The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-08
Usual Conditions Prevail at
Crawford Last Night.
Ushers Have DisgracefuI Quar-
rel During Performance.
NOISE IN THE BALCONY.
No Effort Made to Suppress
Disturbance.
Manager Disguised With Situa-
tiOn in Topeka.

There was trouble and discomfort in
large quantities at the Crawford thea
ter again last evening.
Mistakes made in seating the patrons
of the balcony provided just and rea-
Bonable cause for complaint. Disturb
Rnces of one kind and another furnish
ed still further cause for complaint.
During almost the entire first act the
ushers continued seating people in the
balcony much to the annoyance of
those who were already there. There
was considerable commotion in the
seating process on account of the mis-
takes made in seating the people, and
It was impossible for those who came
early and paid their money to get the
advantage of listening to the play with
any satisfaction to themselves.
A man was seated by an usher in the
front row A dispute later arose as TO
whether he was entitled to the seat. 1t
developed that another man came in
with seat check for the seat in ques-
ton, and the first man was asked to
move He refused to do So and a po-
liceman was brought up to force him
to move.
A man feeling in a boisterous mood
sat in the balcony. He was greatly
amused at the performance and was al
most continually guffaWing so loud and
SO long that he prevented other people
from hearing what was said on the
SAdEC- Inc ILdldEGIlGllt Oh a AlASl Grass
theater would ordinarily be supposed
to sQuelch such a character.
Two colored people talked throughout
the entire performance, and two other
colOred people snickered and giggled
during the pathetic periods of the play
also much to the annoyance of their
neighbors.
The ushers had noisy and indecent
quarrel over the mistakes made in
seating the people
last night was the condition of the
gntrance and the stairway leading to
the theater. The Crawford theater
has plenty Of bill posters and janitors
who might have been put to work
cleaning the snow away from the en-
trance in front of the theater build
ing, but they were not thus employed.
The outside steps were so slippery
on account of the snow that more
than ordinary care had to be exercised
to keep from falling. Several people
who entered the theater had narrow
escapes from having their feet slip
steps.
The snow which was carried in
doors soon had the inclined floor
which leads to the second floor land
ing at the parquet in a distressing
condition
It is to be regretted that Topeka,
of more than forty thousand popula-
ton, has not a first class theater build
ing open to the public.
The entrance of the theater last
night looked as though ianitOr serV-
Ice would not hurt its appearance, and
the interior of the theater presents
a most tawdry appearance The
seats on both the parquet floor and
the balcony floor are miserable accom-
mOdations to offer to public which
has been asked to contribute a dollar
or a dollar and a half to witness a
performance. Some of the seats are
broken. some have no hat racks some
the stufhng underneath the plush
missing, and others have still further
shortcomings. In addition to those
4aflings, the rows of seats are so near
together that it is uncomfortable for
many
The attendance at the performance
last evening was fair. The balcony
was comfortably filled, and there were
about 35 in the dress circle down
stairs. and 10 in the parquet, passes
and all
Managers of the theatrical com
panies playing Topeka, this winter have
almost unanimously gone away from |
the city with a bad feeling in regard !
to the conditions existing here.
The play isis Hopkins was appar-
emily we'll liked by those who were in /
fact that Rose Melville is a very clever /
woman Her caricature of the awkward |
unSOph1St1cated rustic maiden is above 1
criticism For any one who is amused |
at that sore Of burlesque, there is none /
better than Miss Melville.
The thing which is of great import /
ance to theater goers locally is the mat /
ter of the price of the production While |
it is admitted that Rose Melville de- /
serves high praise. it is also a fact !
that her play is only an ordinary play |
after all, and her supporting company |
Is extraordinarily weak as compared 1
with the company of the average star. /
And still the local theater goers had to /
pay q dollar to see the show, when the /
people at Denver last week only had /
to pay rs cents to sit in the best seats |
to see the show.
The special scenery of the company |
was used in the first and third acts |
The Crawford parlor set was used for |
the music room of the Peckover SEM
mary at Terre Haute in the second act |
instead of company scenery which was
not used for some reason.
Unless theatrical conditions change in
Topeka shortly. it is extremely likely
that there will be a still greater dearth
Of average, or good pays in Topeka
next season.
Manager Maclxay, of the sis Hop
kins'' company. in conversation with a
reporter for the State Journal said:
1.-The conditions which exist in Tope-
mm