The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-03-08
1.-THE BIRD or
PARADLSE''
Tells a Story Of Land
/" Where Sunshine is the
Only Tragedy
Cast Of Characters.

=
kuakiM ..;............ Mr.. j. p. Lipo
Lanipule ........ Mr. w. B. J. Aeko
Mahummahu -. Miss Rose Watson
Fala .............. Mr. Chss e. Bird |
HUpoe ......,.... Miss Marie Bird
konh ............ Miss Ann Reader
L.muele 1880. Mr.. Carlo De Angelo
Hewahewa 1890. Mr. Terrace Griffin
Luana ...... Miss Florence Rockwell
Paul Wilson I. Mr. G. B. Leffingwell
Captain Hatch 4. Mr.. Albert Andruss
Mr.. Sysonby Mr.. Frederick Forrest
airs. Sysonby -. Miss Carrie Weller
riana Larned ;. Miss Spring Byington
"Ten-Thousand-Dollar' Dean,
i. ~ ....... Mr.. John Waller
Hoheno ..-........ Mr. Hal Castle
Tomoro 80. -. Mr. Francis Wynne
Mrs. Grothers :. Miss Olive Sothern
Synopsis OF Scenes.
Act THE Wild A beach cave and
native house on the Pune
coast. Island OF hawaii. (Two
years elapse.)
Act 2lThe nest. Interior Of the same
native house. (Ten days
Act Scene THE cage Lanai OF
Captain Hatch's village.
Waikiki beach, Honolulu.
Scene 2The flight, Ap-
preaching Kilanea. Scene
3-Freedom. The house of
everlasting fire.
Time-The Revolutionary days of the
early Nineties.
Keokuk theatregoers had treat at
the Grand last night when they were
given their first view of 1.-THE Bird of
PARADISE" by Richard Walton Tully.
Though this production. has been
thriving for many seasons past in var
ious parts of the United States, it
has not heretofore been presented in
Keokuk. Mr. TulIy seeks to show in
his theme the degeneration of one
race when it comes into contact with
what he presumes to be an inferior
civilization. He does so in pictur-
esque way. A promising young Ameri-
:an doctor drops off on the island Of
Hawaii. He has great ambitions as a
scientist, hut he becomes enamored OF
"a dark-skinned native miss, and des-
pite the warning given by a
"beach-comber," ("Ten-ThousandDo Dol
lar" DEAN who has wrecked himself
ny irnhfbing of strong drink, he mar
RIGS her. The enervating life among
/,
physically AMI mentally, and when
he seeks salvation he has gone too
far to be redeemed from the position
in which he has placed himself.
Luana, the Hawaiian charmer that
Mr. Tulfy has introduced in his story.
is an appealing character as played by
Miss Florence Rosllwell She lures the
american stranger. and once she has
won him, she administers to his every
want in the hope that she may keep
him Two years elapse. and his pride
and ambitions are aroused When he
finds that it is impossible for her to
adapt herself to American ways; and
he is thoroughly convinced that she
] is hampering the career that he had
mapped out for himself, he losses he.-
from him, broken hearted woman.
She goes back to her superstitious
/ PEOPLE. she is cursed by the high
Priest. with "the prayer Of DEATH and
i offers herself as living sacrifice to
the god Of the Volcano
+, 1.-THE Bird OF Paradise" is the 70
1nance and the tragic surety of the
ancient proposition that the races may
not ningle. 1t is demction of the
Gritty that men and women ever will
| love though they may be separated by
\ Z. L
| the woman's love Is more ENDURING
than the mans. 1t is play set under
the dangerous tropics sun in an isle
where the white man is lured to fail
/ ire by insidious influence OF ease and
enchanting Incidence It Is a play
I that one can not forget Nor do these
qualities in ''The Bird OF Paradise
| tend to less than keen enjoyment One
] must be surl or shrew who does
not enjoy every instant Of play such
as was given at the Grand last night,
from the opening lifting air of the ma
! tive Hawaiian singers to the grand
eur OF the final scene, the sacrifice of
tlie Princess Luana, poised on the
think OF the crater Of Pele, ere
she plunges into it's fiery depths that
she may save her people from de-
struction by the lava flow.
/ There may have been more beauti-
full productions than this at the local
( theatre, but IL so they are not easily
recalled. With its tropical settings, the
| inexpressib1y tender romance of the
g eautiful Hawaiian girl became very
srpealing and very real Miss Florence
Rockwell. as Luana, is charming
ornament to the stage. She played the
role OF the Kanaka maid and wife with
delightful touch in the lfsftest mo-
ments and without sacrificing mote
OF tbs tragic possibilities AS the Hot
became intensified ard assumed trag-
ic proportions.
John Waller was excellent as Dean.
the beach comber. vino IS rejuvenated
through the Influence OF an American
girl. He maintained unusua! balance
in the opening scenes and later on
artistic restraint was manifest toe a
degree that stamps him rs an actor of
more than usual merit The rest of tho
parts were in capable hands. The
pleasure. of witnessing Tho Bird of
Paradise" was enhanced by the mu.
sic OF the Hawaiian PLAYERS. who dis.
played rare art with their stringed in.