The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-01-24

mysteries people prowling through
four mysterious acts; developing mys-
terious climaxes; and affording a de-
lightfully mysterious evening of en-
tertainment--such is 1.-The House of a
Thousand Candles, a dramatization of
Meredith Nicholson's novel, the Christ
mas week offering at the Bijou thea
ire this week
The play unrolled itself smoothly
and cleverly before two large audiences
yesterday, carrying the auditors from
one scene to another wrapped in mys-
terry. But, in material, in mode of con-
struction, in philosophic import, in
character sketching which are indis-
pensable features of the drama THE
House of a Thousand Candles" is still
commonplace and of little inspiration
But somehow form and matter are
not the only things. Somewhere and
in some unexpected manner something
steals out of all this to hold the atten-
ton of the audience, to engage it's
sympathies and to arouse it's interest
The result is that there is a keen sense
of pleasure felt, feeling akin to the
impression that the onlookers have
been witnessing chapter or two of
real life.
1.-THE House of a Thousand Candles"
alphabetically considered, affords gen.
uine pleasure, while as drama of any
higher purpose it can stand neither
the inspection of it's workmanship nor
the analysis of it's preachments.
The story is built around a house
of mysteries which lurk in every cor
ner and crevice. The owner of the
house. disappears, leaving the impress
sion he is dead, and secrets himself in
underground passages of the house, his
existence known to no one but the
butler, Baes, part so admirably play
ed by Hugo Koch.
Of course, featuring Hugo Koch as
the leading man, in the part Of but
Ter and disappointed lover, is not en-
tirely acceptable to the audience. One
| is likely to desire the hero of the play
to get through all his trouble success
fully before the fall of the curtain on
! the last act, and there is a sentimental
| ity about it quite old and conventional
which the audience naturally expects.
| So when Bates, the butler, loves and
loves in vain, and the object of his
| affections gives herself over to a wild
Young heir of the house Of mystery,
there is something lacking which is
! not exactly pleasing. However, this
does not detract from the acting OF
Mr.. Koch who will be remembered here
for his work as leading man with the
Eaton Stock company at the Alhambra
last spring and who also played in
1.-THE House of a Thousand Candles,
| though in a different role with the
Sherman Brown Stock company at the
Davidson theatre last summer.
The big scene comes in the third act,
where the sheriff and posse came to
the house at midnight in thunder
storm and demand possession. All the
mystery is heightened in the excite
ment which follows; mystery when
originates when the heir to the house
is shot at in the firsta ct.
The entire play, almost rests upon
the shoulders of Hugo Koch in his role
of Bates, the butler, but he is ably
supported by William Richmond as the
heir and Marian Davereux, for whose
heart and hand Bates suffers silently
and in vain.
A good many complimentary things
could be said of the rest of the cast,
but Hugo Koch stands out too promi-
nently that the rest all remain eclip-
Mr. hoc wonderful voice.