The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-21
ga NIGHT THE CIRCUS. -
A Good Audience Secs Nellie Nc
HenrY's Famous Piece.

The clever farce comedy "a Night at
the Circus, which was written for Mel
lie McHenry by H. Grattan DOnnelly,
was presented at the Crawford theater
last night by one of NJ. E. Rice's COM
panieS under the management of Billy
Casad. A good sized audience saw the
piece and was satisfied with the work
of the company.
The play derives its title from the
fact that the last act represents the in
terror OF the dressing tents of 'Bonan-
za's Great Imperial Circus" and the
comedy situations which are built up.
through the 1st and End acts climax
here. The stage settings of the last act
are realistic, 50 realistic, the programme
states, that you can smell the saw
dust and taste the red lemonade
number of entertaining spec1alt1es
were introduced by different members
OF the company during the performance
last night, the musical specialties of
Phil Mahar and the songs of Charles
Hasty being among the best.
"A Night at the Circus is playing at
reduced prices since Nellie McHenry
severed her connection with it, but the
work of the present company deserves
liberal patronage.
The sale of seats for I'm Gay New
York; opens at Rowley & Shows drug
store tomorrow morning, and it is prob
able Ihat the production Will be greet
ed by one of the largest houses of the
season. I'm Gay New York. is one of
Klaw & Erlangers productions, and is
the nrSC under the direction OF that
firm of managers to visit Topeka since
the Brownies" 1t is a review, and
the story is in brief the chronicles of
a modern sentimental journey. It mar
rates the adventures of Johnny Brown,
a newly welded rustic, who with his
bride Sally, and a thousand dollars.
visits gay Gotham on honeymoon
trip. When Johnny returns to
Huckleberry Centre, ,Maine,a few weeks
later, the thousand dollars are gone
and indeed he barely succeeds in bring
ing back young Mrs. Brown who all but
topples over into the maelStrOm of
GOtham's gayety. But in the pictures
que vernacular of the sporting contin-
gent the pair get a rapid sprint for
their coin, and find resting places dur
ing this run at the Grand Central de-
pot, the Hotel Waldorf, the lobby and
stage of the Casino and the West End
of Coney Island. They become associ-
atedC with buncO steererS, gold brick
operators, the impecunious members of
a Thespian aggregation and other
characters consumed with desire to
separate Johnny from his money. For
their diversion, burleSqueS on popular
plays are given; laviShly cOstumed bal
lets are shown in strikingly beautiful
dance arrangements; notable person.
ages are introduced in caricature and
the entire gamut of a big city's mid
summer madness and gayety is run.
The advance sale for Primrose &
Vests minstrels, which appear at the
Crawford Opera House tomorrow night,
IS the largest sale that has attended
the coming of any minstrel Organiza-
tion to this city for years. The com
pany this year is composed exclusively
of white men, and contains number of
exceptionally clever people, several of
them new to this branch of the profess
sion. In the list of those who will aid
in the amusement of the audience are
found the names of such artists as
Ezra Kendall Carroll Johnson, the
Schrode Brothers, Fake & Semon, and
others equally well known A new
march invented, arranged and led by
Mr.. William H. West will be one of the
features, while the "prismatic" first
part is claimed to be one of the most
magpificently costUmed affairs ever
presented by this management.
The Spooner Dramatic company con-
tinueS to attract good audiences at the
Grand Opera House. Notwithstanding
the other attractions in town last night,
a fair sized audience saw the company
in THE Lawyers Wedding" or Mar
ried in Haste" The company contin-
ues at the Grand all of this week at
popular prices, and Saturday afternoon
will give a family matinee.