The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-10

"a review of those twelve years might
better be told by both partners in THAI
enterprise rather than by one Of them
The plays produced We're nearly all no
table successes. the several Shakespeare
ian revivals attracting especial atten
ton. Those that theater-goers of today
win recall are Our Bachelors" "ShaIps
and Flats" forbidden Fruit" "A. D.
1900 THE Cherubs, She Stops to
CONQUER" Merry Wives Of Windsor,
Twelfth Night "Our Boarding House,
Comedy Of Errors" and The Henri
eta"
"As the last two were sort Of climaxes
in our conioined career. it may not be
out of place to give some detail about
their production We were playing ia
San Francisco. when John Mccullough
the tragedian came to us and said:
why don't you play the Two Dro-
mics in The Comedy Of Errors %
Because it would be a physical i'm
possibility" I replied. We would have
90 look alike. I am thin, graceful and
beautiful Crane is fat. ugly and
Crane was a little testy ait times and
sure to resent any reflection on his per-
sonal appearance.
one of Gs be a Harl' he said. and
am too much Of a gentleman to name
his name
Come, come, boys said MCCULLOUGH.
III you have no respect for yourselves,
remember your art This was the word
that always brought as to our senses.
Even in our several encounters-few Of
which were physical-the word art. ut
tered by a friend at a critical moment,
would lessen our anger. soften our
hearts, and throw ourselves weeping
into each others arms.
Mccullough, knowing our weakness,
calmly said, Come, ladies. remem Der
your art the duty we all owe to herr
We halted Let US try The Comedy Of
Errors"
We both told him he was crazy.
Come now, boys, let us try it the
nrHHNmH Of r~a.aH
We viii only try it once said
They viii never let US play it again
anywhere else
However, to make a long story short
We did pay it, and more than once with
Barton Hill, Marie Prescott, and Thorn
as W Keene in the cast. and achieved
fair success. Our second representa-
ton of the Dromios was at the Park
Iheater New York, November Is, 1879,
under the management of Henry e.
Abbey. Boucicault predicted failure and
Abbey during our rehearsaIs, never en-
couraged us with more than a dubious
nod or his head. The audience flowed
over the seating capacity, and into ev-
cry nook and corner of the house II
was large, but to US singularly devoid
of warmth or appreciation. There was a
Supplying dearth of either laughter or
applause. After the last act I was seat
ed in my dressing room. remuneratina
on the mistake we had. seemingly made.
when Crane glided in. looking unutte--
ably sad and detected. He leaned
against the wall, and for five minutes or
more we glared hungrily at one another.
each vainly hoping for a syllable of
cheer or sympathy. At length I shook
my head sadly. and said:
"A failurei"
"Of the most gigantic dimensions, .
said he.
The first man 7 met on leaving the
theater was Henry z. Abbey; he was
grinning from ear to ear ITS a 20, old
fellow. he said; everybody likes It.
and the critics have gone wild" MY first
reelection was that Abbey was cancel
ing his pity that Crane and myself
could have been so deceived did not
seem possible. In a moment we met Pc
troleum " Nasty. Never saw any
thing better in my life" he said Fame
and fortune are at your feet my trim
built wherry, supplicatiug your ambient
caressas."
This is no joSe?" faltered.
Never was more serious in my life. .
You saw the play2"
Every scene of it,
And YOU think it a success2'
Undoubtedly and enphatically."
Shall we adjourn to the inn of mine
host Of the Garter and moisten?"
The adjournment was prompt and de-
cisive. Sure enough, the newspapers of
the following morning We're unanimous
In their approval and during the seven
succeeding years the profits of the
comedy Of Errors presented stability
and Internationally, aggregated 1928, 600.
4t was this success that brought about