The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-11-25
THE DRAMA.


u
Enjoyment a short word we have
very many longer words Boo our laugu-
axe. but how much that single word
means. When one can say hc or She
has had am evening of enjoyment. 10
means n very great deal had "a thor
uugh evenings enjoyment when seeing
the Royal Box as given by the Neil
company ON Saturday evening.
The hypercritic might find fault here
and there with the performance but
! am not "a hypercritic, / take what is
given me In good faith, | know an ac-
tors are not keans, Garricks or Irvings.
not all actresses are Terrys, Brace
/ girdles, or Clara Morrises. but AN can
be faithful and painstaking and that is
! all ] ask, or any one can ask Give
honest painstaking work. and that will
supply the setting for the gems To
shine.
| The Royal Box" as dramatized from
| Dumas story is a piece calculated TO
bring out the powers of one performer.
! to the utmost, and Mr.. Neil was equal
to the strain. The part of Clarence"
| is most eXacting, calls for the most
subtle play of feeling, yet for the most
| energetic force of defamation, which
in less able hands might degenerate
| into rant. MIR. NELL never ranted, but
/ he gave us last night specimen of
powerful acting which has seldom been
| seen upon our stage. That Mr. Neil
had this power one has always felt, but
his parts have seldom called upon him
to display it, As Clarence" Mr. Neills
| light comedy touch had to be strongly
in evidence, his power of pathos drew
his audience with him, while his elocu-
ton delighted all who heard him. He
might not be an ideal Romeo, but he
opened the scene under Juliet's balcony
r he. Af
! doing. That is the great scene in
point of fact the elimination of the
play and Mr. Neill rose to his oppor-
tunity and gave his audience a piece
of artistic work which it was an eX-
quisite pleasure to look upon and lis
ten to.
The play within a play is older than
| the time of Hamlet, but the rapid
transformation from the man who is
playing a part to the man himself, is
strong situation, and this is what the
Royal Box" brings out. 1t is an eX-
| traordnary situation, though not
new situation, and handled with true
skill as it was on Saturday night, 1t is
a powerful situation. But one questions
whether Royal George would have be-
haYed as well as his representative,
Frank MacVicars in the Royal Box
Gentleman George was usually drunk.
of the play, apart from the skill of the
PLAYER George, Prince of Wales, is
shown as an easy going Prince, which
| he was, he is shown as a true an honor
able gentleman, which he wasn't,
and he is shown as a bit of a
moralist, he who had not moral to
| his character. There is not more
despicable character in history than
! George ". 1t would be pity If the
unthinking should mould their views
of George ", upon the Prince of Wales
as played by Frank MacVicars.
What does Thackeray say of him in
| his -Four Georges" ITO make por-
trait of him at first seemed a matter
of small difficulty. There is his coat,
his star, his wig, his countenance SIM
pering under it. Nothing but coat and
a wig and a mask smiling below it. His
sire and grandsires were men, that on
occasion fought and demeaned
themselves like good tough soldiers.
THE Sailor King who came after George
civilian IN) was man, the Duke OF
York was a man, big, burly, loud, jolly
cursng, courageous. But this George,
what was he? | try to look through
his life and recognize but a bow and
a grin / try and take him to pieces,
land | find silk stockings, padding,
stays, a coat with frogs and fur col
lar, a star and blue ribbon, a pocket
handkerchief prodigiOusly scented, one
of Trufitt's best nutty brown Wigs reek-
ing with oil, a set of teeth, and a huge
black stock, underwaist coats, more
lunderwaist coats and than nothing
Prince Florizel he used to be called
He had certainly every advantage
round his cradle. But what a Prince
Florizel. He might have fine
clothes, he might have supposed
good manners, he might have in his
time the sobriquet of the first Gentle
men in Europe, but it was all false
HE the first gentleman in Europe
says Thackeray There is no stronger
satire on the proud English Society OF
that day, than that they admired
George" 1t has always been a wonder
to men of the present time that any
thing good, such as Victoria could come
of that disreputable race. Yet it did
There is hope then for all sinners.
But if the play violates historical pre-
cedent, or takes up the side of a char
acter which we know to be wrong, we
at least have a right to judge the play
as it stands. In this there can be nc
dissension. The rendition of the Roy
al Box" YVES an excellent example OF
playing and of careful attention to the
most minor details.
l have already spoken of Mr.. Neil
| must speak of others of the cast. 1t
was delight to hear the deep, rich
tones of Miss Chapmans voice. l know
few actresses who have Miss Chap
mans glorious gift of voice. Many
people think that the gift of voice lies
in song, it does not. The gift of voice
lies in speech, and to hear its liquid
tones even in subordinate part is a
pleasure. However small the part Miss
Chapman has to fill, she gives us of her
best, however great her chance may be
she can do no more.
Frank MacVicars played an excellent
Prince of Wales, a more noble Prince
of Wales than ever George the Fourth
was. Scott Seaton gave an excellent
rendition of Davis, the dresser of
Clarence. 1t was a well conceived
part, and thoroughly well rendered. OF
the many minor parts nothing need be
said. They were neither better nor
worse than such parts played in the
best Of companies on the mainland. In
these days we cannot expect an entire
company such as Charles Kean got to-
gether at the Princesses theatre, when
he ran his Shakesperian revival. Ellen