The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-05-03
A CRITICS CASE
H. A." Writes of Com.
ment on His Tributes.
Miss Waldorf ana Support Relative Merits
The Stars Excellent
Parthenia.

1nere are SlraWS noatlng on the sea
of the great public which indicate TO
the mind OF the newspaper man which
way the wind of opinion blows in GER
tain directions. Apropos hyDercriti-
cal gentleman yesterday wondered why
the critic OF the Advertiser did not
condemn rather than praise the Janet
Waldorf company. When asked why,
he said that the properties were bad.
that there were dry goods boxes on the
stage. When asked what this had to
do with the reading of the lines he
replied that 10 him everything. 1t dis
tracted his artistic eye" and further
more that the support was bad there
fore the star could not be a genius.
Strange reasoning. Within a given
number of persons certain proportion
think alike Let these be answered.
A star is usually great in proportion
as the public and critics consider the
support 10 be poor IF one could turn
back to the criticisms of Edwin Booth
lit will be found, except when starring
tentative nights in London with Henry
Irving, that his support was invariably
bad-very bad. His colossal genius
Iovertopped them all, even though the
best stock actors and actresses in the
land were employed as his support.
This illustrations has, perhaps, over
shot the mark, because the two COM
panies cannot be compared, but it is
questionable whether Miss Waldorf's
genius would not rise above any sup
port that could be given her and the
very best seem bad. Her debut i'll Lon
don will tell the story. Many a better
stock company than Miss Waldorfs
support have travelled the road, but,
although they may not be lauded to
the skies. they cannot as a whole be
called poor.
| Miss Waldorf's Parthenia last even
| ing was a work of art. Her simple
Greek dress of pure white set off her
| beauty far more brilliantly than her
rich costumes in the Lady Of Lyons.
marked contrasts was exhibited in her
sudden change from the sprightly in
nocent girl who would not hear of
marriage, desiring rather to roam the
| hills, to the noble heroic woman who
risked life, everything. to save her
| father. Her large dark eyes were as
| lustrous as stars while she critically
and contemptuously watched the miser
Polydor recounting his requirements of
wife. But her scenes in the forest,
jconquering IngOmar, the barbarian,
were beyond criticism. Here again the
value of contrasts which rise rapidly
and frequently from sweet and child
like innocence to the full power of
virtuous womanhood. The "Divine
Mary" had not a greater conception of
contrasts.
There are only two parts in lingo
mar-the barbarian and Parthenia.
Mr.. McVay's Ingomar was exceptional
| ly good. In fact, he is one of the only
two or three living Ingomars. No one
could look the part better. His con-
ception OF the value of contrasts in
acting to fl the measuring of the lines,
so necessary in this play, was also par
| ticularly good and saved him from
loveracting (which is so often the fault
| in playing the role. Mr.. McGregor also
| deserves praise for his makeup and
conception of Polydor
Thursday evening comes the Hunch-
| back where Miss Waldorf will be seen
in wholly different aspect having to
wear four elegant costumes in the last
| three acts. F. II. \.