The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-01-24
Such a Presentation of the
eMerchant of Venice
Was Never Seen as at CraW-
fOrd's by Whiteside Company.
A ROUND OFPLEASURE
Actors Giggle, Make Jokes and
Play Antics,
Regardless of the Feelings of
the Audience.

Mr.. Walker Whiteside's company of
players contrived to get as much, if not
more, amusement out Of Shakespeare's
Merchant of Venice" at the Crawford
fheater Saturday afternoon than the au-
dience that paid to see the piece The mat
inee served as an opportunity of having
q free and easy time together, and II was
ta2en advantage OF 70 as Inuch OF an eA-
tent as possible while following the play
Either Mr.. Whiteside did not care or
could not prevent the members of his
own amusement. Indeed, the actions and
manner of some of the young men who
appeared in the comedy suggested that
ing less than force IN the way of pre-
ventiOn is at all known or acknowledged.
Ihe manager, MI Mason Mltchel, VINO IS
such a lordly gentleman that he cannot
bear to be troubled to the extent of sug-
gesung the whereabouts OF the tragedlan
when he doesn't happen to be in his room
at the hotel, was asleep at the National
or doing something else besides managing
the company, and the company in cOnSe-
Quence managed itself to its own liking.
Mr.. Whiteside and Miss Leila Wolstan
were about the only members of the COM
pany able to appear on the stage with
For the rest of the company, they spent
much Of their time giggliTn7g smiling Iii 1 and
L. Saphore made his entrance as old
GobbO, he was shaking after the fashion
of an old man. but it was suppressed
part that was responsible for the natur-
of Launceiots wig and spoke his lines.
What a beard hast thou got! Thou hast
got more hair on thy chin than Dobbin.
my thill horse, has on his tall" laughter
neiIed to turn away from the audience
and with the aid of his hand try to COM
pose his features for further speech
In the third scene OF the second act.
Antoinette Walker and Mr.. G. B. Fowler
made their escape from the stage in a
way that smacked of a real desire to get
away from the possibility of the appear
ance of an angry parent, and was
people in the audience who contemplate
an elopement in which a mad rush is
to be a feature. But the touch of realism
was the cause of their downfall. and that
of a stage hand also, who, unconscious of
feet extended against the front wall of
the stage and quietly snoozing-
what art thou come? on, gentlemen.
away" shouted Lorenzo, our masking
mates by this time for stay" and
gallOp toward the right lower entrance,
while she, trying to initiate his gait, kept
Scarcely had his brown tights and her
striped dress shot out of sight than the
audience heard crash. a mufhed sound
that might have been suppressed oath,
and subdued laughter.
The clippers in their dash from the stage
had struck the mapping stage hand $ feet:
For moment it was an intermixture of
tights, striped skirts and overalls
pecially on the stage, was chilly. Mr.
J. NJ. Sturgeon took particular pains to
let the audience Know ne was COLO Dy
continually blowing on his fingers and af-
fecting shivering attacks Mr., Robert
Leland also interested the audience by
attempting to walk over scenery and sot-
tings whenever he made move across
the stage.
The audience was small and the piece
was cut materially. The antics of the
company were so entertaining in them
selves that the audience had very little
opportunity to admire Mr.. Whitesides
-'Shylock' and Miss Wolstan's 'POrtia,
which were by no means bad.
In the evening a much larger audience
saw Mr.. Whiteside in Hamlet. The
play was very well done, indeed, the most
remarkable thing about it being that Mr..
Whiteside has greatly changed his meth
DDS does not mouth the piece as he
used to, and is really worthy of being
considered with other noted actors who
have essaYed ''Hamlet.'