The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-11-21
ACTED TOO WELL
The O'Neil, Rankin and
Carr in Oliver Twist.
Realism That Was Effeetive-PeOpiS Leave
in Middle OF Murder Scene.
Fagiu.

Had the O'Nail, with the Mckee Ran
kin Company supporting. opened here
with Oliver Twist. that would have
been the end OF the engagement. The
version given Saturday night at the
opera house was simply an animated
chamber OF horrors. The acts up 10 the
last are simply q preface for the muir
der OF Nancy sykes by Bill Sykes and
the death Of Fagin from tangible
fright. Hence in the piece there are
three players. The O'Neil. Mckee
Rankin and Herbert Carr did the work
Of their lives. The two scenes of that
last act viii haunt many of the people
who saw them cor a long time. The
very zenith Of stage realism was reach
ed. The audience was supplied. 4
number OF people left their seats before
the acting that was piled upon the
climax was reached.
In the majority of the stage produc-
tons OF Dickens marvellous story, the
killing OF Nancy Sykes is carried out
in plain sight OF the audience. Accord
ing TO the text she is beaten 10 death
with the butt Of a revolver. The Ran
kin play presentation of the novel,
while seemingly tempering the tragedy,
makes of the scene a still greater
tragedy. Nancy Sykes is beaten with
a club in the stage room, struggles ana
begs and shrieks and finally runs into
another room from the sight Of the
audience. There is heard further beat
ling, groa1s and gasps and almost a
death rattle. Bill Sykes re-appears TO
prepare for fight. In moment Nancy
Sykes drags herself INTO view after
him. She means, implores TO Bill for
her NE. for a caress. for a word. Then
she rises to her knees and there is seen
| the face that has been shredded with
1.-The club. The Ioosened teeth, the matted
land tangled hair and the blood. Then
with a final prayer to the brute, Nancy
SYKES dies. How can Miss O'Neil Go
this, is the question that people ask
| themselves
Then Bill Sykes, who all through the
l
doing just what he has done. spreads
a sheet over the body OF Nancy Sykes
and leaves TO be hunted. He croucheS
from the evidence of his deed. Dress
ling quickly he slips to the streets. Now
lcomes that wonderful scene in which {
brute deserts a brutal man. Rankin :
portrayal OF the scene with the dos
that keeps away from its SHINING mas
tier makes play by itself almost. Ran
kim is more than an ideal Bill Sykes
When ne IS on the stage in the piece
There is no doubt OF him as possibl!
lanyth ng else than the character.
Herbert Carr was masterful Satur
day night. His Fagin is a study in tn
early passages and thing at the finisi
to be pondered over. In the bOol
iFagin is executed. IL has been givel
this way upon the stage in England
In the Rankin Oliver Twist. Fagin eX
pires OF terror over the prospect o
paying the penalty. Carr was YER,
|. nearly as thrilling in giving the ending
of Fagin when called by the hangma1
as Miss O'Neil was in dying from tn
beating OF Sykes. The unanimous YER
dict upon Carr was OF heartiest apprO
; val He gave the part care that va
not TO be noticed, but that absen
would have married the characterize
ton.
Frank Robins was fair as the Artfu
Dodger. Nr. Stockwell was good as tn
Judge. Miss Afie McVicker was quit
indifferent IS Oliver Twist. Miss Rice
Allen should have taken the part.
The theater-goers of Honolulu want
ed TO see Oliver Twist. They are salts
, fed that q more than excellent per
Torrance was given, but it is not be
heyed that they would care to have tn
O'Neil and Rankin and Carr appear i
their east parts again. They act to
we'll
The house Saturday evening was on
OF the largest of the engagement. o.
Tuesday evening there will be give
the capital farce comedy Arabia
Nights. There is lots OF laughter i
the piece and the full strength of tn
Organization will be utilized in anus
ing the public TO take away the ba
taste left by the perfect performanc
LOT Oliver Twist.