The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1899-06-19
THE LATE MR.. JONES
A Very Successful Production at the
Opera House by the Mcvay
COMPANY.

oht TO oOOiOVJ cVthB ~
an evolutionary condition it is not,
perhaps, surprising that the commu-
nifty has not the equipose to weigh
merit in the balance with facti
tious curiosity or the claptrap dis
display of mere itinerants perform
ers, resting here for an hour or so as
birds of passage merely to rake in
the silver skekels while they plumed
their wings.
Had the community the courage
| blended with true aud intelligent
taste to warmly appreciate the man
ly and artistic efforts Of Mr.. McVay
and his associate players to give US
we'll staged and very evenly acted
plays they would be the gamers in
the long run in better trained judy
ments, and in the permanent pleasure
Of having a regular season Of we'll
presented plays ranging from high
dramatic art to the lighter Veins
OF mirthsome comedy, presented by
an almost resident company OF
good players, instead OF having to
depend upon transient visitors. 1t
would rebound highly to the credit
OF Honolulu theatrical taste if the
community made up it's mind to
support such company as that
gathered together by Mr.. McVav,
They are not likely to have much
better one, and may have, many
times over, much worse ones.
Ga Saturday evening there was
fairly good house at the Opera
House and especially so upstairs
where the genial and truthful critics
rule, to guage tie talents of the
company in Charles Williams latest
American comedy success "The Lac
Mr.. Jones'" The play, like every
other dashing comedy of errors"
is laughably amusing, aud intrudes
upon the. domains OF burlesque and
vaudeville with songs and dances,
bright and witty dialogue and start
ling and sensational situations. 1t
i. brain resting mass Of fun of a
character somewhat novel to the
stay at-home!portion of the audience
who, at times, apparently thought
that John Phillip Macresdy Bur
bage (McVay)lwas playing a practi
cal joke upon them which they
could not at first understand They
dropped to it at last and they then
heartily appreciated the clever yer.
satility of the actor, who had wo
their principal respect and esteem
as ''Othello," in the new and start
ling phase of his ability as bur.
lesque satire on one of those broken
down would-be actors aud men of
many occupations of whom we so
often read about in the highest OF
} so-called light literature but SO sell
dom meet with in our jaunts around
the world.
We like McVay, for he is genuine
and thorough in all that he at
tempts, and he has the generous
good taste to level himself without
strenuous effort and bring up his
associates, in the German method,
to harmonious whole subordinat-
ing none nor elevating any. The
result is a very satisfactory and
wholesome evenness and thorough
ness throughout. Each member Of
the caste lie made to feel the i'm
portance Of the individual part as a
necessary component of the har-
. monious whole. The writer will not
! so far depart from truth as to say
! that the company is the hest he has
4 seen, even in Honolulu, but he will
say with confidence that for players
of their standing in the noble PROBES
[ sion OF "The public's servants" it is
' one of the most even and best OF the
3 working that it has been
| his pleasure to sit in front OF in the
8 largest cities of the Old and New
0 Worlds, and that they deserve the
4 most cordial and appreciate support
of the Honolulu theatre going pub
lie. We feel inclined to award
y praise to each and every member O
y the cast at Saturday evenings pro
, duction hut allOtted and limits d