The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-16
" UNDER THE RED ROBE"
Calls Out One of the Largest Au-
diences of the Season.

The taste for romantic drama was
clearly defined by the size of the audi
eDce which witnessed Under the Red
Robe" at the Crawford theater Saturday
night However, regardless OF the taste
Tor the class OF attraction, that play,
adapted by the same man who drama tized
The Prisoner of Zenda-" and produced
with unusual success in both New York
ana London, should be well received by
Topeka theatergoers on its first presenta-
ton here, is not to be wondered at II
was one OF the largest audiences of the
season
If Edward Rose treated Stanley Weyna ;
novel in such way as 10 give the stage
he accomplished with the novel of An
thony Hope, he succeeded aduira bly, in
Sa5lstylng the liking for the romantic, and
1t IS not 10 be wondered a that the pro-
ducton enjoyed almost extraordinary sue
To the eye of 4 nineteenth century OBJ
server, the sentiment OF the piece in some
tHstdnces appears unreal put the roman
tic drama is not the best place TO look for
absolute naturalness on the stage. Indeed
so nearly approaches the unelOdramatfc a :
TO be almost indistinguishabIe from the
But two of the company seen here Sat
uruay night were members of the original
Ges., ana they are IN minor parts, The
present company, however, is uniformly
competent and the play is well handled.
william Norris GIL de Berault'' is a
strong chara cterizatiOn. Almost equally
as strong IS Frances Gaunt's Rene. de
the hands of H s Northrl1D is me onir
A m
tiIle dld the audience feel that the great
enurehInan Of France was before it in
FEank McClynn' "Richelieu.' but. not
"IthStaLlulng, McGlynn' cardinal was not
q bad piece of acting. To the lot of Harry
heane as Captain Larolle'' falls the onIv
and there IS no fault to be found with his
ssIIorts:: he portrays the part as the
oranat1st created it, but II is improb Fable
70 suppose that as eonceited and cowardIy
ana aaIIoSetner brainless a fellow as the
sage LarOile ever rose to the position of
captain OF a guard in such a crafty period
n r renSh history as the time of Richie
4tSu- Inc OtIler members of cast worked
CUT the less important parts in a salts
The gil de Berault'' of the stage Is a
man or honor from the start When as
me inS onS chanee OF escape. from the gall
lows me cardinal offers him the commits
son q spy, he the adventurer and duel
- - whose sword mas found so many VIC
sa-rI a. 70 earn Tor MIN the SObriQuet of
Ihe Black Death" hesitates because of
MS honor- At the COcheforet chateau
%nsh the woman he is just learning to
love condemns the profession of a spy If
- ~ 1lS nohor which causes him to start so
compel him to explain that to an old
E%oqno Is due his unreasOna BILE agitation
secret1ng the COcheforet trea sure after he
ne 1I sto t7 It from the cabinet. and like no
me me open drawer. and with the treasure in
- 80 h IN argueS with himself upon the
1teP ne mas taken In this wav DE
6slaGIL IS made a picturesque character.
sacrif5ced I L,ettS5Ll1oiehess Is considerably
80 T I.LSeu; pIcluresqu more than nat
u[S41ifsss IS requisite in romantic drama
~. 1i1- ~ ~, MOTIFS both looks and acts the
part OF Gid de BerauIt'' and his DortraVaI
IS n9ch 70 be admired. To Miss C;aII1t
as renee de CochefOret'' naturally fails
sInotional scenes, but at no time is her
MoFk Overcome In one point at least
tne uraTlatlSt has been unjust TO both 49,
cslar3cters, IN not providing proper oDpor-
Iunltles Tor dramatic effect This h in
me love scenes They are so fncOmDleta
that the audience is compelled to ina e-frs
the progress Of the affection which -
or 9ctlon here and there to aid IT,
me piece IS appropriately costun1ed and
large audience Mr.. Morris and MIS-
Gaunt were given curtain call after he