The Topeka state journal., 1901-03-06
A DECIDED HIT.
Alberta Gallatin Greatly Pleases
Topeka Audience.
A Perfect Portrayal OfVivacious
Nell GWynns
EARNS CURTAIN CALLS.
Simplicity and Naturalness Her
Charm.
Says Mrs. Nation WOuld Make
Dime Museum Freak.
EARNS CURTAIN CALLS.

Without a piece of special scenery
and dependent only upon her acting Al
berta Gallatin scored a decided triumph
at the Grand last night as the vivac1ous
Nell Gwynn," who has lately been re-
viVed by the historians and playwrights-
1t was Miss Gallatin's efforts alone
which decided the success of the per-
formance. After the third act she re-
ceived three curtain calls and was
warmly applauded during The last act
1t seems that Gator Heverin, who is re-
sponsible for the historical comedy
drama, has wasted opportunities in the
first two acts. They are not particularly
strong, and beyond giving Nell GWynn'
ana ."Charles Stuart, king Of England,
a chance to display their true characters
and to reveal the plot against the king,
there is very little in the two acts. ana
the audience may begin to wonder II
Nell Gwynn," the passionate, frivolous
and most talked of woman in England
of her time, is to go on through the four
acts without any opportunities There
are opportunities, however. and Miss
Gallatin made the most Of them In the
third act, in the apartments of Lord
BuckhurSt,' where the plOtterS or lne
king have entrapped him, Nell Gwynn,
heretofore the nnischievous maid, be
comes a woman; a woman full OF loyalty
and love and ready to sacr1flce herseI
for the life and honor OF her lover, the
king. She is Mistress Nelly OF old
Drury no longer, and no longer the shy
nilly companion of the court1erS ana
Charles Stuart, but the defender OF the
The last act. at the Growing Hen
Inn is where the audience does not wait
for the curtain to fall but applauds
right in the midst of the excitement as
Nell Gwynn'' dances before the
drunken allies Of Wye in order to gain
time that the king may be rescued ~
the wild abandon Of the dance, as she
lodges around the room to the plaud1ts
and 1ibes Of the drunken ruffians, snap
ping her fingers in time to the reckless
fandangO. and smiling as bewltchlngly az
the swains as she did at the lords ana
ladies' the climax to the short story OF
Sweet Nell of old Drury IS reached, and
Heverin is forgiven and his reason un-
derstcod for making the first two acts
vehicles for the herOlne's plquancy as q
contrast to her strength and cunning IN
the last
Miss Gallatin's acting leaves nothing
wanting 1t does not seem that any
other actress conception of the char
acter. could be better. The charm of her
acting is the simplicity and naturaineSs-
Not once, even in the widest scenes.
does Miss Gallatin overdo the part IN
the least Many who saw ner may com
pare her in many ways to Mrs F1ske-
There is a reminder in Miss Gallatln
ways of the portrayer - Becky Sha1p,
MISS AIaliaIlQ SuDDOILuS COA4Ica4S -
not as strong as could be desired The
.Charles Stuart of Allen Davenport IS
not as pleasing as it might be. although
Davenport is an actor Of ability Arthur
Rutledge as Captain Rupert Wyborne''
seems to be the strongest in the support
Of Miss Csallatfn Margaret Dale Owen
as Mistress Betty Fairfield" pleased
the audience, both son account Of her
pref face and good acting
There were a few funny incidents IN
the play not calculated to be there. In
the third act Nell Gwynn" and
Charles Stuart" were to be seated to-
eether on a sofa Instead of a sofa the
property man had secured a large arm
chair. and when the king and Nell
Cswynn' unbent themselves to be seated
/ they sank into the chair, or tried to,
together and it looked as If something
must give way. But nothing gave In
the least, and they were wedged IN to-
/ gether between the narrow arms OF the
/ chair. The audience laughed and so
/ did the ever vivacious Nellie
Miss Gallatin was much interested in
Mrs. Nation This is the scene of Mrs.
| Nations exploits, is 1t not?" she asked.
well, have followed her pretty close
" in the papers. Do think she could
I days of sensationalism of that kind are
over. She might do in a dime museum
as a freak but not on the stage" Miss
! CsalIatfn was abroad last summer, and
while in England bought a. copy of a
4 painting of Nell Gwynn, and from that
\ painting her wig maker in New York
\ patterned the dark auburn wig she wore
4 as the character. Miss Gallatin is a de-
4 cided brunette.