The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-18
AT THE PLAY LAST NIGHT.

1.-THE Tyranny of Tears which was
at the Crawford last night, with Paul
Gilmore as the star, is a good all round
show; good for the audience to witness
and good for the business mana cement
of the enterprise, for only six people
were on the stage last night and the
salary list must be small
There are few companies with but half
dozen members that could thoroughly
please an audience. One of these COM
panies IS that headed by Mr.. Gilmore in
BaddOn Chambers bright comedy of
domestic troubles. which pleased the au-
dience far better than many of the
larger companies that have been here
this season
The Tyranny of Tears" is one of the
few comedies here this season that bor-
der on the legitimate. There have been
plenty of farce and slaD-stick affairs,
and 1t was a relief to see and hear that
which developed humOr subtle and rich.
MI Chambers comedy, though of
smaller breed, is as worthy of a long
life as THE School for Scandal" and
it as far more decent. In fact there is
nothing vulgar, nothing suggestive and
nothing OF the low comedy order in the
fearful comedy. 1t is bright, witty and
as much mirror Of temperaments and
tanning as the immortal Tanning of the
Shrew''
Mr.. Gilmore, who played the leading
role of Clement Parbury,'' appeared a
his best in the role. He has been seen
in Topeka before in The Three Mus
but in neither of the romantic and
thrilling dramas did he win the favor he
did last night. Mr. Gilmore is an actor
in the front rank who may be referred
to as American actors of tomorrow
for the zenith of his career has not been
reached.
Mr.. Gilmore has the first qualification
Of an excellent stage presence and he
adds to that his ability. He has studied
every movement, every expression and
every infection but in the part the
studied idea is forgotten. One good thing
about Mr.. Gilmore is that he does not
''slop over, His heroics, If it might be
said that there was a tinge of that in
i the character, are not nauseating; his
I comedy is rich and not directed at the
audience; his love scenes are natural
and not at all tiresome and his fireside
/ sermons are enjoyable.
I Mr. Gilmore unsupported by an ex-
cellent company. Grace Hobart Hanson,
as Mrs. Parbury." could not be excell-
ed in the character Of the fearful. stupid,
fault finding, selfish wife, who cried
when her husband wished to go fishing
for a. day, who Wept when he left her
for Is minutes to post a letter and who
gave way to hysterical sobs at every
opportunity. She won her share of the
honors
Miss Rose Tiffany, as "Hyacinth
/ Woodward the secretary, kept her
abilities to the fore and shared honors
| with Miss Hanson. Both are handsome
women Kenneth Mcleod. as George
Cunning" was good at times, only a
few times, however, and he was posi-
lively painful. His manner of acting
sorely reminded one of the efforts of an
amateur in home talent theatricals
speaking his lines with about as much
expression as a photograph with the
main spring broken. Colonel Armit-
age' by c. II watson, was nothing to
be proud of. and Evans" the butler, by
Robert Bruner, was pretty stiff and ex-
pressionless and rather heavily powder
ed and painted beneath a wig that did
not fit at all So, there were only three
or four people that played the principal
parts well, but their efforts were SO pro-
ductive of good results that the audi
ence quite forgot the weak spots in the
cast.
THE Tyranny of Tears is good and
so is Gilmore It is hoped that he viii
return next season with another play
that fits him as well.