The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-18
AT THE PLAY LAST NIGHT.

Southern critics backed by southern
audiences have declared during the
present season that Mr.. Clay Clements
Southern Gentleman is a truly rep
resentative character. Northern people
unfamiliar to a great extent with just
what type constitutes a representative
southern gentleman, simply see in the
creation new Interpretation. He is a
man who fails to make dialect his trade
mark and fOrgets to buster. He is
quiet, reserved and strong in sentiment
These characteristics are enough to
make him vastly different from the or
binary southern gentleman of the
stage, and the audience at the Craw-
ford theater last night apparently liked
him so well that they twice called Mr..
Clement before the curtain at the end of
the second act.
One may like Mr.. Clement without
liking his new play; Particularly this
Is true because almost every other
character in the piece has as much
place on the stage as Mr.Clement takes
"A Southern Gentleman" is not as
strong as THE New Dominion except
In the point that Gen. Joseph Carroll
bears a striking resemblance in person.
ality to Baron Hohenstauffen. 1t is
not unreasonable to believe that this
resemblance was largely responsible for
the enthusiasm shown by the audience
in calling Mr.. Clement before the cur
tain.
Everything Mr.. Clement does as the
to mind his former creation. His alb
sent minded, sOlHoQuiZing way, his ges-
lures, his manner of expression all re-
mind his audience of the German baron.
1t was the same personality in a new
frame. but not one of as fine workman
ship or pretty coIoring as THE New
Dominion made.
In the casting of Mr.. Clements sup
porting company a serious mistake was
made. If Mr.. Clement is responsible for
it his judgment must be criticised This
was in giving to Mrs Clement the part
Of "Arzelia Thompson" the girl with
whom the Confederate veteran falls in
love after having loved her mother
years before. Mrs. Clement is strange
" untitled for the part. and it seems to
be only just to the author-actor to be
Heve that consideration for his wife's
aspirations to hold the leading role as
his reason for allowing her to continue
in it. Mrs. Clement fails to look the
part and her portrayal is devoid OF nat
uralness and strong in affectatiOn. In
THE New Dominion" Mrs Clement had
the role of a promising woman OF the
world. and her work was satisfactory
'-Arzelia Thompson is a girlish char
acter. and Mrs. Clement is anything
but girlish in her acting. From the very
acceptable way in which Flora May
Randolph" a similar character of The
New Dominion" was carried out by
Miss Nell MacEwan. she should rea-
sonably have the part.
Mr. Clement has written into his new
play two clever character parts. MANI
my Indy and Hannibal" successful
iy handled by Miss Lucille La Verne
and Mr.. Jeffrey D. Williams The south
ern press has become enthusiastic in
speaking of the characters as true types
of southern servants
The play is largely conventional 1t
gives opportunity for but little effective
acting and Mr.. Clements personality
and the character work Of Miss La
Verne and Mr.. Williams, and that OF
NTH. s Duff1eld as Judge Fluhearty."
a remarkably unique creation. alone en-
liven it Mr.. Thomas O'Malley, who
made such a clever cOlored servant IN
The New Dominion makes only
fairly acceptable Irishman- Miss Mac
Even has very insignificant part, which
gives her no opportunities at all
"a Southern Gentleman" can not be
held to be other than weak and faulty
as a play. The story is pretty but not
well told. Mr.. Clements sentiment is
much in evidence, but is not presented
in such way to be fairly apprecia-
ted. Topeka people liked Mr. Clement
in The New Dominion" and the second
time he brought it here his audience
was much larger than the first The
plea sing impression of his ''Hohenstauf-
fen lasted and last nights audience
filed the theater. AS far as Mr. Glenn
ent was personally concerned a South
ern Gentleman was not diSappoint-
ment, only in as much that Mr. Glenn
ent's ability was only manifest to
limited degree.
The piece was handsomely staged.