The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1901-03-06
sapho.

In spite OF the rain, in spite Of it !
being Lent, the Opera House was
filled last night to its utmost caps-
city with an audience, which highly
appreciated "Sapho," in which Flor
ence Roberts made her debut in
Honolulu. The play is dramatic
ed version OF Alphonse Dsudet's
famous novel OF the same name, and
it was perhaps risque to select that
play, for first night, of the Belas-
co-Thall Co, at our Opera House.
In Honolulu, however, vice on
the stage cannot be very demoraliz.
ing after several professional re-.
formers OF both sexes have told us
recently, that we can boast OF the
most vicious town in the world.
| Sapho is a young lady, whose
beauty sets men crazy, and who
goes it at very speedy gait She
eventually adopts the love. only one
theory, and her choice gets OF
course tired Of her and clears out
from their rural cottage after max
ing an unnecessary scene. Besides
having adopted the aforesaid thee
ry, and repentance, S.pho also de-
cides TO adopt her own son, whose
father-not the gentleman to whom
reference has been made has
spent several years breaking rocks
in Jail, while S,pho had a good
time. He appears, when the nurse
attempts to wash the kids face,
loves his long lost love again and
marres her in spite Of her some
what fringed reputation, and all are
happy She has, during her merry
days, posed "in the altogether" for
artists, but fortunately miniature
statue OF her which she carelessly h d
in the house, and in which she was
represented in the "altogether" uni
form had been smashed when the
"love only ono" man made scene
, with her, and the man from tbs al
didn't sec it. 1t seems to the ordin
airy man rather remarkable that the
iail-bird should hesitate very much
in marrying the mother Of his keik
I manuah and be considered noble
soul for doing so. 1t is something
like the pot calling the kettle black
That much for the play. Mis-
/. Roberts is not responsible for it
@ and she showed her great dramatic
5 ability in producing Sapho who
n caused the greatest sympathy in TIT
n audience and made many ladies US
|. their handkerchiefs. Florenc,
t Roberts possesses a splendid stag
9 appearance and is undoubtedly
star in her art, Her diction is yer,
distinct, something always appre
ciated in our Opera House owinI
to its bad acoustics, and he
;, dramatic powers cannot be disput
:, ed. We prefer to say no more, un
til we have seen her in play OF
i different kind from Sapho, 10 whic
! we admit she did all in her powe
:, to save bad play.
=. The company as whole ia yer
good indeed, one of the best VIII
ever visited Honolulu. Miss Mari
y Howe was very amusing indeed g
II Madame Hetteme, and Mr.. Clarenc
IL Arper did fine work in presentin
3 Uncle Casaire. The part OF Jea
81 Gaussin is naturally very Difficult
% but Mr.. Frank Gerson who took tn
10 part overcame the difficulty in a
10 acceptable manner, alt hough we cal
y, not say that we were very enthusia
tic over him, Mr. Carlyle Moor
showed himself to be clever aotc
e. and all the miner parts were rene
~ cred 10 very satisfactory manne
III The dresses, the scenery and I'll
IN stage setting were above anythin
IN we have seen here, and the manag
i'll ment OF the Company deserves IL
10, greatest credit for the taste di
a. PLAYED, especially in arranging I'll
er stage for the ball at Dechette's.
Many prominent people were