Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-12-03
'GRAFTERS IS
INSTANT HIT AS
LIBERTY SHOW

= +The GrafteTa" the second offer
ing Of the Hughes Musical Comedy
Company, is a much better show than
the opening one in which the com
paBy appeared last week. The merry
makers al the Liberty last night gave
Monday audience a very pleasant
evening and when the laughs had
died away and the encores had
ceased, thoge who braved the pour.
ing rain 10 witness the performance
and there were hundreds of them
went away still chuckling and
laughing. d.. .-
This hughes company is simply
spilIing oTer with clever specialties.
In fact, there are more specialties
than plots. The story of The
gGrafters" is hung around the town
of Watts, whose owner has been miss
ing for long. time. Several design
ing persons have their eyes on Watts
property and go after it. The com
bination of the get-rich,quick gentry
and the rural types, surrounded by
considerable rural scenery, affords
numberless opportunities for laugh
making, and the laughs come thick
and fast Also the specialties.
Bert lie Blanc, Frank Vack and
Dave Nowlin, a troupe of grafters
composed of Jew, Dutchman and
"a soft-spoken and genteel hobo, were
often In the center of the funny
stunts, and the part Of fair feni-
nine WalIingfofd, known as Mrs.
Gfafter, fell to Miss Gertrude st.
Clair. Her duty was to pose as the
widow Watts, and she succeeded ad-
HirabIy IN conveying that daring,
idashing widowesque effect supposed
to go with feminine grafters of the
city. Another heightened CRATER was
Will Cheatham. the part being will
taken by Carlton Chase.
The chances for character work in
this story are numberlcss, and the
Hughes company made splendid i'm
preston because of the meritorious
work OF such people as Dave Nowlin,
Vac, lie Blanc and Harry Burgess.
Burgess had small opportunity to
show his worth last week, but In the
role of the village constable he is
now one of the bright spots of the
bill, and his song in the second act,
'"The Village Constable" sprung into
instant popularity and established
him in the favor Of Honolulu audi
ences. Little Miss Eugene La Blanc
has knockout" in the second act
in an eccentric dance and SONG, 1.-TWO
songs in fart She was encored after
a golf caddy song and came back
with a burlesque ballad describing
in plaintive and flat high notes how
Heaven Will Help the Poo-o-oor
Working GIRL following this up
with some of the cleyerest dancing
Honolulu has ever seen, lettering
even her performances of last week.
The vaudeville lovers Of the city look
back to Duke Johnson as their stand
ard in eccentric dancing. Well.
Dave isn't any better than little Miss
La Blanc was last night.
The whole second act is a continu-
Gus burst Of laughter. There is one
particularly delicious bit of dialogue
between the Jew and the widow
CRATER. the Jew feeling himself be-
ing hooked by the charming female
across the table from him and yet I'M
able TO resist her Establishments.
Several pretty scenic effects have
been achieved. among, them an illumi-
mated set of swings in which the
chorus pendulums through the air
with a musical accompaniment. The
idea isn't new but ii is well done
and the chorus handles itself we'll.
Frank Barker is given small part
a a,lfro r,o1{fa TSrox,o1, xrof4o~ opa
of the many good bits of characteri-
zation, and Miss Teddy Martin has
Some scattered chances at the spot
light--a chance or two. The end of
the show is riot, engineered through
the fundamentally of Mr.. Nowlin
and Miss st. Clair The song is
THE Wild. Wild Farm" and they
hand over medley of farmyard
sounds and sights that is amazingly
funny and a remarkably good piece
of imitation. Altogether, "The Graft
-ers" is far ahead of the first show
and proves that the Hughes company
is striking its stride. .
The cast:
Sacramento Ike. ;. Mr.. Bert LaBlanc
Lodi Nike ...k..... Mr. Frank Vack |
Bakersfield Pete Mr.. Dave Nowlin
tThree Hobos)
Will Gheatham, a CRATER. ...., ~.~#t
a.......... j.. Mr.. Carlton Chase |
Rube Skaggs, the Village Police
man ............. Harry Burgess
Mrs. CRATER, who does little
grating on her own hook. =.
.........., Miss Gertrude st Clair |
Maize. caddy .........
e.. Miss Eugene La Blanc !
Grace, visitor :. Miss Teddy Martin
Waiter ..s.......... Mr.. Frank Barker