The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-19
AT THE PLAY LAST NIGHT.


After all the lay of the last minstrel
has not been heard for though far diff
ferent in manner and in style from the
bards of long ago the wandering min
Strel of today is but the twentieth CEN
fury descendant of the old originals and
Fields MINISTRIES sang as Sweetly to the
accompaniment of reeds and strings
and brass last night at the Crawford as
could the olden singers with the harp.
The elite will probably say that they
prefer Shakespearian humor and legiti-
mate comedy with now and then some
tragedy but nevertheless society in all
forms crowded into the theater and
everyone, from the office boy and boot
black to the lawyer and the cotillion
leader. laughed. 1t could not be helped.
The jokes We're new. The funniest and
at the same time a new end man to To-
peka, was John Blackboard. Funny, He
is equal to any. His story, in the form
of running fire of questions and an
SwerS with the interlocutor Dan Quin-
Ian, about the local fire department he
belonged to which was not paid a sal
airy but the members were allowed half
of what they saved at each fire, made
hit. The day after the city bank burn
ed he said they played poker at So an
ante and while playing they were called
to a fire at the other end of the town
and found house for rent fire.
There being no salvage for the firemen
it was allowed to burn The firemen
We're crestfallen and returned to their
engine house to find that it had burned
during their absence. He said the VOL
unteers who got half what they saved
liked the fire best when the brewery
burned.
And so they went The jokes were
really funny. More than half is in the
telling The songs of the coon variety
were especially humorous and catchy.
The minstrel of today must open with
a first part as gorgeous electric
lights, tinsel and satin can make 1T.
Field was up to all requirements with
his opening. 1t represented the court of
honor at the n-American- A year ago
before the Buffalo exposition 1t repre-
scented the Worlds fair, but it matters
not what it represented for before long
it will be in memory of st. Louis. Any
way, there were plenty of electric lights
and colonnades. The entertainers We're
richly dressed. 1t was what would be
called in the business the most gorge
Gus and stupendOus first part ever at
tempted with 900 electric lights" AL
though the number of lights could be
discounted 80 per cent, nevertheless
there was a magnificent scene that won
the audience at the start
AL G. Field. the owner is a big man
physically. He looks with the burnt
cork on his face like a retired negro po-
liceman or a ward heller. With the
backing off he would pass for a states
man from the short grass country or a
business man. He talks like ex-Police
Judge Frank Lindsay when doing his
Brother Gardner" work. He is not an
Ezra Kendall as monologue artist but
as was shown by the audience which
took every seat in the house.
Field has the best minstrel seen in To-
peka since he was here the last time,
and there have been others on parade on
Kansas avenue. There was such diff
ference between Fields and ''HaverlyS
Mastodon Minstrels'' which came with
flourish of trumpets not long ago and
which was bad. Field has a sextette CT
the best minstrel ballad singers heard in
Topeka in many a day. They could sing
in competition with lines vocal contin-
gent and the average audience would
give Fields men the medal The or
chestra Of ten pieces was of the real
kind. Not the sort that makes you
think they work as band men in side
show in the summer. but real musicians
Among the singers. J. F. Blamphin,
Thomas McKenna, Reese ProSSer. Aub-
rey c. Pringle and Fred Adkins were
encored for their solos.
The olio Of vaudeville features was ex-
celleAt. Fielding as juggler ought to
ne able to carry eff tie honors against
all competition. The Blackboard brothers
violin playing would have been failure
in many hands but with them made
decided hit Mullen and Correll. the attn
letic comedians. were good Donnell and
Fogerty We're applauded and the Broth
ers Walton in feats of high and lofty
tl1r bling were entertaining.