The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-12
MRS. WIGGS IN TOPEKA.
Her Efforts Were Very Well
Received.

Mrs. Wiggs," with her quaint
humor and philosophy, and the charac-
ters who made up the settlement of
eThe Cabbage Patch" in Alice Hogan
Rice's two stories of Mrs. Wiggs'' and
'tLovey Mary" was on the stage at
the Crawford last night before a large
audience.
No play of the season has received
the attention that has been given the
staging of Mrs. Wigs of the Cab
Wigs" and who would be sweet
sLovey Mary were questions answer
ed when the company was selected.
Madge Carr Cook is an actress of un-
usual capabilities. She is the mother
of Eleanor Robson, who was seen in
Topeka as Bonita in the original
production of ARIZONA" and who has
since become a. star of the first con-
steIlation.
Mrs. Wigs of the Cabbage Patch
was well staged. The scenery convey
ed the idea of the little settlement
bounded on all sides by railroad tracks
without leaving much to the magma
ton. AS for costumes, we'll the scene
of the play does not call for anything
elaborate but did call for just the right
sort of well worn, torn and rather
dusty clothing. Whoever supplied the
wardrobe must have found just such
people as the Patchers and bought
their wardrobes outright.
From a dramatic standpoint Mrs.
Wigs of the Cabbage Patch" is not
strong. The plot is meager and the con-
/ struction of the play is loose Ii sue
cess or failure depended upon the play
| as a whole failure would be complete,
| but the production rests entirely upon
! the characters and their worth and IN
that respect the play is strong. In
Mrs. Wigs 'Lovey Mary" Mr.,
stubbins," SChris Ha@y.'' Billy Wigs.
| mis- Hay AMI me children the audi
ence found plenty of merit From the
| laughter and applause awarded the do
| ings and the sayings of the quaint char
| acfers but one deduction can be made
and that it that the audience was
pleased.
That MRS. Wigs suits playgoers is
| proyen by the fact that wherever the
pIav has been for q week the audiences
have been larger each night than on the
night before. In st. Louis the play
drew $4,000 into the box office in Week
while the week previous Virginia Har-
ned did only $4,000. At the end OF tht
week Mrs. Wigs was given as a Sat
urday matinee and the people WHIT
went paid in g, COS to see that one per.
Torrance, and that after the play mac
been in town a week
Mrs. Cook makes a wonderfully real
istic optimistic Mrs. Wigs. It wal
worth going to- the tneater 3use 20 s Pc
rude but honest and truthful philoso
phx In other than competent hand
Mrs. Wigs would be fiat, but Mrs
Cooke has been playing SUCH Rs.h - ~
years. She was Mrs. Jenkins Il
Amelia Bingham's own company play
ing "a Modern Magdalen-" For year
Mrs. Cooke played the old woman role
with Sol Smith Russell in his Peaceful
Valley and other quiet comedies
Mabel Taliaferro was sweet ant
: Iloyable ssIovey Mary" 1t would b'
very easy for sLovey Mary" to be over
: done. too heroic and tee dramatic. bu
| Miss Taliaferros portrayal of the char
acfar- was perfect. Will T. Hodge wa
Extremely funny in the quiet, sup
pressed humorous role of Mr.. Stub
7 bins." Hodge was funny from tn
| bottom Of his shoes. with their broa'
expanse of leather and large patches
Ito the top of his brown derby hat.
f Helen Lowell was funny Mis-
D HAY" She was 80 woebegone lookin
THAT a sight Of her meant laugh IN