Wichita eagle., 1889-10-22
ADJUSTMENTS.
JOHN DILLON.

| A large and fashionable audience filed
| Crawford's opera house last evening to
| greet the ever popular comedian, John
| Dillon. in his successful comedy, "Wanted
| the Earth; Dillon's former visits to our
| city with Hazel Kirke," and Estates At
| torney," are favorably remembered by the
theater goers here. His host Of friends and
| admirers turned out en- masse last night to
| do honor to their favorlte comedian which
| resulted in real ovation to Mr.. Dillon anti
his company.
| Mr.. Dillon is the veritable embodiment
| of wit and humor, whose mission on earth
seems to be to excite the disabilities of his
| fellow man. The sight of his genial face
serves to drive away the gloom of cares
and dlsappointments as sunshine disperses
| fog
Wanted the Earth" is a happy satire
| upon the fashionable fad element Of mod
ern society. replete with witty dialogue
and ludicrous situations that follow each
| other in rapid succession. The many COM
ical situations so ingeniously woven
through the interesting story of the play
are but natural sequences of the action
and not forced as is often apparent Ill
many sO-called farce comedies
The central character is one ]. D. Smith,
q New Jersey farmer, who becomes siezed
| with passion to enter fashionable society
He sells his farm. speculates in stocks,
becomes suddenly wealthy, moves to the
city, changes his name to De Smvthe,
studies French and enters, as ne calls it,
| fashionable ''sassiety," becoming leader
| among New York's celebrated four hun
dred. De Smythe arranges marriage be-
tween his son and charming young wild
ow, while he himself proposes to an an
| cient but young hearted widow by the
name of Van Doodle, and for while he
has corner on widows" But like 9TH
ers he is doomed to disappointment. The
son runs away with former servant ana
Mrs. Van Doodle rejects him for her par
| rot
The last act presents the characters in a
Canadian restaurant, where the fun be-
comes fast and furious. All complications
and misunderstanding are finally ex-
planned De Smythe renounc es society
and style as a hollow fraud comes back to
plain Smith, is forgiven by Van Doodle
and all ends happily.
Dillon as J. d. Smith was irrepressible,
but Dillon as Jason De Smythe with a
corner on widows, was simply irresistible.
There was laugh in every movement of
his subtle form and every glance of his
keen eye. His every appearance was a
signal for applause and laughter.
The support that Mr.. Dillon received
was excellent and was led by May Nevada,
who as Glayds Kenward, done some splen-
did work. Especially can this be said OF
her acting in the second act in which she
has an interview with Jack Welder, her un-
worthy brother. She has been induced to
enter marriage with Young DeSmythe
and as the time draws near she suddenly
awakes to the realization of what a crime
she is about to commit and is about to re
veal the plot to DeSmythe when her broth
er brings her to terms by mentioning her
long lost child. Her mother heart bows
down and she yields to let the ceremony
proceed. Her superb acting i'll this scene
places her on par with any star who has
appeared before a Wichita audience this
season. Mae Powers as Fiaxy also acts
her part in perfect manner.
George A. Weller, as Jack Wilder, who
| changes his name to Melrose for obvious
reasons, shows himself a polished william
of the first water. Off the stage Mr.. Wei
Ter is by no means man who could be
| made into such scaDegrace but-well OF
all the Williams in the country be is simply
| the peer.
Tonight Mr.. Dillon's latest success, The
Circuit Judge. will be presented.
THOMAS W. KEENE.
Thomas w. Keene will be at the opera
house on next Wednesday night, the 29d
in Richard ILL., Keene is very popular
with those who love the drama as origin
ated by Shakespeare, for no one eau de-
spute his authorship although more an
tique writers have claimed the honor.
Keene is following fast in the footsteps of
Booth and he interprets the master with
an Interpretation equal to Booth IN more
instances than one. Richard III" will be
presented on this occasion with the full
strength of the excellent organization
twenty people.
KARL GARDNER.
The pure fresh breeZes which blow from
the mountain top bearing down the Typo
lean warbler's happy song seemed to per
wade the Bush street theatre last evening
Fatherland presents picture of the simple
home(y joys which Karl Gardner is a
splendid type. Gay. roliicking, manly and
brave, he commands the admiration, and
pouring forth his soul in melOdious songs,
wins his way. His accent is of a delicate
flavor and very musical, and judging from
Ule easy manner WIFI WHICH ne Slitleu
into the German tongue, is purely natural.
He has sweet voice. His principal song.
The Lilac" will be very popular having
a catchy and taking air. and withal. very
sweet and full Of melody. His German
SWELL is bright and pleasing and exceed
ingly we'll rendered. He is light on his
feet and dances with grace and neatuess,
the music of his heels being almost as
good as that OF his voice. BY his gay
sparkling manner, he carried his
audience with him and ere the close of the
first act he was firmly fixed in their aifec-
tons, and on the fall of the curtain receiv
ed a genuine and generous recall, which
was repeated at the end Of the third act
The choruses by the company were very
enioya bic, more especially the Spinning
Wneef' chorus and Laughing Song"
The little child "Meenie, with her piping
voice, is the connecting link between
Gardner and the comedy. She is bright
and pert and acts with considerable intel
ligence. The "Rhoda Stanford" of Miss
Eva Byron and otto Wolfe" Of Joseph
Miller were well rendered. Fatherland is
one of those simple little plays carrying
one back to the happy times OF boyhood,
cares of life, making one feel better for
having seen it, and leaving no bitter taste
in the mouth.-San Francisco Bulletin,
July 81, 50.
Mr.. Gardner appears next Friday even
ing at the Crawford in above play OF
"Fatherland.'
DIED.
John Lawrence, sou of AR. and Mrs. Bid
Young, died Sunday morning of entretis.