The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-11-11
THE DRAMA.


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barbara Fuetchic" be- dainty play
and nothing prettier could have been
chosen for the opening performance Of
the NELL Company season.
The company was greeted with am
audience that filled every seat In the
house that came Co be pleased and
was pleased that came to see and adj
mire Itself, and found fun justification
I'm itself for It's vanity and self-appre-
citation As pretty pictures as the fem-
mime inery ON the stage made, they
were equalled boy the pictures the FEM
mime hnery In the house made.
clyde Fitch the playwright, has taken
an incident of the civil War which the
poet Whittier made famous and by
equal license OF latitude which Whittier
took with the real incident. has made
II yield the name and locality OF a tho
roughly enjoyable war drama and fur
nished him with the color and senti-
ment which, mellowed by four decades
and reunited people gives the
attractive sentiment for fetching but
tragic love story. But though the pro-
cess furnished him abundant material
and plenty Of action. it was not without
its drawbacks. For I'm the fourth act,
when he brings out the incident that
polarizes his play TO the name and
/ locality, which he must do, IL comes al
most as an anti-ClimaN, almost as a
/ strained and farcical absurdity. When
General Stonewall Jackson" comes rid
| ing on the stage where the union
! flag is flying from the Fret
chic residence and says, "Who touches
a hair of yon girls head, dies like
dog, march on" the necessary trans
position of the stirring words of the
narrative of the familiar poem, TO the
direct expression of the dramatic vehi-
Gle, comes almost as a rude parody.
Nevertheless the play is a pleasing
one and the Nell company gave it
charming expression.
The opening scene Is delicious. The
scene is that of a street lined with old
| fashioned southern houses in an old
! fashioned southern town. on the front
| steps of one Of these houses are seated
| the young ladies of the household and
| kinship in the quaint dress Of forty
years ago. From inside the house comes
! the music Of a piano, the tunes and
melodies and popular airs Of a long ago.
| Effective by-pay quickly and compre-
! hensively give the situation. The town,
| strong in its southern sentiment, is in
the hands Of federal forces, and the
occupying army is made to feel how it
| is despised. The discussion OF love-a
little stilted-quickly discloses where
| the affections Of the four bright but
naughty southern beauties are bes-
| toWed, and that Barbara Frietchie' Is
in love with Captain Trumbull," act
ing colonel OF the 74th Connecticut
volunteers. The action from this on is
very rapid.
Miss Edythe Chapman as Barbara
Frietchie" presented "a character
strong, lovable, human. In the scene a.
the Lutheran minister's house at Ha.
gerstown where humor, pathos, the
struggle of love tried, disdain and
stirring action succeed each other rapid
. ly i'm expression and occasion, she shows
herself the talented and capable act.
ress. In this scene Miss Lucille Spinne,
gives charming Characterization as
Mrs. Hunter" the ministers wife, anC
Julia Dean as Sue Royce" plays tn,
5 part so as to leave nothing to be de
sired.
! James NELL as Captain Trumbull'
! presents a consistent character anC
makes all out Of IL that the playwright
( has made possible. Frank MacVicar
r as Mr.. Frietchie' is the sterling acto
he always is. never OVERRIDING no
leaving undone. John w. Burton a
: Colonel Negly" presented the stormy
|. ! somewhat boisterous, but gallant an,
courteous gentleman, and was excellent
J George Bloomquest as Jack Negly
had an ungrateful role, but commende
himself as an actor in his performanc
l. Of IT, Lillian Andrews as Nanny Lu
proved her versatility and excellent dis
elimination. Mary Elizabeth Forbes a
| sally Negley' and Louise BrOWneII a
- Laura Royce" helped make the diff
" cult opening scene rare piece of stag
& beauty.
Tomorrow evening the play is Lot
terry Of Love-; Thursday, Rosemary
Friday, Case OF Rebelllous Susan
and Saturday "ITnder Two FIaPsn