Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-01-28
STICKY 'SAPHO'
SMEARS SOUL IN
STAIRCASE SCENE

Olga \etherSOie'S version CT that TN.
heallhtul French play. "Sapho," was
staged at the Bijou theatre last night
hy the Worlds Fair Stock Company.
The version is adequate. the pay car
rles the Gark-broWn taste and the gray
green feeling as powerfully here as il
has all over America when Nethersole
used il, and the Bijou will be well-fill.
ed during the two remaining nights Of
the show, undoubtedly. Nevertheless,
the play seems 10 the critic unneces-
sary and crudely emotionaI, and the
only reason for putting it on here is
the reason that kept it going 50 long
in mainland the atres-box-o office re-
Ceipts.
The dignity OF the original story
the dignity CT great passion torn on
the bayOnets of society anG finally
killed and cast aside, is largely lost in
eny stage presentation of the play.
SaphO' lived as play because or the
famous staircase scene, where Jean
Gaussin carries Fanny LIE Grande, the
loved 'SaphO" Of poets and painters,
up flight of steps TO her room. 1t
lived because Of the delusi IN nat it is
q naughty play. AS a matter of fact,
It is a strdid. sticky play, luii OF stale
wickedneSs which is revolving because
told without frippery of gay daring.
Vice is stripped naked, and a great
love is degraded into worn. out pas
SIGN.
AS for the staircase scene. that was
nercifully short. James Dion, who
had the role OF the lover, Jean Gaus
sin, picked up Miss Virginia Brissac
"Sapho,' and with evident care mount
ed about three steps with n:s burden.
Curtain!
Now with Olga Nethersole there was
no such haste to get the thing over.
AS the years passed and hiss Neither
sole began to acquire flesh, the part
of Jean Gaussin came to require more
muscle than histrionic ability. The
man who tackled that par: used to
carry Miss Nethersole up long
flight to landing, turn, carry her a
few steps more, and then slowly disap-
pear along gallery. 1t resembled a
lifesaving stunt fer the movies rather
than a romantic nocturnal adventure.
Miss Brissac and Mr.. Dillon, however,
have but a few steps to go and they
go them CUTE easily. 1t is all very
effective for impressionable young per-
sons. Elders fear lest a step should
break or the valiant Mr.. Dillon should
stumble
So much for the staircase scene. The
play itself is the story of 5apho's love
for Gaussin, his discovery OF her past,
his attempt to live with her, the fail
ure Of their domestic relations, and
ner final return to former love for
the sake of their child. She faces the
rest of her life with the comment that
all love, for Gaussin or anyone else,
has been killed in her 1t is a charac-
teristically French story and never had
any real mission or value on the Amer
lean stage.
The play is pretty we'll done by the
stock company, Miss Brissac and Mr..
| Dillon sharing the honors. John G..
Wray has practically no chance and
the same may be said of most of the
others. Howard Nugent does COM
mendable work as an elderly French
man with ideas of high lie sill under
his sparse hairs There is a Spanish
dance in the first act that is short but
good. The cast:
Jean GauSsin .......... james Dillon
M. Dechellette ........ Fl ank Cooley
Caoudal ............J. Lin6iey Phipps
/ FlanHldnI .JOhn U. Wray
Cesiare Gaussin 5000. Howard Nugent
De Potter ........... Rodney Brandt
M. Du Maurier ......... Ray Hanford