The Topeka state journal., 1902-12-13
AT THE PLAY LAST NIGHT.

If the audience which saw the produc~
tion of Alice of Old Vincennes" at the
Crawford last night had been called
Upon to act jury of award and de
eide by ballot whether Gertrude Coghlan
and her company should receive the
grand Drix medal, a diploma, special
mention, nothing at all, it is likely
that there would have been a deadlock
and that the audience would still be in
executive session in the theater-
Whether Miss Coghlan is a great acts
ress or not is a matter of opinions and
opinions differ. That she is clever is noS
disputed. She had her admirers in last
nights audience, who unequivocally pro
nOCnced Ter interpretatiOn of the role OF
the heroine in Maurice ThomDson's
story to be perfect. There were as many,
and perhaps more, who credited her with
a pleasing presence but lack of thor
ouShness.
Miss Coghlan is young. she is only "a
years old, and she has time to improve.
She was here last season in the title role
of Becky Sharp. 1t was unfortunate
that she followed Mrs. F'iske in that
character a season after the first pro-
duction in Topeka. Miss Coghlan suf-
fered severely in comparison. 1t would
not be difficult for Miss Coghlan to find
a role in which she would be unques-
tionably good. One point in her favor
is that she is remarkably natural at all
times and it might be that her method
of simplicity and naturalness, differing
so from the usual intensly dramatic self
CONSEQUENCES. Is really dDll1JY ana ART
misunderstood by those trained to the
'old school, methods. Miss Coghlan
does not overdo the heroic lines in anv
instance If anything, she underdoes
them and that is certainly far better
than rant and below.
Gertrude Coghlan is the daughter of
the late Charles Coghlan- She comes of
line of illustrious stage folk. She was
always trained by her father to hold
herself in reserve until late in the
Ia ne
Those who are looking out for her well
fare insist that she abandon the method.
She refuses to follow other instructions.
In the third act, showing the interior of
the Vincennes fort, the climax of the
play is reached. Alice" is in the pow
er of Hamilton" In this Miss Coghlan
did not seem to rise to the opportuni-
ties. But she did not overdo the role
and maybe she did as any girl of the
character of Alice might do under
such circumstances. But who knows
what a girl would do? But it is all
matter of conjecture. Miss Coghlan is
certainly not far from a finished act
ress, but she is a little further from
being a star capable of playing the most
exacting characters.
There is no question. however. that
Alice of Old Vincennes" was not in the
81. so class. The scenery was all that was
required. but the much talked of view
along the wabash was nothing to rave
over, and the gloomy interior of the fort
Paul Dresser's threadbare ION the
Banks of the Wabash" The supporting
company was only fair. There were no
characters that were excruciatingly bad,
but there were none that stood out from
the rest Sidney Irving. as John Bev-
erly." was of course the principal male
character. Irving was sincere in his
efforts and he was not disoleasing.
though he lacked the spirit of the lover
One of the smallest parts was that of
Captain Helm. by William Brummei,
but it was enacted in capable manner
Joseph Cusak was quiet Father
Beret" Eugene Frazier was a COM
mOnplace Colonel Hamilton" Julia
Williams brought many laugh as
Madam RousiIlon." and '.Nanette ST.
Pierre" was a sprightly young lady as
enacted by Madge Douglass.
| The audience was in i'll humOr when
| the curtain went up at 8:45 o. clock. The
1 management excused themselves of all
responsibility for the delay and laid the
blame at the door of the Santa Fe rail-
road for not getting the car of scenery to
town until four O'Clock In the afternoon.
The rumor was also current that the
stage carpenters who travel with the pro-
duction were not used to the beet sugar
whisky of the west and they were some
what incapacitatd for the work of hand
| ling the log fort and the Wabash river
when the car arrived The waits between
act were unusually long and tiresome
and it was long after II o'clock when the
curtain dropped on the fourth act. This
naturally had something to do with the
effect of the play upon the audience
The dramatization of "Alice of Old
Vincinnes'' follows the book closely.
though many characters and accidents
are necessarily left out. The staging of
the whole book would make a state fair
grounds attraction of seven acts and a
[ day for each act
Ten old maids at the Court of Honor