The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-15
AL THE PLAY LAST NIGHT.

Topeka theater goers who were in
duced to enter the Crawford theater
last night on the promise that a good
attraction was there, came away sat
isfied. They saw Charles A. and Dan
Mason in a German-American farce
comedy called Rudolph and Adolph."
There was probably no criticism of
the farce from those who occupied the
first floor on the ground that there was
nothing new in the three acts The
gallery, severe critics and stern judges,
sitting en- banc, may have commented
upon the close resemblance to other
farces but all accepted the piece as
good. 1t may be a surprise to some of
the upper ten of the theater going folk
who sat in the red plush seats of the
first floor to know that there have been
scores of farceS in Topeka under the
name of Grimes Cellar Door, 'Ho-
gan's Alley ''McFadden's Row of
Flats" ct al, that contained just ex-
actly what Rudolph and Adolph" does
In fact it can be truthfully said that the
farce seen last night is simply a rehaSh
of farce comedy jokes, situations and
business which have served such COM
edy teams as Murray and Mack, World
and Garnella, and such lone stars as
Charles A Loder for many years.
The renaissance in musical farce
comedy of the slap stick and silk hat
style came when Weber and Fields, in
New York, got the best performers to
be had and offered the public the same
article Is caratS fine which the lesser
lights had been serving at one night
stands and weighing out only half
dozen carats. Weber and Fields made
the hit of the metropolis and now their
brand of amusement is known as the
Weberfield style. What Mason and Ma
son give in Rudolph and Adolph" is a
small edition of the Weberfield novelty.
The Mason and Mason novelty was
good, of the kind. The comedians are
styled THE two Emperors of Germany
on the play bills. They take the two
name parts of the farce. They talk the
stage stVIe of German dialect which is
in reality an OVERRIDING of the real Ger
man-English tongue. They are dressed
alike and their make up is the same.
They say such things as 'I am not
spechiking NIT you I am folding you
and t'notificality' for notification Their
dialect is what was patented by Charles
A. Loder years ago. The humor of the
piece grows out of the mistaken identity
of Rudolph and Adolph who look and
dress alike and whose wives get them
badly muddIed. The idea of two stage
characters alike. is of course as old as
The Two Dromios'' but it was Johnny
comedy and has used 1T continuously In
the slap stick farce "A Hot Old Time
for several years.
All of which goes to show that there
is not a new line in Rudolph and
Adolph" but that the managers have
nesurrected and polished up to date
situations that have been in vogue for
years and by judiciOus advertising have
induced a better class of theater goers
to attend the performances. And that is
not a slight upon the piece. The two
emperors are excellent in their parts.
They border on the tireSome in their
dialogues occasionally but escape III
time. There is as much plot to the play
as there is reason Mason and Mason
manner do few dance steps burlesque
the modern S0ubrette and furnish plen-
ty of amusement
There is good dancing and singing in