Austin's Hawaiian weekly. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1899-190?, 1899-06-24
The McVay Company.
AT THE OPERA HOUSE.

AHS HiStoIy vi TIC OISalllZatlOn OF the Mc\ay
Company here is probably already known to the
public. Mr.. McVay has long contemplated star
ring and, while here as leading man with the
Waldorf Company, he received from the United
States such flatterng offers for the fall season
that he decided to turn back to the mainland and
organize dramatic company. AS the majority
OF the personnel OF the company, fearing the pc
rs OF long journey around the world also de-
sired to turn back. Mr.. McVay conceived the
idea OF organizing company here, as he had
good material at hand, and of playing season at
the Opera House before the fall season in the
East began Scene painters, costumers and suf-
hcient number of actors and actresses were OBJ
tanned to make up the full working company
The first OF the proposed, ten weeks, season
has passed and the company has had an oppor-
tunity OF exhibiting its strength in the legitimate
in two productions of Othello, and in comedy in
The Late Mr.. Jones" Many have felt that the
success OF the company was predetermined and
the houses thus far have not been large; but each
performance has more than paid its way.
From the vantage ground of having witnessed
tour performances 1.-TWO of the former play and
two OF the latter one may feel competent to
make an intelligent review of the companv's
work and estimate its chances for success
MIR. McVays genius certainly lies in the legi-
innate, although his work in light comedy is be-
yond reproach; yet it seems pity such power,
and finished acting as his, should be wasted in
the light comedy parts. True, with such cosmo-
polltan tastes to satisfy, those OF an Honolulu
audience the McVay company has difficult
task to perform, and it has wisely chosen roper
toire alternating Shakesperean plavs with mod
ern farce comedy
AS Othello, Mr.. McVay developes most sur-
prsing power. When lagos Vaccinations, in
the third act have finally convinced the barba-
ran of Desdemona's guilt the exhibition of
jealousy comes so suddenly that it startles His
grand physique becomes animated in every
muscle, while his expressive eyes. blaze with in
dignation and desire for vengeance. and with
such vigor as to fairly entrance his hearers. At
both performances of Othello, Mr. McNay was
called and recalled before the curtain i'm recop-
nition OF MS artistic rendition, powerfully dis
played.
The sustained work in the last act gave ample
evidence that Mr.. McVay had by no means ex-
halsted his power and the total absence OF bru-
tality IN the business OF the murder Of BESIDE
mona showed his fine conception OF Shake
speare's meaning. 1t was heroic even if tragic
and pathetic.
The company was cast with judgment as might
have been expected OF Mr. McVay. Mr.. Boggs
lago was unexpectedly good His dialogue in
the third act was well delivered, even against the
great power of Mr.. McNay, while the climax in
the fourth act, was reached by him artistcallv,
without even the suspicion of ranting Mr.
Boggs has fine voice and shows that he has had
excellent training. Miss Boyer as BESIDE
mona. presented neat and studious conception
OF the character and her part was we'll sustained
throughout Mrs. Hayward rose to her climax
in the last act with such surprising force as to re-
ceive well-merited applause
The costumes were absolutely correct and