The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-28
MR.NEILLPLEASES
His ssAn American Citizen Is
Altogether Satisfactory.
Strong Company Presents Nat
GOodWin's Famous Comedy.
PLOT Is WHOLESOME.
Nothing Displeasing or Unnat-
ural in the Play.
PLOT rs WHOLESOME.
Company VIII Be Seen Tonight
in Another Goodwin Comedy.

Topeka had its introduction to "An
American Citizen last night, and the
first impression was pleasing. To be
sure Nat Goodwin was not here, but
James Neill a young western actor. ap-
peared in his part of Beresford Cruger,
and in many respects he was excellent.
Mr.. Neill has a peculiar voice, which at
first appears unpleasant, but the au-
dlence becomes accustomed to his deep
tones after awhile, and last night his
work won for him many rounds of ap-
plause- In fact, the demonstration at
the end Of the third act was quite as
spontaneous and the reception just as
hearty as that accorded to Frank Dan
tels or any other of the top-nOtchers-
Again and again the curtain went up
revealing the young actor in his most
graceful bows, but he steadfastly refused
to appear before the curtain and make
a speech
Edith Chapman Cher name is printed
"Edythe' on the programmed is beau
tifully natural in the part Of Beatrice
Carew. She is all the character de-
nlands, dignified and yet loving, naughty
and still warm hearted, of firm mind
but OF a forgiving disposition. The sup
porting company is strong one, from
Frank MacVicors, the senior partner,
to Mercury. the office boy.
An American Citizen is a good play
and it was written by a woman, Made
line Lucette Ryley. 1t was pure and
wholesome and not a single person can
witness the beautiful little comedy
without taking with him from the the
alter a delightful sense of satisfaction
What a contrast with ''Zaza,'' whose
very atmosphere reeks with vice.
The scene of the play opens in a
partners find that the third has de-
faulted- He has used bonds held in
trust for Georgia Chaplin, an American
girl and her aunt The firm is unable
to make good the defalcation and this
drives Beresford Cruger, the junior
partner, to accept the terms of an Eng
lish uncle's WILL which he had before
rejected The terms were that he should
renounce his American citizenship, be-
come an Englishman and marry before
he is thirty. Beatrice Carew, a daugh-
ter of the uncle who was disinherfted
because she had fallen in love with an
American, arrives just in time to help
the young broker out of his dilemma
She consents to marry him and in this
way both she and Cruger receive the
benefit of her fathers fortune, but she
stipulates that they shall not live to-
gether and shall not see each other after
the marriage. She tells her cousin that
her heart lies buried at the foot of the
Alps with her American lover, who was
killed by a fall. The arrangement
works sa satisfactorily until Cruger. now
Carew. since he has renowned his name,
and his wife meet by chance in Italy,
and when they both discover that they
are in love with each other, though
neither reveals the secret About this
TIME Ln6 American lover OF MIS-. OdIGW.
who is supposed to be dead arrives on
the scene. He turns out to be Brown,
the defaulting partner, who had sent
out the story of his own death after he
heard that Miss Carew had been disin-
herited- Mr.. Carew or Cruger fears to
tell his wife of Browns rascality for
fear of creating sympathy for him; he
understands this strange contradiction
in woman's nature. Brown again lays
siege to Mrs. Carew's heart and begins
to devise means of getting rid of the
husband, who is a husband in name
only. Before Browns plans are realized
news comes that the Carews have lost
their inherited fortune by litigation and
Brown suddenly disappears
The final act is laid in London, where
Beresford Carew is struggling hard to
pay back the part of the inheritance he
has used and also to supply his wife with
an allowance. Mrs. Carew finally learns
the true state of affairs. there is a
happy acknowledgment of both hus-
band and wife. and the curtain goes
down on the first love scene OF Mr.
Beresford Cruger and his wife.
The piece is well staged and the cos
tunes are elegant.
The company will close its Topeka en-
gagement tonight in Nat Goodwin's
play ssAristocracy.''