New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-05
"TEE PRoDIGAL SON"
The New Amsterdam.

?. THE Prodgal Son" which presented by
Io-va cor,pany at the New Amsterdam last
trht Mr. Hall Game has told an interesting story,
- the sensational sort, in effective though cfuoe
.shian He tells II, in essentials. as he mas tod
.. n the novel of the same name, which is to say
,bet he holds The attention OF the spectator by
s--,,a ~ STACEY situations and rather vociferous
.er,otfonalsm The result is drama which Is Ger
.oinfv 70. dull we need not rehearse Its details
7, &c sufficient TO note that The ProdgaI son, as
f. appears in the theatre. is affair of clinaxes
4udrfosiv manipulated, of scenes passing through
oeln n storm and then back again. with the
regularity OF a pendulum A CROWDED mouse
show ed its appreciation of the exciting moments
nv repeatedly causing the curtain TO be lifted All
This SMELLS success. and there is perhaps no rea-
son WHY Mr. Game should be grudged his popu-
Iarfty But we wish that he would not lay his
effects with a trowel
The play opens with a prodigious hustle. There
are lovers 10 the fore. and. with them live dogs
and horses. Then there is subsistence into talk.
but the author is ready with his episode Of tension
the lovers are overheard and. the eavesdropper
happens to be the man who has expected TO marry
the woman concerned. the plot receives a sudden
impetus. Il is too sudden, and Mr.. came does
not cutie know how TO carry 1t of After his first
explosion of wrath. Mr.. Morgan, who fills the role
OF the injured swain, Magnus, has to perform an
act Of quiet heroisTn, arranging 10 give up MS
Thora TO his brother, whom she loves and the text
does not supply him with either the ideas or the
dicton which necessary to make the transition
from jealous fury 10 self-sacrihce ana stern gen
eraIsbip o1Iite as natural as one would wish ii be
The scene goes near 10 -anti-cmax; the fash OF
dramatic fire fades II is impossible TO ignore the
atmosphere that here begins to pervade the piece
an atmosphere of artifce rather than of art. and
the first act draws 10 close We are not IN the
least surprised at the introduction of fatty SEN
timental note poor -Eagnus crouching wobegone
in the lineght and all his kinsfolk and friends
rejoicing the other side OF veil, through which
q banquet table is dimly discerned This last scene
IS precisely like picture in one Of the Christmas
supplements. and it does not ring true. But at
least, the picture moves. least Mr. Game gives
his actors something TO do every few minutes, and
If agrees forget the crudity Of the thing 1t
IS easy he entertained for what the actors have
10 DO they do. for the most part, very well
Mr.. Morgan plays the part Of the strong man
who suffers and is silent, until at the end Of the
second act the time comes TO throw discretion to
the winds. and then he rises to his opportunity
with electrifying energy. We do not remember
just how an Icelander looks, but can believe
IN Mr.. Morgans portrayal Of the type, for he
makes II manly and sympathetic. If Magnus Is
little absurd times II is not the actors fault but
the authors Mr.. Aubrey Boucicault will prob
ably do better with the part Of Oscar, the sup
planter, when he has shaken himself down into ii
and got AZ his lines under absolute control AS it
is, he gives it sir OF truth, and again we have
TO observe that. If there is more hysteria than
passion in the performance it Is partly due tc Mr..
Game, who provides occasions for action, but fails
10 ut the right word TO il, and thus becomes com
Inonplace when ne should be poignant. Miss Char
lotte Walker d Thora- the beloved of both broth
ers. Started in somewhat feeble key, but Iaade
the best OF the cheap phrases put into her
mouth, and al the critical moment of her i'm
PRESERVATION. when she faces the who has
wrecked her life acted with force and a sin
certify which atoRed for her earlier and weaker
passages. Miss Drina De Wolfe mas the chance
TO make the part of Helga, the wicked siren. as
interesting It is important 10 the fabric OF tho
play. but lest night she failed 10 give IL a suffi-
Gently sinister accent Miss Marie Wainwright,
bringing experience and poise TO the part of a
sharp tongued but good hearted old matchmaker
welcomed for her sake when she first
appeared. and deservedIy aPplauded for
the excellence Of her work The old men. the
fathers whose happiness is shattered by their
extremely difficult offspring. both in the hands
Of competent performers. Mr. ". H. Thompson
both realistic and delicate Stephen Mag
nusson and Mr.. J. z. Dodson enveloped the &c
centric Factor in q most engaging cloak of dry
comedy.
The rank and file adequate. and save that
the second act was played out in a fearsonly ugly
interior-which may perhaps. have Icelandic war
rant-the play is judiciously set. Some OF the
nneodramatic lights and shadows and some OF the
appropriate strains might be modified elimi-
mated altogether. Meanwhile 1t IS safe to assume
that The ProdigaI Son IS destined for prosper
Gus run II was more than cordially received last
night and since il deals freely with the primary
emotions giving them theatrical point. If not
dramatic distinction, other audiences likely
take it with the same good will. The full cast is
as follows: