The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-18
AT THE THEATER.

Lewis Morrison proved to Topeka
audiences for a second time Saturday
that he lost a career of fame on the
stage, probably equal to that of any
American actor, by clinging for so
many years to the part OF "Mephisto
in a spectacular Faust" He first
demonstrated this here two seasons ago
Ceremonies ''
'.Frederick the Great" the production
now used by Mr.. Morrison to show his
ability as a character actor, is rather
unique in the fact that it is essentially
a comedy creation with a distinctly his
tOrical flavor. History is usually as
deep on the stage s it is in any other
form, but Frederick the Great proves
an exception 1t is true that the Incl
dents of the play fail to center about
any great historical event. and the his
tOrical flavor is confined exclusively to
the appearance on the stage of hiStOrl-
cal characters, but one of these is no
less a parsonage than the great history
maker of his time, the able and eccen-
trio king of Prussia. From the fact
that he is the central figure. and the
comedy Situa tlOnS are largely depen-
dent upon him, the author deserves
credit for originality in constructing his
production if for nothing else.
George Foster Platt, the young man
who makes such a capable Lieutenant
HulsOn," is the author of Frederick
the Great, and he takes occasion 10
announce from the programme that the
piece was written with no other pur-
pose than to show the many-alded
character of the great ruler. This an
nouncement saves Mr.. Platt, partially
at least, from being looked upon as
decidedly disconnected writer. The
love story forms the only semblance of
a plot in the piece, and outside of this
it is but a, succession of incidents that
do not follow each other in any regular
order or lead up to any final event.
Mr.. Platt, however, has succeeded in
constructing several good situations in
RA r
iOus characters, especially the central
one, many bright lines.
As "F'rederick' Mr. Morrison grasps
fully the possibilities in pOrtraylng the
varying emotions of the King of Prus-
sia, and at all times his work is finish
ed and his FREDERICK interesting. At
one moment he is firing books at the
head of Voltaire. at another he is sor-
rowing over the fate of his sister
Amelia, and at another he is cOnyulSed
with laughter over situations of his
own planning, and in the combination
he is showing his versatile power The
quick transitions from the serious to
the gay, and from the gay to the ser
iOuS, which the character demands, are
a test of ability, and at the same time
prove Mr.. MorrisOn's possession.
The company supporting Mr. Morri-
son is well balanced. Miss Florence
Roberts, Mr. Morrison's wife, finds
more favor with an audience in her role
of La BaFbarina" than is true, prob
ably, of any other part she has been
prominently associated with. She
makes La Barbarina' vivacious and
for the most part charming Mr.. Frank
B. flaming is an earnest lover as lyon
Trenk'' and Mr.. Howard Scott an ac-
ceptabIe ''VoItaire" Mrs. Adele Clarke,
the mother of Harry CorsOn Clarke, who
was seen here with her son last season
in What Happened to Jones'" makes
the most of Countess Swartzfeld," as
she does of every role she assumes, and
Miss Lorena Atwood looks and acts well
as the Princess Amelia"
I'll
Iy staged, Mr. Morrison carrying an en-
tire equipment Of scenery.