New-York tribune., 1912-01-09
THE DRAMA
"The Bird Of Paradise at
DaIy'S Theatre.
A Comedy, THE Talker, AT the
Harris Theatre.

. -tte TAYLOR has come to her own. II VIII
he impossible to think OF this play Tine
, sirj of Paradise" without thinking Of her.
Che is that dear Hawaiian bird. Not only
has the bird changed its plumage, Miss
Tavlor's blond loveliness having given
way 10 dusky skin and midnight hair but
che seems for all the world to have changed
her nature. In every movement, gesture
in polse, IN dances, yes, even in sohs
itself Il is impossible to recognize in her
tho actress whose career has been watched
with such interest by many observers OF
acting Her LUana seems to be an Ha-
vaiian girl, native princess, who has
learned to act wondrously on our stage.
Yet this is not the way TO express the
thought. The fact is that in this piece
Laurette Taylor banishes from the mind of
ibe spectator all thought of acting. She
seems TO be the very creature of the play
vright's fancy. II is not easy-it might ne
irnpossible-to mention another actress VINO
could so completely portray this strange
passionate, adoring, jealous creature oil the
southern seas Watch her in the dances
when the motions of fingers, wrists, supple
movements of the arms have not merely
grace but a meaning which folk of north
ern blood rarely catch and possibly never
understand Watch her in her walk, in all
her demeanor throughout the three acts OF
his Hawaiian play, and YOU must concede
that what she does is a remarkable achieve
ment Laurette TAYLOR made great sue
cess last night. So did the play.
Here is a play which by It's story, the
acting Of its story, and the setting which
an exceptionally far-sighted and liberal
manager has given to acting and story,
transports the audience in imagination TO
the distant and lovely islands In which the
scenes are laid. For three hours you live
IN Hawaii. not because the programme tells
Won so. but because the Illusion Is perfect.
Here is the atmosphere" Of place and
neople. II is pleasant In our icy days to be
Transported to this tropic land TO leave for
a while our religion of hustle, our shrine Of
The dollar, and go where life moves gen.
tlv dreamiIy. amid soft, carossing airs.
= What Richard Walton Tuly, the author,
dld I'm his Rose of the Rancho the play
in which he had David Belasco's co-opera-
ton. he has done with equally convincing
effect in this play, Tho Bird of Paradise.
He has shown how lives novel to us are
the scene Is strange 10 most of its behold
ors tbe nIay is filed to the brim with
human nature which every one will recog-
nize. In this play Mr.. Tully has shown the
effect which languorous life, enchanting
cline and native wiles have upon the wh'te
man who gives himself up to their allure
ments The adventures of Americans in
topic lands are in brief, what he deals
with. Paul Wilson, young American
MUSICIAN. starts for Molokai to work
among the lepers there, believing that ne
has found. or will find, cure for leprosy.
His steamer calls off the Puma coast OF
Hawaii. and ne goes ashore for few
hours. with others of his party, to see
little of the country and Of native lie.
Close by an enchanting cove he finds the
natives of a village celebrating feast day.
lie is attracted by a girl of the island VINO
nroyes 10 be the Princess Luana, the next
in succession TO the Hawaiian throne. The
,ir,c II may be remarked, is i'm the early
COS. lust when the monarchy was giving
way and when. at least in the islands, the
poIitical future was uncertain. PAU does
not po TO Molokai He remains with the
Princess Luana and maTries her. fusl-
rive American named Dean. beachcomber'
il rescued from his degraded condition by
IN American girl. Diana Larned, VINO is
first seen when she is engaged TO wilson
Under Diana's influence Dean rises; under
Inana's influence Wilson falls. Under the
pressure of fate Duana gives her lie IN
sarrifce to the burning mountain hllduea'
Here are but the bones of the story Ihe
body of it takes shape under the sNltui
touches of its author and a thousand de-
t.us of stage art There are native Ha-
vaiiaus 10 fill out the successive pictures
5rd incidents. There are Hawaiian prop
rties customs. superstitons; there are
scenes of beauty. of enchantment and OF
terror. and through all there moves stoi!
of genuine dramatic interest. Especially
dramatic is the closing of the second act
when Wilson, shaking of his IetharBl'
caves his island home, and Luana, after d
napa az ncartbreak. leaves her people anu
follows him. while the Prizes. Of Pele' sur
rounded bv the natives, ''prays her 10
death 10 The part Of the native priest u
inpressively played by Albert Perry.
ont fror, the West has come a magician
Q;bo shows New York that even beyond the
Rockias tbc art OF producing q play ]"
known and practised in manner that can
y 4,,.i,,.,se and delight the patrons OF Broad
80. tlaybouses who nave been accustomt"
o., esteem themselves the only favorites OF
forr,ro Oliver MOrosco, the manager,
whose theatres in Los Angeles are well
known ,bv many Eastern actors, If not by
opr Eastern public as quite remarkable
,rs,i,utiops has come here with his Cali
fornia production and. excepting four or
ave Of the actors, California players ana
to- M
prised and delighted New York. Richard
Walton Tully. the author, Is a nauFe Oa''-
foruian and is still a resident Of that state
Ny, Lewis Stone. who acted admirably 'ho
ungracious part Of Paul Wilson, mas peeh
Saoi geveral seasons the leading man IN one
eof Mr Moroseo's stock theatres In Los An
- igeles. Before Laurette Taylor Iheouore
Roberts. Guy Bates Post and Pamela Cay
thorne were engaged for the New YORK
performances Mr.. Morosco had run thls
play ten weeks in Los Angeles All the
actors already named justify their seiec-
ton. II is 40 diminution OF the praise due
others y say that Laurettc Taylor as
Luana carries the honors of the acuns'
and carries them high.
The scenic effects i'm THE Bird or Para
disc are both fascinating and impressive
'he pativc life and spirit are so wen sus
gested that they permeatc the play ana 'he
snatches OF native music haunt the ear
JIere Is a play which charms New YORK
california may well be proud of the ennis
saries she has sent to this bleak corner OF
the earth to modify the rigors Of our
winter
IN the Harris Theatre IS a new play. II
has three acts; II Is called The Talker'
.-a.LL IL !. AI.ri1.r. rairAaN