The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-16
AT THE THEATERS.
U. S. Navy at the Grand.


Most of US are SO much absorbed
in our own environment and vOcatiOns
that we have only the fainteSt cOncep-
ton of activities in other spheres such
as, for instance. naval life. Our daily
lives are so far removed from the
decks Of dreadnaughts and super
dreadnaughts that Lyman H Howe's
reproduction of the United States navy
of 1915. at the Grand Friday and Sat
urday, matinee Saturday, comes as an
Illuminating revelation. 1t was Sc
cured by authority of secretary of the
navy, Mr.. Josephus Daniels, and with
the hearty cooperation of the COM
manders and officers of our new navy.
How thorough and searching this re-
production is may well be realized
from the fact that Mr.. Howe's photog-
raphers devoted two years to the task
Considering that congress spends
hundreds of millions each year on our
navy, and that every American citizen
ture, the secretary of the navy select
ed Mr.. Howe's Travel Festival as the
most popular and valuable medium to
show the American public how and
for what purpose this money is in
vested. ~
"A Pair of Sixes.''
One Of the reasons for the extra
ordinary success Of "a Pair Of Skies"
which n. H Frazee sends to the Grand
for one performance, February %, is
the Idct tHdt the prot furnishes one
unending surprise and as Mark Twain
once defined laughter as a spasm in
duced by a sudden shock of surprise,
the inference is plausible that there Is
considerable laughter at the unusual
situations in "A Pair of Skies" When
the comedy was first suggested, there
was dissent from the wise ones and
some concern as to whether the title
would draw full houses. The wisdom
of the author has been demonstrated,
for never has any comedy been so long
successful on Broadway. The never
ending complications resulting from
the use of the little pair of skies
causes laughter and merriment I'M
restrained and surprises and shocks
are so frequent that the average audi
ence finds it difficult to retain its
equilibrium The play is coming with
most of the cast which appeared at
the successful years run in New York
city and there is small doubt but that
their appearance will be greeted by
the full house they deserve.
Quo Vadis Review.
THE Great Trimvirate'' of pic
lures which have been shown at the
Hip theater this year was composed
Of 1.-The Spoilers" "Cabiria" and "Quo
Vadis" The first feature was a grip
ping and lifelike story of Alaska; the
bal and Carthage. and the last the
story of Nero and the persecution of
the Christians in Rome.
"Quo Vadis" is the masterpiece
from the pen Of Sienkiewicz, the Po-
lish author. Different from Cabfria
in every respect. it carried with it a
much stronger plot. one that was full
of action, of scenic wonders and a
realistic scene of a great Roman arena
in which thousands of people appear
ed in the Italian costumes of 1900
years ago.
The leading characters in the film
were particularly well taken. That
of Petronius was especially we'll done.
The portly man who portrayed Nero
could not have improved in his act
ing vinitius. Eunice. Lygia- in fact
all of the leading people, and there
were plenty of them, seemed fitted
for their parts One of the best por-
| tons of the picture was the work OF
Chic, the old scallywag-
The act of Nero, in driving the
Christians into the vast arena and
then turning loose several score OF
lions. stands out prominently in the
story "Quo vadis'' is being shown
at the Hip theater all week. S. J.
| Gaby Deslys at the Iris.
| 1t was surprising to notice the eff
feet of Mile. Gaby Deslys' initial mo-
ton picture appearance at the Iris
theater last night. in an original story
of the theater written expressly for
her, and produced by the Famous
Players Finn company in Paris. Thi<
four-paft Paramount feature is one OF
the most unique photoplays ever ex-
hibited-
| Many in the audience who had sup
posed the famous Gaby to be only .
dancer were astounded by her wonder
fully versatile performance on the
screen She proved beyond the slight
est doubt the possession OF distinct
dramatic ability