The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-07-02
SCORE ANOTHER SUCCESS
TuE JAMES NEuL COMPANY WIS
HEARTY APPLAUSE


House Which s sreubaunI by No.
NeWs clever Representation.
suppose the Younger playg1cr" eu-
JOYS lhseu-I don't ] old not see Lady
" udorm,re nam as presented boy the
Nell company and Boo that / evidently
missed treat but ! saw DO some years
ago at the Baldwin boo san Francisco,
and was much struck by thc buiIiance
of its dialogue, and It's smart epigram-
attic sayings. This BIS characteristic OF
the Author "A Woman of No Import
lance, hy the same brain, is very SINH
larry brilliant. but for an that / doubt
the value OF such plays. They may be
eNquisitely goWned; they may be fault
lessly played; they may be superbly
mounted, and they may portray phase
of society accurately, but they leave an
unpleasant flavor behind them So, for
instance, one may admire the skill of
that celebrated painter who is known
i'm the artist world as Hell BrOeghed,
because OF his pictures of the Internal
regions-you will find "a choice collec-
ton of them i'm the Berlin gallery-but
there are many more cheerful subjects
which ! prefer to look at, in spite OF
the skill.
1t will not be a matter 90 ~urprise,
therefore, If | cannot say /. .s play,
like "A Partisan ROmal &, is one
of those pieces which, g.. ... IN them
selves in their own lang 4..ss, have 10
be masculated to suit the American and
British tastes, but however strong they
may be they deal with phases of society
which there is after all no need to deal
with. "A Partisan Romance is not
perhaps, to be classed with "Sapho,"
which has set the theatrical world at
daggers drawn and dragged Olga Meth
ersole into court. But it comes some
what near the category. l am believer
in the high mission of the stage. 1t is
not only it's function to amuse; IL is Its
great mission to elevate, to give us
great thoughts, to raise us to something
better within us. In this view l may
be old fashioned; If so, 1 am in good
company, for from the time OF Garrick
down there have been plenty of men
and women who think as L do.
But these views only deal with the
plays as written. They do not deal with
the actors. They may give a splendid
presentment of a play which intrinsical-
ly | may not like, but the handling Of
which l admire immensely. Now, when
l come to consider the portrayal of
character by the Neil company, l must
give the very highest praise for the
grace and delicacy of the acting. 1t
is not too much to say that not a point
was lost. That unpleasant as the sub
ject was, that false as the moral note
was, as it almost always is in French
subjects, the handling of the characters
was almost faultless.
The main interest of the piece rests
upon Baron Chevriel" DANES NeilD,
and a wonderful impersonation did 1t
prove Mr.. Neil gave a picture of the
decrepit old rOue which was simply SUI
perb. He showed the aged, money
making, soulless old sinner in his true
colors, yet he never oVerstepped the
bounds of a polished man of the world.
He was a man who could be as wicked
as Nero, but yet would avoid vulgarity
and coarsenesS in his worst and most
sensual moments.
The main scene of the play is of
course, in the fourth act, where in the
midst of ribald and furious mirth the
baron, who has led his wicked and sell
fish life, dies at the supper table. MI.
Neill's acting in this scene deserves the
highest praise. In fact, there are mo-
ments in it when he strikes the true
nSte of genius, and he rises to the high
plane of the very greatest actors on
the modern stage. But | think that per-
haps the scene between the baron and
"Marcelle' in the third act, was even
more striking. When he wants to lead
'Marcelle" astray; when he puts forth
the promises for the advancement of
ly honor, and he eagerly, i'm his de-
crepit and trembling way, seems to fire
his veins with passion, while he
watches every expression of the discon-
tented woman, he gave portrayal of a
base character which was mastrly. At
ter seeing James Neil as Baron Chev-
riel," no one will deny him place as a
great actor.
If the main honoTs rest with Mr.. Nell,
his company supported him faultlessly.
Miss Chapman's "Marcelle" was a fine
conception of very different character.
For 'Marcelle" is a very different being
from Sapho in Daudet's creation. She
is discontinued with poverty, but she
is not utterly sensual or debased as
Sapho is. And this view of the charac-
ter Miss Chapman kept clearly before
! her audience
OF the other characters, praise must
be given to the Madam de Targy" OF
/ Lillian Andrews. An old woman's part
out of which considerable sentiment
and sympathy can be evoked, argues al
/ able actress, and this Miss Andrews
| certainly is. Miss Lamkn made dig
nified baroness, and delivered some OF
! her strong speeches with great elocu.
! tionary power. Rosa Guerin" as rep
resented by Julia Dean, was a clever
sketch Of the clever artistic, who is moi
a good woman, but who knows the
! value of keeping good.
Among the gentlmen praise must be
! given to Mr.. Burtons Or Shesnel," t.
| Bonn HoWard's "IIenride Targy," and
| 10 Frank McVicars "Tirandel." Each
was thorough sketch in its way IN
! fact, / may here record my opinion,
and | know it is the opinion of the ma
! jority, that there never has been a com
| pany here where the support was so
good and the plyaing so even. AS for
| dresses and accessories, there is nothing
| to wish for i'm that respect. Did not my
! friend, the Younger Playgoer," fairly
revel in description of millinery and
| toilets last week? But, then, he is more
! impressionable than that very ancient