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

Olga Nethersoie's version OF that un-
healthtul French play, "Sapho." was
staged at the Bij0u theatre last night
10y the Worlds Fair Stock Company.
The version is adequate. the pay car
ries the dark brown taste and the gray
green feeling as powerfully here as il
has all over America when NetnerSOie
used it. and the Bijou will be well-fili-
ed during the two remaining nights OF
The show, undoubtedly. Nevertheless
the play seems to the critic unneces-
sary and crudely emotional. and the
only reason for putting it on here is
the reason that kept it going 50 long
in mainland theatres-bOx-office re-
CeiptS
The dignity OF the original story
the dignity CT a great passion torn on
the bayOnets of society AND finally
killed and cast aside, is largely lost in
eny stage presentation of the play.
Sarho' lived as play because OF the
famous staircase scene, where Jean
Gausain carries Fanny LIE Grande, the
loved 'Sapho" Of poets AMI painters.
up flight of steps to her room. 1t
lived because of the Gclusi7n mat it is
q naughty play AS a matter Of fact.
It is sorGid, sticky play, iuii OF stale
| W1ckedness which is revolving because
told without frippery of gay daring.
Vice is stripped naked, and a great
! love is degraded into worn out pas.
sion.
As for the staircase scene, that was
| merCifully short. James Dixon, who
! mad the role of the lover. Jean Caus-
| sin, picked up Miss Virginia Bris sac,
''Sapho," and with evident care mount
ed about three steps with his burden.
Curtain.
Now with Olga Nethersole there was
no such haste to get the thing over.
AS the years passed and Miss 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 a long
| flight to landing, turn, carry her a
few steps more, and then slowly disap.
pear along a gallery. 1t resembled a
| lffesaving stunt for the movies rather
than romantic nocturnal adventure.
Miss Brissac and Mr.. Dillon, however.
have but few steps to go and they
go them quite easily. 1t is all very
effective for impressioffable young per-
sons Elders fear lest a step should
t-break or the valiant Mr.. Dillon should
stumble.
So much for the staircase scene. The
play itself is the story of SaphoS 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 Lille still under
his sparse hairs. There is a Spanish
dance in the first act that is short but
good. The cast:
Jean GduSSln James DlIlOn