The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-08-29
TONIGHT "FR1voLlTY
a Chat With Freeer Who 10 to Civ Q
His FrivoIities at the Orpneum.

A curious and interesting example OF
+, the tendency of the histrionic genius to
run in families is afforded by the
| Freears. There are FIVE of them. boys
and girls. and. with a single exception.
all have adopted the profession of
popular entertainment Best known
in London is Miss Ionic Freear But
the gentleman whose name appears at
the head of this articie-the senior
member OF the family-has had
career which in respect to variety and
adventure, few of his age could match.
He has appeared in almost every cor
ner of the speaking globe
never, to be sure, before Talma's pit
full of kings" and yet before an a
mazing number of royal persons Mr..
Freear's home, Il stones throw from
Russell square lis made up of memo
rails of his travels. Australia. India,
China. Ceylon and Japan have each
paid their tribute of adornment. and
to Mr.. Freear all his treasures are sug-
gestive of incidents and anecdote He
is bent on resuming his travels-he
found them lucrative enough, but de- |
clares that many years of absence
from London make il difficult when
one returns, since his name must be |
ever before the public or he will be |
forgotten.
1t was when he depended upon his |
personal ability as a performer that |
Mr.. Freear really began to do we'll He |
appeared in a long series of comic |
operas. comedies and dramas. playing |
for instance, Gobo in Les Cloches des |
Cornvilie;" Don Jose in Manteaux |
Moirs: Prince Fritellini, in La Mas |
truly remarkable double) in MY |
Sweetheart" Then he fixed up an en-
tertainment which he entitled Freear's |
Frivolities, and which he has in the
meantime played everywhere with re-
success For two years
Freear's F'rivolities wandered about
South Africa, playing in most of the
important towns twice, and Port Eli
zabeth three times. Mr.. Freear intro
duced to his entertainment no fewer
than fourteen characters, each involv-
ing complete change of costume and
seven varieties of dancing at which he
Is an adept. Mr.. Freear's time the
across Africa was truly prin-
tive and wearisome. II have had jour
neys of two, three and four nights in
q bullock wagon, once fourteen days
and nights in a mule wagon, from
hNlHiDcllCs W oIlc ildu
to buy a mattress for a seat and couch
during the journey in those days.
Meals were served beneath the wagon,
the food consisted chiefly of timed
meats. Mutton or goats flesh formed
the only fresh meat available think,
after South Africa, one never wishes
to encounter another mutton chop.
Theatrical companies now travel
through South Africa in comparative
for the development of the
in the meantime has been
remarkable, as I need not tell you. 1
should explain, too, in reference to the
'ough travelling I speak Of that it Of
en pays a one-show man to exploit
'egions that could not in any circum- :
stances. be profitable to a company.
IN the Transvaal Free State, on a
memorable occasion. we had to wait
week beside the Bashee river. The
punt had been washed away, and ,
wire rope was rugged up, across which
We Travelled in boX-some 60 feet a
,ove-the water. The Dutchman who
'wnsd the only hut in that region did
cry we'll, selling out his entire stock
II bad whisky. When luggage cost
you a shilling pound for transmits
ZION by post cart, you do not carry
more than you need. All my impede ,
nents were crammed into sack, COW
,red for the sake Of appearance, with ,
green baize. On a memorable occasion .
saw it submerged in a river. When
{ was rescued the contents were in ,
truly deplorable state. and the show ,
lad to be postponed for a week.
From South Africa I proceeded to
india, where stayed 10 months. trav-
,rsing the whole country twice. as far
- Ouetta On the borders of AfghaniS- |
an, India, treated from the standpoint
# an ordinary Snowman. yields poor
md still poorer results. Amateur act
ng is so popular. is carried on with
uch ability. enthusiasm, and resource,
hat a travelling company cannot COM
'ete. The great thing is to fngratiate
-ourself with the amateurs-to form
heir professional salt so to speak. L