The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

1T is very evident that the objection
able parts as played by Nethersole;
which caused so much discussion ana
which have given the play such a name,
have been eliminated by his company
This version evidently e not follow
the book"
Councilman Myers seconded the opln-
ion Of Mr.. S~wendsoR.
L was led to believe said Mayor
Drew as he left the opera house, that
this would be the same performance
that was given in New York, but It
seems to be entirely different I was
told by persons who had seen that New
York performance that it was one OF
the vilest things ever produced on the
American stage, and it was that which
I was determined should not be given
in Topeka"
1T is evident" remarked Chief Ram
sey. that they didn't want me to play
my part Perhaps they think I wouldnt
be a success on the stage thought
the show was pretty good and 1 enjoyed
it."
THE PLAY OF "sAPHO."
The version of Daudet's 'Sapho" wit
messed by Mayor Drew. the city council
and the rest Of the audience at tie
Crawford theater last night is a highly
suggestive play. The fact that it deals
with the story makes it necessarily So
A "SaphO" without suggestiveneSs
would be an impossibility. The French
novelist sought to point a IN
! showing the baneful results attending
the influence Of an impure woman over
a young man. An representation Of
these two characters in a setting made
UP partially Of the incidents recorded
in the story can only be a suggestive
play The whole atmosphere must as a
matter Of cOurse be thoroughly tainted.
However, the version seen in Topeka
last night is not suggestive to the ex-
tent Of appealing satisfactorily to those
who are attracted to the theater by no
other reason h a the possibility Of see
ing a display Of indecency. There is no
darkened stage and sound Of sensu0us
rloHng. and no spiral stair case at the
end Of which the young man lets the
impure woman slide from his arms to
the threshold Of his room. In the lack
or such effects it fails to be true to the
story. This decreases the suggestive
ness out by no means eliminates it. The
dialogue and actions Of the characters
serve TO show the unhoIy relations of
the man n woman with unmistake-
aple ctearness- The mildest possible YER
SION could be simply what the move IS,
the tale OF a man and his mistress.
Therefore. the play seen here last night
IS primarily as offensive to decency as
the sumptuous and exaggerated prOduc-
ton Of Miss NethersOIe in New York.
After the first act the progress Of
"Sapho is not unlike that OF 'aZaza.'
one piece has no more place on the
stage han the other.
Both follow the same theme, but con-
dftions are reversed. In "Zaza" the
man is the older Of the two, a husband
and father and experienced in the ways
of the world The woman is young
and ignorant In "Sapho" experience
and age are on the side Of the woman
and -inexperieuee and youth on he side
OF the a The relations between ths
characters OF the tive plays are tn
same The fact that they do not ex.
aggerate conditions of real life is nj
justification.
Miss Lillian Atwood. who was seer
l in the title role last night, must b
credited with ability. It is demon
strated in the quiet Of thl
piece In the violent passages Miss At
wood IS scarcely equal to the part He
1ury Is not artistic Her voice at Suel
times CRATES and breaks. The .Sapho'
OF Daudet's novel, il the charaete
really ever had an exae counterpart
might not have been artistic in he
= fury. Her voice might also have crate
s on the ears Of Jean and broken in tn
1 frenzy OF speech But on the stag
naturalness in respect might rea