The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-10
THEY WANTED CASEY.
De Wolf HOpper's Great Audi
ence at the Grand
Clamored for a Recitation of
'fCasey at the Bat.''
The Comedian Responded With
Pleasing Speech Before the
Curtain But Declined
to Comply.

that he visits throughout the country,
and if the audiences elsewhere are at
all like the audience which greeted the
big comedian at the Grand Opera House
last night this is not to be wondered
at. If Mr.. Hopper had not made
speech at the end of the second act
last night, when it was demanded by
the most enthusiastic applause, it is
doubtful if he would have been able
to continue the opera and the audience
might possibly have been in the opera
house yet, still applauding.
The audience wanted a speech from
Hopper and the recitation Casey at
the Bat" and it was an audience large
enough to demand almost anything. A
human tOboggan effect" was what the
comedian likened the appearance of the
house to, with it's unus ualIy steep slant,
and from the fact that every seat on
the two inclined floors contained hu-
man form, the metaphor was apprOpri-
ate. But Notwithstanding the size of
the demand, equal to the size Of the
audience, Hopper declined to accede
to the latter portion, but carried out
the former in a characteristic style pc
culiarly his own.
The applause started as the curtain
commenced to descent on the grand fin
ale at the end of the second act, and the
comedian probably realized that his
latest curtain speech was at hand. The
finale was repeated and the second
time the applause broke out stronger
Grand was put through a gymnastic
exhibition of raising and lowering,
while first the entire cast of principals
ana then Hopper alone stood on the
stage and bowed. But the curtain ex-
hibitiOn and bowling process had no eff
feet on the audience and the applause
continued without intermissiOn, while
from all parts OF the house was called
out Casey Give US Casey" Finally
the six feet three of comic opera star
walked to the fOothghts and instantly
the applause ceased.
De Wolf Hopper's style of making a
speech before the curtain has won for
him almost as much favor as his work
as a comedian. Few American actors
are as entertaining in their speeches
as he. 1t is a style peculiarly his own,
and the only possible way to report one
of his speeches correctly would be to
use a. photograph.
I wish I had words to express my
thanks for your appreciation tonight"
said he as he STROBE to the fOOtlightS
in the grOtesQue costume of Eel Cap
itan" and crossed his hands before him.
I only wish 1 had. Not altogether
would I like to thank you for myself,
but also for Messrs. Sousa and Klein,
who produced the opera. I'm sure you
don't know how thankful I feel to-
wards you. You'd certainly realize it
if you knew the royalties they get from
the production.
You must really excuse me from re-
citing Casey tonight With one sin
gle isolated exception I have never
given the recitation since taking Ell
Captain My part in the opera is very
trying on my voice, and the recitation
would be too much of a strain I hope
you believe me, because I say this in
all sincerity and without affectation of
any kind. I have been placed in some
very embarrassing positions by having
to refuse audiences this recitation, but
with one exception they have always
excused me, and 1 hope you will do the
same.
It's really SO nice to be greeted this
way in q new opera house. This hui
man tobOggan effect IS something great.
I'm so glad the opera house is large,
because I hate small houses. Now, in
Colorado Springs-I don't know whether
you have been there or not but they
have the tiniest opera house; that is,
1 don't mean that our audience was
tiny, but the house, the house, you
know was tiny. 1 think it was built
for the LdliputianS, and you can prob
ably imagine how 1 looked in such a
place.
Tn glad you're pleased with Ell
CAPTAIN because we came a long way
to get here, and we came pretty fast,
too. Our breath was taken away sew
eral times on the trip. I'm not mer-
cenary myself, but my manager is, and
he likes to see houses of this size But
then he can be excused for being that
way, for you see it takes quite a. good
deal to transport the entire Peruvian
army across the alkaH plains.
here as q band master, and I'm very
glad you're taking so kindly to him
composer. OF course shall send him
a long dispatch tonight at his own ex-
pense, telling him how you appreciated
his opera. In two weeks I viii see him
myself, and then I shall tell him YER
bally about my reception here. That
will be much nicer you know, and then
it will be cheaper.
I should like so much to recite
Casey for you tonight, for I like
Casey myself and he has been a very
good friend to me, but really 1 assure
you it is entirely too trying and found
that couldn't do it in doing FL Cap
itan. I'm very sorry indeed that /
have TO ask to be excused, but I'm sure
you will show me as much cOnSidera-
ton as other audiences and let me off
this time If I only knew how, should
thank you so much for our reception
tonight
Hopper bowed and started off the
stage and the curtain was rung down.
But a portion of the audience, limited
almost exclusively to the upper part of
speech without the recitation, and again
commenced to applaud with frequent
cries of Casey The comedian did
not respond and 1t was not long before
the clapping of hands and calls OF
Casey were confined to the region
known as the third story. Here it was
continued for several minutes, in fact
until the orchestra started the music of
the last act, and 1t finally provoked
Kisses from the lower floor of the house.
In the last act another effort was made
to secure the recitation, but this time
Hopper emphatically stated in a cour-
teous manner that it would be impos-
sible for him to respond to the wishes
of the audience in that particular.
De Wolf Hopper has improved as a
comedian since his last appearance in
this city seven years ago. and the opera
of "El-Capitan'' is one of the best light
operas ever produced in Topeka While
it may be said to be lacking in catchy
airs. the music throughout is fine, and
the finale at the end Of the second and
of the third acts has probably never
been equaIled in any light opera ever
produced
Hopper does the greater portion of