The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-11
WILL WHITES "0RITIoUE"

The criticism of Keene's performance
at Emporia in the Gazette follows;
It's over.
Keene's gone.
Hanford also.
Mary Timbermann ditto.
They went to ottawa on the cutoff
this morning.
IF you didn't so to the show last
night, you are simply not in it. Sup
posing IT did take a dollar, you would
have something to talk about all your
born days You would have seen Keene
at his best with support that got more
applause than the old man himself The
two best women actors that have been
in Emporia at one jump were there.
on bet they acted. When Emilia stood
up in her majesty and white slippers
and Numbered as hard as is possible
for a woman, everybody breathed hard
and then applauded. It was grand And
then when Desdemona acted the fool,
knuckled down to OthellO, who con-
strued things crOss-eyed, and fell on
the floor getting her beautiful gown
dirty, the people wiped their eyes. 1t
was wonderful to think that a woman
could let her best clothes come in con-
tact with the stage carpet and not let
on she cared.
Keene had a cold He had a frog in
his throat when he was here before.
EnpOria people expect it of him 1t
would be a disappointment to the town
for him to speak his pieces and not
have some prOVidential aff1iction of the
throat. The folks who had to take poor
seats and sit in the bald headed row
were fortunate. They stood chance
to hear him. A missionary collection
silence was necessary in order to catch
his mumblings. 1t is likely that he
didn't intend anyone should hear him at
times. He wanted the people to look
at his face when he twisted it, rolled
his eyes and showed his teeth. These
manifestations of the spirit didn't take
as well as when he played Hamlet here
two years ago. He did one turn then
that viii always be the standard of
facial expression in Emporia. He
couldn't do it last night. But he did
good work. even though he got no cur
tain calls. The people expected too
much of him.
Hanford disputed the claims of the
cock-of-the-waIk when it came to ap-
plause. He was so smooth that the
people put him along with Keene
HoneSt-hOneSt IagO" reminded the
audience of so many of their friends
that he was voted the next best in the
show with-a very small margin in favor
OF keene whose reputation is still in
his vest pocket The people were lib
eral in applauding Hanford-they even
gave him more than Keene The two
make a team which folks compare to
Booth and Barrett.
The women in the audience wore
their best calling gowns. 1t was too
Chilly for evening dress. The men wore
their best black suits Once in a while
some steady who had a new winter
suit was bold enough in his newness to
wear it. All the women cOmbed their
hair so they could take off their hats
They spent more time on the back of
their heads than on anything else The
Cottonwood Falls people made a good
impression on the rest of the people.
It is not known how Emporia impressed
them. one girl from somewhere, with
fuzzy wuzzy hair that hid all her face
but her nose and mouth, kept the peO-
pie busy until the curtain rose She
was a freak of nature. The orchestra
had more members than at any time
this year. Mr.. BushOng made his first
appearance since the Wild Goose"
John Craig and Peter Rasmussen play
ed forget-me-not tune behind the
scenes in the second act which was not
encored. 1t is said that the orchestra
will have another pretty new piece
next February.
Emporia viii now move along as
usual The water question and the
presidents message will receive the at
tention which is due them