The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-04

role. But Mr.. Jewett, although this
writer doesn't possess his record, didn5
| qualify last night for the position o.
leading man in any first rate company
AS has been said he was better at the
end than at the beginning of the play
but he is not a finished actor ana has
/ still much to learn and many faults tc
overcome. AS the Earl of Kerhill
Richard Chawner was almost impossf-
BILE and the charming role of Diana
suffered a good deal at the hands OF
Edith Cartwright. Miss. Cartwright lis
not especially attractive physically, has
an unsympathetfc-voie which has been
badly trained or is totally unframed,
and clings to many of the histrionic
two-threes repertoire companies where
she really belongs. The luminous bits
of acting were done by Charles Chap
pelle, who played, tbs, part of Big Bill
Nat-U-Ritch, who had nothing to do
but avoid destroying the dramatist's
conception of mute, primitive, unrea-
soning devotion. ]. M. Colville as Taby-
wanna. the Indian chief. and Logan
Paul as Race White, the Interpreter.
These are all minor roles, but they were
the only ones whose portrayal was real
ly life-like and convincing.
There will be many in the big audi
ence at the Grand last night who will
take exception to this verdict, which is
OF course only the opinion of one per-
son and worth very little. unless you
ndppcIl TO dST66 WIFI IT. JnQ6nIdD1y d
majority of the audience was very well
pleased with the : performance, If
breathless attention and repeated cur
tain calls are an indication. But 1t is
probable that both these marks of re-
spect and pleasure were tributes rather
to the play than to it's presenta ton. Mr..
Royle's play has faults, as Real ORA
matte Critics have already pointed out
for the enlightenment of tllise who care
for their opinions but 1t is moving
and intensely interesting drama dealing
with the human fundamental passions
and when adequately presented, it
would guarantee a lump in the throat
of the most hardened play-goer from
the first act to the last. Even as done,
last night it commanded the. tribute of
tears from most of the women present
and there was hardly a "dry glove in
the house" The play is overdrawn of
have we had a wild west
play that wasn't? The fact that it's ex-
aggerations and Inconsistencies are it's
With tho exception of "BflI,'' the cow
boys and ranch men are STACEY and
unreal and in comparison with Tram
pas, the Bad Man In the Virginian,- so
admirably played by Frank Campeau,
Cash Hawkins is a counterfeit and
John Harrington, who played the role
asst night. lent nothing to 1t. The last
.wo acts Of the Squaw Man might have
been condensed into one; to the better
nent of the play. There is. whole lot
n both acts-notably the return of the
;heriff and all that ~~incfdent-that is
4. OF course 1t is dragged
n, to. assist in the utter apotheosis of
he hero but he was already too good
o be human and before the play is |
,ver one remembers with some sympa-
by the aciduIous criticism of his cousin |
n the first act, that Jim had his halo
JAILED on and wore it sleeping or wax
ng. -" i
But with all it's faults the Squaw Man
s a strong absorbing play, original in
pite of some familiar expedients- and |
ime worn conventions, in the main |
veil constructed, full of clever dialoguel
nd thrilling dramatic moments, andI
ppealing, with all it's overripe senti-,
mentality to the most worthy whole-
ONE and natural emotions. And in |
pite of an unworthy portrayal it cap
ured a capacity audience at the Grand |
asst night and held them. from start to
nish. -s ~. -s-.