The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-31

shows the weakness of his nature and
capitulates before her charms. Then
Eric" finds her. and the love that she
has tried to smother in her bosom She
can no longer control She finds that
Albert Lindsay played by Charles
Mason who has been the treasury De
hind her expenses has emoezzleu' y
ruined and that he Will either nave TO
leave the country or go to prison. She
learns for the first time that he is mar
ried and has children. Her better nature
cause he had robbed his wife and emil
dren of his love. his society and ms
children's money left in trust to him, 10
spend it all upon "katinka-
Then "Katinka" sees the mistakes anu anu
the horror Of it ALL and she yearns Tor
a way of escape. She refuses the ofte1
of ''Brinker,'' wealthy man about town
who would step into the shoes OF Llnu-
say and take his bank account WIZ
him in making the step. Katinkd
finally GOES with Eric" who has en-
listed for tie war in Cuba as an engl-
neer. "Katinka" resolves to be an army
nurse, and she leaves her old life behind
her.
Such is the brief story of "A Modern
Magdalen" but print can not carry with
it the atmosphere of the play. Espec-
ially of the third act which shows the
gold and scarlet apartments of The
Madcap." Just such apartments as the
home defenders and the reformers refer
to as "gilded palaces of sin and protnels
of iniuuity." Just such places are raid
ed by the police now and then Just
such women as were represented IN the
scene exist in every town ana IN every
town there are hundreds of people VINO
would not look at the buildings that
house such places but who flock to the
theaters to see shame and vice display
ed under the mask of art and the al
Turing title of "a problem play"
"Sapho;" gracious Fanny Le-
Grande" and her Jean" with the stair
scene and all lisa a Sunday school tract
in comparison with "a Modern Magda-
llen.' "Zaza," Camille" and The
Turtle" would flicker like candle in
comparison to the braZen lustre and
search light effect of this play sam L.
Jacks "Orange Blossoms" and Lilly
Claws tobooed red headed entertainers
never trod a Topeka stage more clad
above the waist as did some of the char
acterized denizens of the Tenderloin
portrayed in the three a. m. scene OF
reVelry in the third act
And the reception given John Strong
when he entered the s'gilded palace was
nothing short of shocking The women
of the place meant to shock him by their
actions They succeeded. The actions
NAV be best imagined but when John
Strong made his escape their was powder
/ on each of his shoulders. his hair was
mussed. champagne had been poured down
his back. It was an excellent portrayal
!
and the women of their class
"A problem play it is called but there
1 is no problem to it at ALL 1t is all plain
plain as life itself and what is the use of
crowding the bad to the front, putting
heroic words such q would to Cod
in the mouths of such people? Why should
such a despicable character as that of a
father who would encourage his daughter
to lead a life of shame be so wildly
brought out2 Such inhuman parents are
few and so are the reformers who under
the cloak of religion, frequent places of
vice. If there is a problem to the play it
is how to make such characters as Lind
say" Jenkins '.Katinka,'' ''Brnker'
and the denizens of such places better. 1t
is not alone how to turn one person, like
.'Katinka," away from such a life. The
questions and the problems are too deep
for the thinkers in real life. Then how
will the solving be fastened by showing
immortality with all its gIasnor behind the
foot lights? "A Modern Magdalen'' is fit
only to be seen by persons who know of
vice and who have met it face to face in
its own light
The plot of "A Modern Magdalen' re
has no such character as John Storm to
make it worth while and it has instead
fmore brazen vice. Mr.. Ferguson's portray
| al of the inhuman and drunken father was
a neat bit of acting. He made the part
/ funny to the extreme in spite of its dis
of the farce comedy characters, but the