Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-24
THE PR0DIGAL FATHER,
A New Farce With Considerable Laughter
in 1t at the Alvin

| Anew play" ,"The Prodigal Father was pro-
duced at the Alvin Theater last night. 1t is
| called comedy on the programme, but it is
| really farce, and pretty broad farce at that
The author, Mr.. Glen McDonough, is young
man, and this is his first venture. The per-
| formance last night was smooth for first
public trial, and the stage settings were
entirely satisfactory. The play was pretty
well acted, SO that 'The Prodigal Father
can be judged on its merits as a play with
out much injustice to the author. For a first
attempt the play is uncommonly good; there
are bright lines in it, and the situations are
com1cal. good deal of Improvement can
be made by condensation, for the first and
second acts are both too talky. The play is
almost straight comedy in tile first act but
by the time the last act is reached it is
screaming farce. And the salvation of the
piece can only be obtained by bringing the
two hrst acts up or rather down to the level
OF the last. The plot compels this treat
ment. "The ProdigaI Father" must call for
unrestrained laughter all through or fall
very fiat. You can't seriously consider the
story OF the play; it is a tissue of impossi-
bflities. An old man leaves his home in
New England to explore Africa, falls in love
with a serio-comic singer in New York be-
fore he starts. and after long and unavail-
ing pursuit OF her returns home with cock
and-bull tale OF his wondrous discoveries in
Africa. incidentally, he is forced at
%av sRs Sis of the Play to drive
her hand to reformed cannibal
Prince he had met in Africa. The old mans
marrying the serio comic charmer- of his
papa, and has fled from her. She appears ut
son, whose right name she doesn't know. By
the ProdigoL Fathers house in search of his
threats sue makes the old man take her into
his house as long-lost cousin. The efforts
of the two men, father ana son. to conceal
the their relations with the variety artistic keep
the P1odi0Gt FGther'S daughter reappears in
a transparent disguise as the African
Prince Kick-a;Poo Tor something like
accordance with the P rs promise. The
confusion of the naughty old man at this
realization Of his fable is the funniest thing
in the play; indeed, this idea should have
been elaborated. If the play is turned into |
rampant farce, as it should be, the African
ghost should be brought in earlier. Act |
two as it now stands is nearly superf1uous |
The wind-up of the play comes with the |
serio comic singers discovery of her real |
husband and the Prodigat Fdther's compact |
with his son and his daughters lover whose |
disguise he has at last penetrated, to keep |
mum about his escapades.
W. II. Thompson, of course, makes a |
ridiculous old fool OF the Prodtgoi Father, but
is not in his line of character-creation.
George c. Boniface was mildly amusing in
the first two acts, in which he kept down
the soft pedal on on his, his comedy In the last
as the reformed cannibal was uproariously |
fanny. Edward See played an obliging
man servant well: Ill In all fairness,
OF the evening was made by little girl,
called La Regaloncita, who acted with |
cleverness for one SO young and
danced with wonderful grace and agility in
the style OF La Carmen cita. She shouldnot
be allowed to dance SO long, however, for
such strain upon small limbs and lungs is
dangerous. She won rapturous encore.
About the rest of the cast there is no need
to talk. The audience seemed to enjoy the
play.
ID was the benefit of the Alvin attaches.
and good one, Tor the audience filled the
theater. The Elliott Company contributed
palms and ferns to decorate the auoi-
torium.