New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-08
CHRISTOPHER, JR" AT THE EMPIRE.

John Drew and his pleasant company especially
Miss Maud Adams. gratiied and delighted a sump-
tuous audience In the Empire Theatre last evening.
presenting a comedy in four written by
Madeline Lucette Ryley and entitled "Chrlstopher.
Jr." There could be no question OF the success of
this play. IT was admirably fitted for the abilities
of Mr.. Drew. Miss Adams and the other members
of the company. and 1t written with light
and neat touch with so unfa!ng presence OF
the froIic spirit of gayety with much in the
language tho Incidents and the situations to pro-
woke mrih. that II must be ranked among the most
divertng plays In which John Drew has been seen.
At no time in the evening was the talk dull did
1t stumble fall off. The opportunities for acting
which 1t afforded the and TO his fellow
players. were varied, and yet full OF smiles
and OF jocund feeling that the qualifications Of this
company for nimbe. tripping. CHANGING entertain
ment were brought out to the finest advantage.
christopher, Jr." has been seen in other cities.
and It has been much appaude1 and has put many
audiences In sportive mood before 1t set the
stage of the Empire. Gloomy and must be
the man or the woman who cannot pass two or
three hours OF good humor when such actors and
such actresses in such vein Of fun please both the
eye and the ear in 'Christopher !r.' II would not
be surprising II this play should Ill the Empire
so constantly with people who wish to forget the
cares and troubles and worries of life In laughing
the ingenious complications the sparkling rail-
lery the agile repartee. the champagne-llke waltz
OF words In this comedy. that Mr. Drew and his
company might not change the bill until the end OF
their stay In this capital Almost every paygoer Is
now familiar with what John Drew can do on the
stage and Is able least to surnise what Mr.
Drew cannot do. Therefore IL ls not necessary TO
enter upon any profound study or long analysis OF
Mr. Drews dramatic endowment and equipment.
Nhen II is said that the part OF CHRISTOPHER Cot,
Jr, permits John Drew to be precisely the John Drew
whom the lovers OF Hight comedy have been grateful
10 Tor years. In every word. in every movement in
every mode OF expression. from his first
until the fall OF the last curtain the readers OF The
"
ers. vii! be abb. to conjecture shrcHdly the sort
OF part which he has. MIR Drew's range IS not
Himalayan In height fathomess In depth. nor as
broad as the unwinnowed fields OF the boundess
seas. But what he tries to do. a rule, he does
well, ana every who has ever liked him in any
part which he has taken will like him as Christie
pher colt, jr. He may not be spacious in his act
ing but he has ginger. He may be brittle but hs
bilttieness assuredly gives pleasure And these are
prosperous days for him.
AZ Dora Miss Maud Adams is even more charming
than in anything before. she is rising and in this
play she goes long way up. Miss Adams Is
orislnal as we'll arch There Is something de-
iciously quaint in the dainty and delicate ways in
which she completes a picture OF bewtching Young
night could doubt that the audience was
thus!astic over her acting as that OF Mr.
Drew. and both were applauded without reserve
and most cordially. The company Is generally eff
De Wolfe. Herbert Aycllng and Leslie Allen prais"
Is particularly due. and Miss Annie Adams Joseph
Humphreys Frank Lamb. Harry Harwood and
Arthur Byron distinctly merltorious
The full cast was as follows:
Christopher cot. Harry Harwood
iert hsInDF l~"s Hak"r