The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-22
SHOWS" AND SHOWS. s.
A. Criticism Of the Topeka Ora
matte Editors
WHICH IS UNJUST TO THE JOURNAL. !"

some or the Difficulties or Keeping
the Public Informed on the Merit or
Coming Attractions and Those That
Have Passed.
The trouble with the dramatic editors
Of the daily newspapers of Topeka Is
that when a second class show comes
to Topeka the people don't know any
thing about it until after the perform
ance- Instead Of protecting the people
against theatrical frauds. the daily
( newspapers OF the city, without a sin
gle exception, say good things about
them before the performance and then
roast the company after ID mas worked
the town for a good house. A bic IN
stance is the "Jane" company, which
showed at the Grand last week. Through
the daily press the people Of Topeka
were led to believe that it was one of
Frohman's best com Danies, when, a
matter OF fact, 1T was very inferior per
formance. After they had left town the
newspapers told what rotten show it
was.-N orth Topeka Mail
The Mail shonld not include the jour
NAL in its criticism. In the particular
instance Of Jane the Journal stated
repeatedly in its advance notices that
this j ane' company was not the same
one which had visited Topeka last season
That one was under the management of
Charles Frohman, which, as every one
knows, is a uaranty Of excellence.
The one that came here this season was
Gustave Frohman's company Now,
Gustave FrOhman Is a younger brother
of Charles and Daniel Gustave runs
what he calls a school of acting in New
York After his elder brothers have dis
carded play Gustave gets p0ss 5ssion Of
it, puts some Of his school Of acting"
amateurs IN it and sends it out on the
road
The Journal expressly stated that
Gustave FrOhman mad the play this wear
hat Nea h1 ha
star last year, was not now IN the com
pany. The Mail does not expect the
JOURNAL to stand at the door Of the opera
house with a club and head off the peo-
pie who won't keep posted, does it? Be
sides y ane" as presented this year was
not s.rotten." The play was very we'll
given, but Of course nothing like Jennie
Yeamans would give it.
1t is and has always been the OUR
NAILS aim to tell the truth about all dra-
matte attractions brought here. 1t has
incurred the i'll Will OF many people en-
gagged in the theAter business because of
its determination to serve the people who
subscribe for the paper.
If you viii read the JOURNAL carefully
You will lind that 1T will not mislead or
deceive in this regard 1t viii not
/ praise what It does not know to be wor-
thy of praise. Before a play Is brought
here we get what Information we can
\ about it. Every effort is made. Of course,
! Dy the mana 5ES OF the piece 10 repre-
sent it in its best light They do not
hesitate at faisehoods which they tell
literally 20 the dramatic writer's On the
newspapers. The JOURNAL dramatic re-
porter does his best to sift out the truth.
Outlines his taste differs from that Of
classes Of the theater- going public. If
lie pokas fun at the aha. Villain. have
thee. nowr' kind 81 play a great many
] people who ike gushy, blood and thun-
der drama say that he doesn't know
what he is talking q bout
or course. as Abraham Lincoln said
sFor people who like that sort Of thing,
why. that is the sort Of thing they like"
No dramatic critic can make all kinds OF
people like the same thing. One might
AS well try 70 make every body fond Of
wienerwurst or pumpkin pie Very
many like a society play" others want
railroad collision. a sawmin or real
rainstorm in theirs. The JOURNAL does
not attempt to guide the public taste on
these matters. 1t merely tries to strike
a fair average tone in its advance no
tees Of coming attractions But the
reader must have ordinary gum ption to
understand that because the JOURNAL
does not say q SHOW ought to be mob
bed that therefore It Is a hne thing and
ought to be patrOnized.
No agent in the domestic domain