The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-18
AT THE PLAY LAST NIGHT.

1t Is seldom that a company number
ing but seven people can handle an
emotional drama in a manner which
will please an audience, but that is just
players did at the Crawford last night.
And one of those supporting players
was in the part of a servant who .deliv-
cred cards and ushered in visitors about
three times during the performance In
reality, half dozen accomplished ac-
tors and actresses gave Forget Me
Not with dramatic vigor and thor
oughnesS that kept the audiences close
attention during the three acts
Miss COghlan is not new to the stage.
While she has not been seen in Topeka
Tor many years she is well known in the
east and with her English actor brother
Charles Coghlan, she scored several sue
cesseS before his death at Galveston the
day before the flood. Forget Me Not
was Miss Coghlan's first great success.
She created the part of "Stephanie'
nearly 20 years ago. Miss Coghlan is
aging and taking on flesh. Neither the
addition to her years nor her avOirdu
poiS mars her famous part. In fact
both add to it. for as the once proprie-
tress of French gambling house where
crime was rampant, the marks of age
and dissipation are an ingredient of the
character.
The part of "Stephanie de Mohrivart,"
better known as Forget Me Not is
that of the widow of a French noble
man who under the cloak of position
innocent We're duped. robbed and even
murdered. The proprietor was assassi-
mated by CorSican who had been
duped by the woman and robbed by the
man. He was sentenced to a, French
prison for life. The widow, "Stephanie,'
had a son who was a gentleman and
who disowned his parents. . He married
Rose Verney" and died. BY a French
law he could not marry before he was
25 without the consent of both parents
and if, after the marriage either parent
made objections within year the mar
riage should be null and void. 1t was
six weeks before the year was up and
the son of the gambler and his wife
was but % when he married. "Stepha-
nie'' threatens alice Verney'' that she
will appear in court and annul the mar
riage unless she, Miss Verney, who is a
person of position, stand sponsor to her
and take her into society in Rome which
means the degrading of Miss Verney.
For fear that her sister will be disgraced
Miss Verney is about to do this when
friend, Sir Horace Welby' discovers
that the Corsican has escaped from
prison and is in Rome looking for For
get Me Not" With that as his cudge1
he drives "Stephanie'' from the city and
the play ends with her escaping through
the room while the Corsican's back is
turned.
Miss Coghlans opportunities are ample.
In the first act where she swoops down
come to live with the Verneys for six
weeks she reveals her real character with
heartlessness and desire. for money. and
position at the cost of life and happiness.
together with the sang froid and quick
wittedness of woman of the world,
make ..Stephanie'' a part of unlimited OPP
portunities almost in the first act In the
second, where Sir Horace" thinks he can
crush her, she acts the part of the re-
pentant only to end it all with a shrug
of her shoulders and a laugh.
In the last act. where the story of the
assassination and the desire of the Corsi-
can for her life and the story in the news
papers of his escape is told. her spirit is
broken by fear, but she regainS her stolid
composure until she sees the Corsican in
the moonlight. Then she breaks down in;
abject terror and Sir Horace" drives her
from Rome.
In all the scenes Miss Coghlan displayed
her ability actress. She was equal
to all the many phases of character and in
the third act when driven to the limit of
excitement by the fear of the assassin she
displayed her powers. The company sup
porting Miss Coghlan was good. Emmett
c. King as 'Sir Horace was excellent in
the part of the cool and collected bachelor
man of the. world. Elwood Bostwick as
s'Barrato'' the Corsican was on the stage
but a comparatively, small part of the time
but even to his makeup he displayed the
hate of the character with intensity
that was masterful. Alice Yerney,' was
well played by Neil McEwen and Mrs
Foley the housekeeper, was well done by