The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-02-17
Music and Drama
Coming Attractions for
Wichita Amusement Lovers

| Wichita Amusement Lovers
AS devoid Of plot and as laughable as
/ all of Hoyt's other farce comedies. is "A
Hole in the Ground which pleased an
I immense and good-natured house at the
Grand last evening. The piece IS a series
/ Of funny specialties, OF which, perhaps,
the dancing school with Frank c. Young
and eBssie De Vote as interpreters, IS the
best Their dancing was really good
The tortures inflicted upon each other
by the station agent and the nervous
stranger evidently appealed TO the house,
for as each vel known, nerve-racking
phase Of station waiting was presented
the audience responded literally Chas.
Cowles. as the stranger" merits more
than passing mention, and his railroad
songs made a hit. Barry Maxwell. as
dilapidated umpire, was warmly well
| cored, and some of his tramp specialties
were cot half bad Nellie De Couraeys
the brassy little pie girl, was little over
worked in the cast, and was most accep-
table in her coon specialties. Edward
Craven is not a failure as an Irish com
edian and his song 'ThereH Be No
More Rag-Time Songs Tonight" took
well with the house.
The lantern song was a pretty feature,
and the male quartette, Messrs Taylor,
Rale, Norman and Springer. did some
pleasing medleys. Altogether, the host,
who came to laugh, went away with their
desires satisfied.
There were some stereotyped jokes and
some really new ones. The stage setting
quite faithfully pictured a country rail-
road station.
Every available seat was taken and the
boxes were well fned.-St Paul Globe,
January IL
To John Griffith, the eminent young
actor, does the city of Springfield turn
with pride, eIated that one Of her sons
should have risen so near the zenith of
the theatrical world and that she should
be represented in the realms of stage
dom by one whose ability should and
does elicit universal admiration and
applause. Mr.. Griffith was seen In this
city last night in the title role of Spar
tacrs.' Well may it be said that no
more thorough Spartacus ever graced the
stage. Wit ha physique and carriage that
would have made the most ambitious
gladiator of the Roman empire look well
unto himself, and with elegance of mein
and a delivery which cannot be excelled
in the theatrical world, Mr. Griffith ut
tered the forceful lines Of the thrilling
"Spartacus" with a thoroughness and
grandness such as Springfield theare-
goers have never enjoyed before.
The audience at Chatterton's last night
was large one and the enthusiasm with
which Mr.. Griffith was received and his
lines were heard, was overwhelming.
Several times the ''formidable gladiator
was forced to step forth as the result of
vehement curtain calls, and this he grace
fully did. Throughout, the production Of
''Spartacus'' was such as to satisfy the
most exacting critic whose pen was not
guided by prejudice Frequently as Mr..
Griffith was wording his defiance at the
Romans or uttering words Of affection for
Sonora and his child, bursts iof applause
would Interrupt him. and manifestations
of satisfaction on the part of the audi
ence were continual.
A most noticeable feature Of the per-
Torrance is that Mr.. Griffith the star
of tragedy, is the nucleus Of a fine COM
pany, among those supporting him being
Miss Katherine Purnell, Minnie Wilson
Edward Trevor, Mortimer Martini, Jajes
TAYLOR. Fireman DeWolfe, Carl Anthony,
Taylor Carroll and a number of others,
including Roman soldiers, gladiators, ETC.
The scenic effects are of the highest
standard. The secene representing the
arena in the Coliseum being a new con-
eeption an dadding TO the effect Of the
clash of the great gladiators. more agree
ably than former arrangements The
production upon the whole is a most
elaborate one. Mr.. Griffith has appeared
here in "An Enemy to the King"
Faust" Richard III" and in other pro-
auctions which he has generated with
success, hut his version Of "Spartacus" IS
undoubtedly his masterpiece, and al pres
ent last night enjoyed the production inn
mensely and realized full well that it
means the acceleration Of Mr. Grihth's
rise in the theatrical world. if it be pos
sible for him to mount higher-Spring-
field, III, State Register. January 81.