The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-03
AT THE THEATRE.
Thomas Jefferson, Son of His Father,
Doesn't Create a Sensation.

rip Van Winkle'' with Thomas
Jefferson in the title role was the bill
at the Crawford theater afternoon and
night yesterday.
The attendance at the matinee was
satisfactory, the house being about
the night performance was notably
small.
The play was a very inferior produc-
ton. 1t is no exaggeration to say that
many TO- 20 and 80 cent repertoire COM
panies give as good a performance.
The conclusion to be drawn after
having seen the production at the
Crawford is that the show either owns
very little scenery or else it is of such
magnitude that the scenery could not
be used on the little Crawford stage.
The latter possibility is of course out
of the question for the very good rea-
son that If such were the case it would
have been out of keeping with the
merits of the company of players which
Mr.. Jefferson has surrounded himself
with.
There seemed to be a GOODNESS about
the performance which could not be
overcome. Only about dozen people
were used in the production and ehe
stage al most times appeared bare and
chilly.
Concerning the ability and talent of
Mr.. Thomas Jefferson there is room for
difference of opinion. There were those
in the audience who really liked him.
but it is noticeable that regular thea
ter-g oers seemed unanimous in the
opinion. that he is not worth going to
see a second time.
OF the other players in the company
the less said the better. In two or three
cases particularly, the acting looked
suspiciously like the players had just
graduated from high schol and that
they had no doubt been the shining
lights in the plays enacted by the nigh
school students.
House scenery was made use of for
most of the stage settings. and notwith-
standing the fact that it has been used
here for years, there were those present
who greatly admired the parlor scene,
and showed their admiration openly
Which of course was but an indication
that the audience was not composed
of regular theatergoers, but that 1t was
a holiday crowd of people who rarely
ever see the inside of a theater.
THE Princess Chic is booked for
its third appearance al Topeka. The first
time The Princess Chic came to To-
peka, Marguerite SlyVa was in the title
role Topeka people paid their $l.5O to
see the show and attended only to find
that they had been fooled and that
they were witnessing the performance
of the play with an understudy IN the
part of the Princess. Marguerite sylvia
did not come to Topeka at all but went
to Kansas City where it is reported
she went to secure treatment for in
growing toenails, corns, or some such
The second visit of this play to Tope-
ka was two seasons ago when Joseph
Miron was featured and the play was
given at the Grand theater. The COM
pany was nearly as good as the COM
pany which presented it upon the oc-
casion of its first visit to this city. Vera |
MicheIena was the Princess of that !
production.
This year Sophie Brandt is playing |
the part of the Princess Sophie is
not known in Topeka, and in. fact |
she is so little known that the State |
Journal is unable to give her biog- |
raphy today.
The play is advertised here at $3.50
prices. The first rows of the balcony /
are advertised at 81. The company |
has been out west of the Rocky
and it is impossible to |
give Topeka people instances for a |
comparison of prices at this time.
sherlock Holmes has been seen
in Topeka twice. The first time it
was presented here it was given by a /
company of extraordinary merit.
's,rhe Sign of the Cross" plays at
Crawford's theater at ST. Joseph at
Is, 25. IS and SO cent prices. 1t is |
advertised to play at Crawford's house /
at Topeka at higher prices, IS cents
being the price for parquet seats, in |
stead of so cents as at his st. Joe |
house.