New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-25
THE DRAMA-MUSIC.
"TuE YOUNGER son. =

1t was not an enlivening nor elevating experience
which the audience at the Empire Theatre went
through last evening. David Bclascos new pay
The Younger Son." had chance Of securing the
favor of the house In the third act in which the
author heaps up misery upon the head OF MS
unhappy hero. Woe follows woe in s"llt sue
cession, and stroke falls upon stroke Oh stage
craft with such tumultuous haste that the mouse
applauded heartily. In this act MISS NioIi A"e"'
Miss Odette Tyler and Mrs. D. p Bowers ala some
forcibe acting In the preceding acts there nau
been much that was bald and dreary, much tnat
was childish and petty. much that was u'lai
and duh. But the assembled JURY vi
the vcinage that had gathered 10 re"uei
a verdict on the play was inclined 10 lois"V e
playwright much when in the third act some sp"'AS
Of dramatic fire answered the clink or his hammer
on the anvil. But Mr. Belasco was III d VIM anu
whirling mood when he fabricated the fourth ACT,
which is disjonted clumsy ana puerlle' nc ''"'
enmeshed his hero In iron net OF misfortune 10
tangled and harassing that escape appeare" wen
nigh impossible The close Of the third act aroused
keen curiosity in the audience as TO the niea'iS
which the author would employ in the conciuaihs
act in order 10 extricate his melancholy ana much
bcset Young man Mr.. Beasco did not take the
trouble to devise any means OF eXrica'ioh re
simply let his net drop apart in manner so weak
and feeble as to be ludicrous and out stepped
his young man to the enjoyment of life ana
love Eut the author left the followers or the
fortunes of Paul Kirkland in maze OF uncer-
! tainty as to how Paul TO make living. faul
was 4 poor young man. who had been testeu rs
| a painter and had been found wanting. Al no
| time In the play had he betrayed any capacity
| for earning any money. He was c"'dii''ouS
failure as an artist he certainly could not write
| noe,rv he never could have secured imposing
| salary as an actor, and newspaper would give
| him employment as a reporter. Possibly ne coulu
have found a place in a farce-comedy company
but that is extremely doubtful
| OF course Mr.. Beasco got some Kitchen utensils
some small children. cheap household fur
| niture and n great deal of sickly sentiment into
| this piece lie has irresistible longing 10 drds
such things into plays, with when ne hopcs 10
| meet the popular fancy. He has the lheVl'aple
| young couple, who bore everybody by the lhehaoy
idiotic way in which they make love lie Jugs IN
a veteran of the war. who lags superfuous VINO
says nothing bright and does nothing smart. II
| might be well for this veteran to apply TO Judge.
| Lochren at Washington. He seems TO he
physically and mentally disabled for doing
| anything except drawing pension Inc
| play contains preposterous ViIlaln' SUNK
| in the profoundest depths of sin who
cries out to his mother Ike wang infant when
ever he gets into trouble. This villain treats his
| wife with as much brutality as certain foreign
noblemen have been known to exhibit IN theT
| family relations. but after committing the
most dsstardy offences. maltreating his wife ROB
| bing his sanity brother (vho is a sort or FRA
|
| self in crime takes his patient and suffering
| wife-who OF course forgivcs hm-to his hinty ana
| dlabolical bosom in the last act This amazing
| niece also has little Mrs De Wolf Hopper IN IL IN
| an ingenuc part, and she is ray OF moonlight
| in a frosty night. Mrs. Hopper has long thi
| lover in the play almost protncted upward as
| IS her own beloved husband, and she ana her sky
kissing sweetheart make some fun, when proVoKes
| the audience to unaffected Laughter. to. .
| The younger Is Henry Miller VINO sN.S Il
| pervading impression Of nsinccrity IN ms actiiS
Mr. Miller does not enter fully into the spirit OF ms
| parts His nature seems too narrow, 100 lncdEIe
too unsympathttc and too hard for nun 10 osc ms
| own personality in the parts which he taxes up
| Then he has unpleasant way or enuncauhE i nv
| words and dsagreeable infections are not n
frequent I'm his voice. lie across the stabe IN
a jerly ungraceful way. 1t Is TO pe iearcd ule, ~,
| audience last evening not seriously concerned
thejc sincere and flexible actor might have enlisted
| a keener interest in the misfortunes OF his uls
better impression in the part OF Nell Armtage and
Miss Odette Tyler deserves praise Tor her con-
scientous and earnest efforts which more than once
| in the course OF the evening touched and moved
Put the conclusion of the whole matter Is that
Mr. Belasco should try again and II Is 70 bc no?ed
did not hesitate TO acknowledge dereat In the case
Of Fanny" II ia not likely that he VIII find the
| norton of 1.-THE Younger Son IN pupnc ldFoE
| generous or enduring. Here IL the cast:
ISbn KirsI1rG james H. wilson
simeon Hne Brewster from Virginia. William isver.ham
pc,cT Poa Mse veteran q w H. Compton
D 2s1 Ma; Major s,,c a, oo6,n v El An
Mrs N''N'-" "0'"'' ''' NJ Tr3' b p; naxsr.
Dolly Chester ingcnuc Of The comedy Theatre;
| ,c,oe .....- .'-.... Fam Marion
Tommy Johns Children Mn'tr Jo lp,J MsKS w.st