The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-22
A BIG HOUSE PROMISED.
Sale of Seats for eCymbeIine' Opens
Auspiciously This Morning.

The sale of seats for Margaret Ma
theirs "Cymbeline" opened well this
morning and Miss Mather will un-
doubtedly be greeted by a splendid au-
dience next Monday night. Before her
retirement from the stage some years
ago Miss Mather won great distinction
in Shakespearean roles, and eastern
critics declare that her Imogen this
year is even better than her Juliet, the
character in which she appeared to
probably the best advantage before her
retirement
One of the leading Kansas City pa
pers prints the following criticism of
Miss Mather'S production, now running
at the Auditorium in that city:
In the version of 'Cymbeline,' which
Miss NGather and her company present
ed at the Auditorium last night, the
nineteenth century paid a characters
tically nineteenth century tribute to the
great genius of the sixteenth century.
1t was such a presentation as the thea
ter-goers of today demand for Shake
Speare'S plays, that they shall be given
the gorgeous surroundings and para
phernalia of the courts and times in
which they occur.
Miss Mather has appreciated this
fact and Anticipated the fin de steele
giving them the most laViShly and art
iStically mounted piece of staging that
has yet been presented.
TO those whose tastes run to the
spectacular rather than to legitimate
comedy it may be said that they will
get their moneys worth of grand scenic
display, with the comedy thrown in, for
there are eighteen magnificent scenes
In this pictorial prOfusiOn the same
scene is scarcely disclosed twice.
LAS the curtain arose in the garden
of Cymbeline's palace, with the sea
misty and purple in the background, and
10 a a n
trance in the foreground, with a day
light glow illuminating the whole, the
audience spontaneously applauded.
This scene was from the brush OF Ho-
mer F. Emens.
Two views of Philano's palace in
in Rome are given Both are beautiful
The first is the triculinlum and the sec
Ond the atrium. Both are majestic in
their beauty. The rows of columns and
distant corridors make an exceedingly
rich background for the loUng1ng no
bles AS the curtain rises upon this
Roman interior a Roman noble REGIMES
upon his couch and gratifies his taste
for the beautiful by watching three
graceful oriental dancers.
1.-The second Roman interior was not
SO gorgeous as the first, and was a
study in pink and red. and so marvel
Gus is the touch of this scene painter
that he has managed to so contrast
these two unruly cOlOrs that they make
a vivid and glowing effect, pleasing to
'Imogen's bed chamber is shown in a
dim light It showed a room of tapes
try and silk in mellow tints. The bed
was covered with a sheet of pale green
silk that fell to the floor, and as the
light fell upon Miss Mather's reclining
figure in white while the william Iachi-
mo crawIs from the darkness of his
trunk, the ensemble scores a triumph
for artist and actor.
In the nature scenes probably the
most wonderful and beautiful are those
at the cave Of Belarius. In this the
varied hues of dawn lend enchantment
to the verdant foliage. The battle scene
is given from a high rock. So it was
a succession of beautiful pictures"