The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1905-11-24
UNPRECEDENTED
ENTHUSIASM
BUTLER AND HIS PLAY
ERS IN MONTE CRISTO" GET
CURTAIN CALL AFTER CURTAIN
CALL,

Monte Cristo" superbly staged and
costumed was presented to the most
enthusiastic house that has so far
greeted Richard Butler and his COM
pany of players during their present
engagement.
Curtain calls followed one another
in an outburst of enthusiasm at the
splendid effects and excellent playing,
as they have seldom, if ever before,
followed each other in any playhouse
in Honolulu.
No play ever presented has shown
finer stage effects or more accurate and
sumptuous costuming. The play ought
to have a phenomenal attendance to-
night and tomorrow night and at to-
morow's matinee
Monte Cristo" is a play that lends
itself to stage effects. The dungeon
in the Chateau DIFF, the breaking
waves into which the supposed body
of the Able Faria is thrown, the es-
cape of Edmond Dantes from this
seeminglg certain doom, his safe land
ing and his declaration The World is
Nine" all go to make up climax that
as it was done last night, carried the
audience with it.
The staging Of this scene was eX-
cellent. The management of lights
showing the interior of the dungeons,
the raging of the elements, thunder and
lightning, the roar of the sea, all was
as realistic as it is possible to make
it.
Later when Edmund Dantes, now the
Count of Monte Cristo returns to Mar
settles, where the play opens, when he
dazzles with his good looks, his rich
apparel and his lavish expenditure, the
duel scene, all these are opportunities
for effective staging which were taken
advantage of last night.
The play is play of action. The
story moves and is told not alone in
the dialogue but in the situations, in
the movement of events. Richard
Butler, as Edmond Dantes' is superb
There is a vigor in his action that suits
the play, and creates its atmosphere.
Whether in the scene with the Able,
or buffeting the wave, he appeals to the
imagination.
The character of SNortier" was
splendidly presented by H. H. Earl.
Mr. Earl has been growing in favor
every since the company came here
His consistent and finished performance
marks him as one of the most valuable
members of the company.
Brenda Fowler, as Mercedes" show
ed again that power and finish, which
she displayed so conspicuously i'm I'm
der Two Flags" She will always be
welcomed by Honolulu theatre goers.
Juliette Chandler as Albert" son of
Mercedes" was excellent Rupert
Drum as DE Villifort" and Thomas
Lowell as "Danglers' came in for
much praise.
Both i'm itse spectacular features ana
in its cast of characters Monte Cristo"
as presented by Richard BUTLER and
his company is one of the strongest
plays so far seen in the company's re-
pertoire.
But all of the interest in last nights
performance was not centered on the
stage. The Stars newsboys were in
the audience-seventy-fi of them by
the courtesy of the management-and
how they did enjoy it! They followed
every action of the play and every line
of the dialogue They knew by what
nefarious falsehood and false accusa-
ton Edmond Dantes" had been sent
| to the Chateau DIFF, and they knew
why They rejoiced with him when
| he escaped and when he triumphed.
There was nothing lost on these
youngsters. Perhaps it was partly
| from the inspiration that comes from
such intense and sincere listeners that
the company played the piece so well,
1t was a great night for the company
and it was a great night for the news
| boys.