The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-13
THE THEATERS.

Romantic drama is to a great extent
a travesty on the natural in life The
presentation of Steele Mackaye's Paul
Kauvar'' at the Crawford theater Sat
urday afternoon and evening proved no
exception to the rule. 1t would be hard
to believe that in such blood stained
days as those of the Reign of Terror,
men and women, confronted by the
most appalling conditions, moved and
posed, made gestures and used hyphe-
mated speech such as did Mr. Spencer
and Miss Pengra, and other members
of the cast in each Of the performances
Saturday, In his lecture here last week
William Dean Howells said that the rO-
manifest was by far the most popular
novelist for the reason that the ma
jority of people like eXaggeration and
imprOba bility. The same rule applies
in romantic drama. The one prominent
feature of this class OF stage produc-
ton is imprObability, not only in theme
but in action, and the majority of ro-
mantle dramas have proven financial
successes. Paul kauvar'' is not one Of
the most brilliant examples, for money
has been lost as we'll as made with the
MaCkaye production. But the audi
ences at the Crawford theater Saturday
evidenced a like for 1t and the work of
the people presenting it by rendering
frequent applause and curtain call at
each performance.
There is much that is highly emotion
al in Paul KauVar" and for this rea-
son both Mr. Spencer and Miss Pengra
must look to the training of their
voices to a condition of better control
than apparently exists at present. In
the matter OF stage appearance Miss
Pengra has easily the honors over Mr..
Spencer. Symmetrical proportions are
almost a necessity in a romantic hero,
and Mr.. Spencer'S form is shown to be
considerably less than ideal. His make
up as a colonel in the republican army
is bad, and while off the stage Mr..
Spencer is a nice looking gentleman his
hat a n 70
give an audience just an opposite opin-
ion.
Miss Pengra looks pretty. and the
flowing gowns of the time of the play
become her. Her principal fault seems
to be her devotion to the principals of
Delsarte.
The support given Mr.. Spencer and
Miss Pengra was by no means eXcep-
tionaI. Mr.. John A. Lane as the due
de Beaumont" deserves the greatest
credit among the members of the sup
porting company Mr.. Joseph E. Zah-
ner was poor in one of the principal
roles.
The action of the play suffered sew
eral times from the appearance on the
stage of the mob" This is invariably
true, however. where "mobs" are not
carried as a part of the company.
The stage settings in the first two
parts We're appropriate. The costumes
were historically correct.
While Mr. Hubert Labadie continues
TO tour the country with MS present
cast in the production of Faust it is
well that Gothe's great effort is immor-
tai If it was subject to the action of
mortals, the manner of its end can only
be surmised
The electrical effects form the most
creditable feature of the Labadie pro-
duction, and by reason of the burning
of the baggage car containing the pro-
perties of the company at Manhattan
last week, they failed to have the as
sistance of appropriate scenery at the
Grand Opera House Saturday night.
Much of the time the stage was kept
alternately in semi and complete dark
ness as a result.
In trying to make 'tAIephisto'' a come
dian, Mr.. Labadie often approaches the
ridiculous in his Interpretation. and
Goethe undoubtedly takes several turns
in his grave each night if he has any
way of witnessing the 'maidenly joy
and emotional acting of his ''Marguer-
ite." Faust" was much better as an
old man in the darkness of his IabOra-
tory than after his regeneration and
for the sake of audiences Mr.. Labadie
should refrain from giving him the
mustic goblet to drain. The audience
that saw the production was fair in
size, but there was little applause.