The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-28
AT THE THEATERS.

4
Il never expected to see so good a
show IN Topeka this year, was a com
m6ut heard in the lobby Of the Grand
Last night at the conclusion Of the pro-
duction Of THE Flower of the Ranch. .
by Mabel Barrison. Joseph F. Howard
and a fair company Other comments
heard were not quite so. fattsriuG but
1t IS safe to say that the great ma iorfsy
of the large audience which Witnessed
the performances went away satisfied
yes more than satisfied. with the en-
tertainInent which had been provided
for them
Surely they ought to have been for
The Flower Of the Ranch is far and
away ahead Of most OF the shows
which are c1aSsed as musical nelo-
dramas ot-course there Is not an
awful lot to the play Itself There
never is for that matter in plays Of
this sort But there Is enough Of a
story To hold interest Even Il there
was no story 70 the play at al, If the
show was nothing but Il musical
ueiange'. IL would carry and enjoy
about successful d season as seems
TO be in store for IL For the music in
the piece. principally the songS. the
words and tunes for which were writ
ten by Mr. Howard. is as good light
music as has been produced IN a
musical play, comic operas included.
IN a long time Most OF the airs are
catchy The newsboys were whistI3ug
ing An evidence of the worth OF
many OF these songs e in the fact that
they were encored three and four
times by the audience last night Re-
pe4Eed encores Of. the sort that were
given last night do not come from
sentiment They are given for value
received Then the staging Of the
piece. this being the work Of Ned
" ey burn. is wonderfully pretty, soma
Of the scenes being actually beautiful.
has
Of the second act when Howard. with
the chorus. sang Watching the Blue
Smoke Curl
As was 70 be expected Miss Mabel
Barrison was pretty much the major
portion OF the show There ara few
soubrettes On the stage today who are
her equal as entertainers. Her voice.
while not a volumiuous one. Is exceed
ing sweet Then she has a good lot OF
songs 70 sing and she has a coupauy
Howard Is down On the bills as CO.
star with Miss Barrtson- But because
he Is called co-star that does not
mean that he shines with the same
briIliaucy as Miss Barrfsou- He has
pleasing voice and sings his own
songs well He was clever IN a Spe-
Cialty as an Italian organ grinder
which he and Miss Barrison put On
towards the end OF the snow. For a
c0-star, though, he does not glitter
much beyond his singing.
Probably the song hit OF the piece
is California; sung by Miss Barrison
with the chorus For this song the
chorus girls come cut On the stage
manipulating, or riding stage hobby
horses They indulge in Il dance with
these animals that is novel Il not
IudiCrous. Miss BarrisOu and Mr..
Howard have a duet. Just say You
Care" which IS a pretty thing A Lot
Of the other songs. in fact about al Of
them, are good It must be said. how
enough ike that of the we'll kuo WI
Z Miss Barr1son and Mr. Howard
zone Of the others in the company
hone conspicuousIy. although the
General work Of the company was
-ood- Frances Cossar, as Margaret
Merrou-- the school teacher, did SEINE
clever work She. too. is a good sing
ar Edward Hume, as "Skiyers. the
vhistIinE poet showed himself TO be a
comedian of considerable ability T. P
MacSweeny, as Judge Hopper. a
fGuor HKer and John t Nicho lson. as
he sheriff. also did excellent work and
heir efforts were appreciated
THE Flower Of the Ranch compares
more than favoEably with Mr. HGward5
Ytfer shows The District Leader IN
which ne was ssen here last year The
Tupire.'' The Isle Of Bong Bong.
The land Of Nod and The Time. I
The Place and The Girl A good deal I
Il the music in The Flower of the +
9arcla.'' while bit reminiscent OF otfler
CT Mr. Towards musical efforts, is +
more attractive than the most CT the 1
times he has composed heretofore