The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-04
Last Nights Production at the
Grand Opera House.
An Excellent Play with a Poor
Cast.
FILLED THE HOUSE.
Large Audience Apparently De-
lighted With Presentation.
Actors Appeared to "Warm to
Their Work."

1t is to be regretted that Coming
Thro' the Rye, clever musical comedy
which WIS at the Grand early this sea-
son didn't follow the Squaw Man, pre-
sented there last night, instead of
antedating it by a number of months.
For the hit of Coming Thro'- the Rye
necessarily lost upon a good many To-
peka people who had never had an OPP
portunity to see the edwin Milton
Royle drama, was remarkably clever
burlesque of the latter A good-1ooking
young actor made up in striking imita-
ton of William Faversham, struts
about the stage, posing and attitudiniz-
ing in true Faversham fashion and
Stella Mayhem, an actress of May r.
win physical proportions and artistic
methods does a buflesque of Nat-U-
Ritch which though decidedly less ro-
mantle is prObabl more life-ltke char
acterization of the real squaw than the
Interpretation of the role demanded by
Mr. Royle'S conception. '=-f
CAS- a rule the second company sent
out to, give the provinces their first
presentation of play which has scored
a success in New York, is good-as
good, practically, in every detail as the
original company even though the roles
are not sustained by the actors who
created them nor by others as well
known. This has been true in every
instance of recent productions in To-
peka of plays which a year or two be-
New York The Squaw Man company
offered the first exception to the rule.
the scenery and stage equip
ment were complete and the company
large, including the full quota OF
speaking parts of the original produc
ton, the actors, at least those in the
roles were not better than
third class and the first act was de-
cided disappointment to those who had
looked forward to an excellent perform
ance. Later the players seemed to
warm up to their work, or for some
other reason the performance improved
In each succeeding act and the last act
was almost entirely satisfactory. Mr.. |
Henry Jewett in the title role especial |
" improved in his acting as the play
In the first act ne was
awkward, uncertain and amateur1sh |
In these qualities. however, he had no |
to shine because his as
in this act, with the exception |
If Virginia Buchanan as Lady Wynne-
rate. were all even more awkward, un-
certain and amateurish than he. The
Gene is supposed to depict an upper
lass British society function and the |
playwright undoubtedly intended that
he contrast between it and the acts
Which follow: should :. suggest very
orcibly the extent of the sacrifice made.
w his hero in giving UP All This for
he wild rough life of 1.-THE West in
america. But Mr.. Jewett was so far |
rom convincing as the scion of noble,
English house that nobody could feel
orry for him when the exigencies, of
he dramatist,s plot required him to
cave the shadow. of the ancestral tow
rs-he had been so palpabIy out of
,Iace there. One felt certain that, no |
natter where the next act world take
i'm he couldn't feel less at home or be /
ess happily conditioned And sure /
nough when he came on again In the /
econd act his appearance and acting /
10Th showed a marked advance and he |
.ept. getting better and better unto the
cry end of the play. .sstr ies'97es |
1t must not be supposed that just be-
ause Topeka didn't see Mr.. Faver-
ham in the Squaw Man it couldn't /
ave seen some one as good or better.
Ir Faversham is a popular actor in
lew York but he is by no means a
reat one and there are no doubt dozens
f leading men who have never attained
D stellar heights who can give him
ards and spades and beat him in any