The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-05-05
SHERIDAN KNOWLES RAYMEBEE DBE SENT AWAY FORTY YEARS N hawaii
JULIA AND MASTER WALTER ARE
WELL PORTRAYED.
A Large Audience Signifies Its Appre-
citation of the Excellent Efforts of
the Janet Waldorf Company.

The more one sees Miss Waldorf and
her company, the more one learns to
appreciate her sterling qualities as an
actress and the more satisfied one is
with her support 1t is a company that
wears we'll and the best proof is that
the house, instead of falling off, has
steadily increased. 1t is not too much
to say that we have never had better
selection of plays put upon our stage,
nor a set of players who did their work
more conscentiously and thoroughly
than what has been done by the Wal
dorf company. 1t has been to me a
thorough source of enjoyment, and 1
know that a very large number agree
with me.
"The Hunchback" is a sterling old
play, originally produced in the same
decade as "'The Lady of Lyons" and
under almost the same circumstances
of failure with a previous play. Bull
wer failed with the Duchess of la
Valliere," Sheridan Knowles failed with
"'The Beggar's' Daughter of Bethnal
Green" l should think the name was
enough to kill the play. / have never
read it, but it doubtless contained
good material badly worked up, for
Knowles had the true literary spirit.
"The Hunchback" has always been
a favorite play for young ac
lIGSSbS. Julld dllOTuS llle OpDOI-
tunity of showing so many moods,
and allows so much force, that it Is as
good an exponent of versatility as
there is Hester Grazebrook in the
unequal Match" more nearly ap-
proaches Julia than any other charac-
ter in the range of the old plays, but
she has not the brilliant power of the
Earl of Rochdale's daughter. 1t is
many a long day since l saw 1.-THE
JTIInphh ha ok - thn lnCt time
Mrs. Scott Siddons as Julia. She was
granddaughter of the great Sarah. and
was then in the heydey of her youth
and beauty. and of her day she was
one of the most beautiful women on
the English stage.
Mis- Waldorfs Julia charmed every
one who saw her last night. OF all
the round of characters which she has
played, I think I like her Julia next
to her Rosalind. This does not mean
that any character she has undertaken
was rot well played, but it means that
out of a circlet of gems these two are
of the very purest water. AS Julia the
country girl. Miss Waldorf was a nat
ural ingenue. AS Votary of fash
ion she was as frivolous as even
Knowles dreamed of her. AS a woman
stung by Clifford's resentment and
sorrow over her fightiness, she wGs as
proud as any woman scorned. The
close of the first scene in the second
act was most effective. Clifford pours
out his wrongs and woes in impas-
stoned words. Julia has hardly a syl-
liable to say, but Miss Waldorf kept
every eye fastened upon her by her ex-
quisite byplay, it was more eloquent
than words, and showed the true ac-
tress, portrayng the high strung wo-
man to the life.
Then again her scene with Master
Walter in the study, where she is ca
ger to have revenge upon Sir Thomas
Clifford, and yet her love showing
through all her resentment. Her great
scene with Clifford where he has be-
come ROchdale,s private secretary,
with its impassioned love passages, its
desire to throw away all restraint, and
yet the moving spirit of honor, which
makes Julia remember she Is affianced
to another. And lastly the scene in
the last act where she confesses her
love for Clifford but is ready to give
her hand where her heart is not. All
these were eXquisitely portrayed. I am
happy that | have, after all these
years, seen Julia again. and seen her
so appreciatively rendered.
To McVay go honors for his render
ng of Master Walter. The passionate,
high bred man, with a naughty. spirit
and hunger for being loved, was
was shown by this actor admirably.
Master Walter is great part, and the
man who can play him as McVay did
last night thoroughly understands his
art and has the power to strike the
strings of sentiment and noble thought
which vibrate in all hearts, If but the
master hand will pass it's magic fingers
over them. There is a subdued pas
sion in Master Walter which appeals
to those advanced in years. The older
one grows, the better one understands
him. How touching is the passage
commencing Fathers! make straws
your children! Natures nothing!
Blood, nothing! Talk not of love in
stinctive!" 1t is the wall of the pa
rent when he sees the child he loves
pass from him to another, when the
nesting wings its way into the busy
flock of plumed and full grown birds.
A fine rendering was that OF Master
Walter last night.
Norval McGregor was a passionate
Clifford and played his scenes as the
secretary with taste and delicacy Miss
Boyer was a most successful Helen,
good throughout. She seized upon the
merry love scene between herself and
Modus (Allan DUNN and handled II
archly and prettily. Her enunciatlon
was clear, her manner winning, and
every one felt that had he been Modus
that ruff would have never been torn
off, but toll would have been taken
from the laughing lips and the scene
closed in a far different manner.
Happy Modus, he was we'll played.
Mr., Hernandez Fathom was very COM
ic. 1t was pity there was not more
of him.
The audience was most enthusiastic
and appreciative, and Miss Waldorf
and her company must know, by this
time, that they have won the hearts
of the Honolulu people. They have
certainly freshened that of
THE OLD PLAYGOER