The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-08

his quaint humor that this favorite
comedian has ever presented. Mr..
Beresford is irresistably funny, and he
compels laughter with apparently lit
tie material to work on, but his new
piece who's Your Friend?' which has
already enjoyed record runs in New
York, Chicago, and London, has afford
ed one of those rare unions OF artist
and material which makes for univer-
sal popularity.
High School Play.
The subsenior class of the Topeka
high school will present the four act
musical comedy Way Up East" at the
Grand next Friday night. There is
cast of forty in the production of the
ised. The production Is under the d.
rection of Miss Nellie Lincoln.
1.-THE Blue Mouse"
A comedy which Claude Fitch has
adapted from one of the successes of
the Berlin stage, and one which he has
called 1.-The Blue Mouse will be seen
here May 27 and %. The piece is said
to be spicy to the limit, without be-
ing Objectionable. It was made purely
for the purpose of provoking laughter
and it is said to have been successful
almost beyond the previous achieve
ments of this popular playwright. Mr..
Fitch is a dramatist who appears to be
undergoing a constant process of evo-
luton. 1t is a far cry from Barbara
Frichie" and Lovers Lane" or even
THE Woman in the Case" to Girls"
and 1.-THE Blue Mouse" as this new
farce is described. But perhaps the
later products are rather more artistic
than their forerunners.
THE Blue Mouse" is booked for pre-
sentation here shortly, then theatel
goers can judge for themselves.
Mrs. Ffske.
An engagement of extraordinary in
terest is announced on May 22nd at the
Grand opera house. when Mrs. F'iske
and her famous Manhattan company
will present Salvation Nell" the play
of slum life in New York which stirred
the metropolis for more than half the
season by reason of its wonderful real
ism and faultless acting. With COM
pany numbering more than fifty mem
bers. and a senic investiture of stu
pendous magnitude, Mrs. Ffske will
make a triumphant transcontinental
tour, and the public Of Topeka ought to
be congratulated that the local theater
has been included among her bookings.
Admittedly Salvation Nell' is the
sensation of the dramatic year. Against
a startling background picturing the
teeming underworld of New York the
author, Edward Sheldon, has drawn
with relentless truth one of the most
absorbing and appealing roles Mrs.
Ffske has ever created. The action
passes in a barroom of the upper West
Side, dubbed by New Workers ''NelPs
Kitchen" and in the congested tene-
ment district of Cherry Hill on the
East Side. Mrs. Fishes part is that of
| Nell Sanders, a down trodden scrub
WOMAN in a saloon, surrounded on all
| sides by vice and misery in its most
insidious forms. Into her life comes
| the redeening power of a great love
| her better nature is awakened and in
| the progress of the drama she rises
| from the depths of degradation to the
| heights of spiritual achievement. Yet
| there is no attempt at a psychological
| or sociological lesson, other than thai
from the lowliest and most unlikely
| sources of life truth and beauty car
| spring. Salvation Nelp' has fifty beer
| called a divine comedy of the slums.
/ At the Majestic.
The excellent standard of vaudeville
| jestic since the inauguration of tive
| shows a day, will be maintained during
the coming week. for one of the mos
| popular bills of the season has beer
provided for this date. Five good higf
| priced acts have been secured for the
| week. Miss Lillian Doone will be the
leading feature, appearing as the Two
man of mystery" a successor to Anna
| Eva Fay, who is said to be a much
| better entertainer and psychic pheno
| menon than her successor. Dolph anC
| Susie Levine have a laughable LITTLE
| which is decidedly funny but not over
drawn. Chefalo and Capreto in 9TH,
Garden of Mystery" have an act, the
/ like of which has never been seen here
| w. N. Thompson & Co. appear in a lit
l tie sketch which is brim full of com