The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-23
TOPEKA LIKED IT.
FlorOdOra Seen for First Time
Makes Good Impression.
Company Was Large and Play
Was Complete.
MISS RUSH'S HONORS.
She Easily Captivated the
Audience at the Crawford.
Aft Wheelan Made Hit in Lead
ing Comedy Role.

1t has come and it has gone and not
one Of the six pretty maidens in the
sFIorodora'' double sextette was kid
naped in Topeka.
''Florodora" was found to be good by
the large audience which saw and heard
it last night. In fact it is altogether too
good for the small stage OF the Craw>
ford. Time and again the stage was so
crowded that it reminded the audience
of the main aisle of a dry goods store
on bargain day. Coiffures and hats suf-
fered from the members of the company
in head end and starboard collisions.
But it seemed to make little difference
for the three score of folks In the cast.
They bumped through the two acts I'M
til ''TWeedlepunch," the phrenolog1St OF
the stage story, would have had his
science knocked galley west had he
tried to read the bumps. The limlta-
tions of the stage made the ensembles
look like an Arkansas Thanksgiving
family reunion. 1t was all so crowded
and homelike.
There was one in the cast who de-
manded room and was accorded all that
was necessary That was Isadore Rush.
If the room was not there she swept
her skirts or trains, as the costumes
might afford, with a sweeping swish and
cleared the stage for herself. There
have been '.One man shows" in Topeka,
but .'Florodora'' is the first that comes
close to being a "one woman show. OF
course the one woman is Miss Rush, who
has the honor of being spoken of as ''the
best dressed woman on the American
stage" The assertion allows of no
arguments. Miss Rush looks just like
the pictures you see in Harper's Bazaar
and the Delineator of the fashion MOD
els in the latest creations of Redfern.
Miss Rush is the only actress who can
perfectly exemplify the straight front
and give a correct imitation of the per-
feet walk according to the rules and
regulations of DelSarte.
Miss Rush is not a singer but she is
actress of unusual ability. She used to
be leading lady with her husband Roland
Reed before his death and she played
roles which could be accomplished only
the author of the book of "Florodora,
has departed from the usual lines and he
does not leave the witticisims to be
spoken by the men. n He has given Lady
Holyrood'' scores Of bright sayings about
men, women and events that equal those
Adeages of AIDE in THE Sultan of Sulu."
Miss Rush can say them, too, with as
much zest and force as ever man could
muster and her captivating wink gave
her nice handicap over any male COM
edian Miss Rush sang several songs
which were well received. One of them
Tact and it was by tact and not
by reason of any vocal ability that she
was accorded the honors of the perform
ance.
''FIorodora'' is long on music and short
on soloists. The quick and catchy
CnOTuSeS 1Ol1OWeQ one AFTER the OIneT III
surprising rapidity. The audience was
expected to go away whistling the last
Il Want to Be a Military Man,, and
that part of the audience which sat the
highest did. The most pretentious solos
for the female portion of the cast fell to
Corrine. Now Corrine is a vivacious act
ress who has been in Topeka many times
before. She is great favorite and she
makes very rollicking gypsy in tights
but no one ever accused Corrine of being
able to sing anything but a simple ballad
and when she as Dolores was called
upon to reach the high notes of Queen
of the Philippine Islands, her lungs were
so cramped by her costume that she had
trouble. She caught few breaths, how
ever. and accomplished the note without
turning red in the face.
ALI c. Wheelan as '-Tweedlepunch was
funny. There is need to use adjectives
to explain the degree. He was accorded
the most hand claps next to Miss Rush.
Wheelan has been a funny man in the
east for a good many years. This is his
first visit to Topeka and he left the i'm
preston that he can knead his counter
ance into any shape or fashion he de-
sires. Wheelan was kept busy during the
performance and was the who really
shared the honorS with Miss Rush
The pretty maidens' sextette was cordial
ly received simply because everyone in the
audience had read about that feature and
erous in passing judgment on the Tell
Me. Pretty Maiden song and the singers.
Inc SIX nlaluenS were tall, spare Dullt ana
stately as the pen pictures of English wo-
men drawn by DuMaurier. They were not
handsome. Six prettier women could have
been found in any row of seats in the bal
cony or parquet. The six pretty maidens
were not plain, either. They were smiling
and nodding and winlSing enough to make
hit. They did. and were recalled three
times.
The real solo hit of the evening was
Under the Shades of the Palms. sung
by Charles Bowers. The company carries
its orchestra and Mr.. Bowers knows
hfaVzT To cir
to write songs. He has a voice of some
quality and he Is the only one in the whole