouit
william and George Bosworth was
signal officer who attended strictly /
! business.
Miss Selene Johnson's acting we
sustained the good opinion gained b
; her work in christopher. Jr." ST.
was faultless in her lines and fainte
with charming grace. When she r,
covers she does not inquire: s'Whe1