The sun., 1905-09-05
1.-THE PRODIGAL SON."
Hall Gaines New Play Produced at the
New Amsterdam.

New AmeteFOSm.
Hail Gaines new play, .The Prodigal
Son. opsned the season at the New Anster-
da m Theater last evening, and tho problem
mans admirer-not to say the devoteSs
OF his cult-were out In foroe. The theatsr
was filed and many persons stood. The
audience perspired, but they were thrilled
80 often that they didn't mind.
The intensity Of the situations, In the dra-
matio discussion Of life, questions which
they had come to enjoy, provided the neces-
cary emotional agitation and they were
happy-even In their tears, II may be said;
for there were, OF course, moments when
an emotional overflow was Threatened.
In the body Of the house musta ches we're
pulled and back hair was reau u1usted 70
tide over suoh moments; the gallery fairly
siszled in the emotional heat.
the broad brow and fortunate resent blarice
to a bust-but it was NO less very sincere
tribute 10 the actors. Certainly the author
has provided On acceptable drama. on ap-
proved lines. in the opinion Of last evening
audienoe which va. freely an ana a.es empn1 sa H.
terpreted the outpourings Of his heart
pardon. Of The Mindl-as TO win for them
selvas no less commendAtion than the
situations or occasional lines elicited.
The company showed themselves com
etent IL tn. demands maae s. snoo en1onS , r..
PRINCIPALS FOR Mr.. .Bouceanlt In the ex-
nterance which the re,Iuiremcntr OF his
part and the idiosynorssies OF hts personality
threw out In sharp contrast to the reserve
by which Mr.. Morgan captured large snare
OF ap,,lause and attention.
After the second act 40 insisrent was the
audience upon recognising the players who
had pleased that there was succession
Of curtain calls, with demands Tor sree9n
from Mr.. Morgan. After seven or eight
minutes o. this Mr. I'M MORGAN e wopd ef
thanks for the demonstration, when ne
said made the players very grateful ana
The thems Of The play h such ss readers
of Hall Caipe are familiar with Ard Ieaders
OF his novel Of the same naue know directly.
Oscar Stspksnsson AUBREY Boucicault). the
aProdigal son, : and younger son o. SephsT,
MocN ueson, Governor Ger eral Of Iceland
Nv II. Thompson), comes home from one
Of his jaunts Just In time TO steal from nv
sSs, Mesrsn SsI'HTsE Tsgss.. Msss1s sors
Charlotte Waiker) On the honeymoon Of
Csear and Thoro they pick up and take along
with them Tho,a'e younger sister, Hetgd
Neisen Drtna de Wolfe), who believes 70
making the world, her own. ParticnS1iariiy Y
contrast to the self-sacrincing character
Of her simpler sister. the wife.
Al Nice Hei0o has made Oscar forger.
In q year TAoro dies leaving daughter,
Cscdv's forgery is: found out and he and
Hss % nee bnvs thes ns 'Sr q Monte @ i Carlo
With all that implies, before the .ProdiaaIs.
return home, not to cat the fatted calf but
to furnish 1t.
For the benefit OF readers Of the novel
the proErsm !, ;Ays; ,h,. n,.v +, .,mos, ie,ent,c.
with that OF the authors novel under the
same name, but the drama is an entirely
independent version Of the story. with m,ch
differences Of structure as are required.
For Its HUMOROUS passages ana ths ex-
qualification q the sMtnorsh n" f.. iWness W.i1ess
sistefs' maiden nunt, Morgdret EeMen
one OF life's--of Mr.. Caines-problems %
disclosed In her c,,istio retnrt whsn in al
fusion TO the remote Possibility Of her mar
ring to her brother. the father Ct her nie9es,
and nj, friend the Governor General, father
of Two sons, quoth Mdrpdrst IN mystical
words: III I couldn't do better than you
With your. two chiolos ..pieoe, Ia not think
Il worth while tn hegin. =.
sThs ProdiEal SON IL elaborately staged.
Mr.. Caine denied himself the pleasure OF
attending tho American birth Of his play,
but cabled his thanks for "the energy
which he felt sure would be employed IN
its Interpretation, and to the New York
public 'fof what know In advance will
Be their fair and even sympathetic hear
ing" He also expressed the modest hope
that the play may not prove to be Alto
sether unworthy Of the generous .snorts
which have been made In ite behalf, and
closed With the reas6ur ring message that
he should walt with no little anxiety for
aeven the fAirftest echo Of the verdict OF
an American audience.