Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1912-01-27
HAWAIIAN PLAY
HIT IN n. Y.

Richard Walton Tuily's Hawaiian
play, "The Bird of Paradise" gets the
following culogistic notice out Of the
New York Dramatic Mirror, which
would rather knock than boost
In their search for novelty theatre
cal managers transport their willing
public eastward and westward to the
remotest hooks of the world Under
the guidance of Mr.. Tully. MIR. Moros-
co has undertaken to show us the APP
pearance of our Pacific possessions
the spirit of the land. aud the Charac-
ter of the people. This, quite rs much
as the story, supplies the raisOn d'ctrc
OF The Bird of Paradise.
The ethical study Of the beach
comber. who wanted Sln,OOo To rc-cs-
tabIish himself In the society Of his
native America, and the Csntrastcd
story Of the young doctor who sue
cumbcd to the sonsuous charm of lla-
wainn sunshine and liquor, rather
lose themselves in the exposition of
native superstition. Mr.. Tully agrees
with Mr.. Kipling. however that East
and West cant coalescc, SO he sacri-
fees his princess of ancient lineage
in order that her husband, the young
doctor, may go back with The rcgcn-
Grated beachcomber. Whether Paul
Wilson could ever return to the cs-
tate from which he fell, ms did Ten
Thousand Dollar" Dean. is n doubtful
matter, but ut any rate the sacrifice
of his devoted Luana in the sccthing
crater of Kilauca was accomplished
piCturcsQuoly enough to warrant that
termination of the drama At tn"
same time II was only n piCture--nOt
gripping rcality--iOr it would have
been too horrible TO feel that l.aurcttC
Taylor actually did leap into any
angry red cauldron of lava ia the un-
timely end of her hislriunic career
Miss Taylor could make MS believe in
the tempcstuous, childish love and
anger of Luana. but she could not give
reality to the grim tragedy that put
Il period to the dram
Nor was Pamela Gay horne more
effective with anything but the cX.
ternals of her role. She Is pretty IN
piQuant way. but as for loving Mr.
Dean to distraction-shc simply didn't
Guy Bates Post and Lewis :. Ston,
were much more plausible In their OBJ
viOusly balanced roles. which wcr,
both intclligently played, although moi
SO resourcefully Ms 10 convince III,
audience that anybody other thar
Messrs. Post and Stone stood on tn,
stage.
The genuine members of the stOr,
were Theodore Roberts and Mrs. Esti
Banks, who won the sympathetic ap
prevail of the audience because the.
seemed like very human beings. q
course others had their moments
W. J. Constantine for instance. An,
Miss Taylor's first act was who'll
charming, for she then was AT libert
to use her particular gifts-she wa
n sort of pcrsOnillCatiOn of the mont
of April, with her dances, her smiles
her frowns.
The other native roles were so palp
ably acted" that they could not pos
sibly convince anybOdy-cNCept tn
musicians, who were Just as cvidentl
imported from Hawaii. Their song
wound in and out of the play, point
ing the preachment of the beach
cOmber, for the simple melodies an
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS over and owe
again-never cloyed. but Away
soothed. II Is credible that ma
I should fall prey to their sweet sad
, ness.
, Costumes were more accurate tina
, beautiful. Not so the settings, partiI
ularly the three in the last act Moor
, light on the sea can always be relic
on for alluring effects, and Ernes
Gros, the scenic artist, has shown II
that Il volcano can be harnesscd ia
, the delight of thcatregoers. Me-
York will probably commend The Bir
of Paradise for its novel picture
rather than for its acting or its them
, although both the latter have SON
traits in their favor.