The Paducah evening sun., 1910-11-23
"The Spendthrift. !"

THE Spendthrift."
Richard Ward ..... Lionel Adams
Phillip Cartright Albert Sackett
Monty Ward, Rich's brother. #. a.
............. Forrest L. Orr
Frances Ward, Richards wife. ~.
| ..t... Doris Mitchell
Clarence Van zandt. her sister. ...
| .f........F Florence Rittenhous
Gretchen Sans, their aunt. ......
| .f..i....L Lizzie Mccall
Elise, Frances maid. Alice Kelly
Suffern Thorn. William II. sullivan
There's no delicate satire and little
humor about "The Spendthrift." II
was obviously written by Emerson
Browne with the most serious intent
in the world. and not for a moment
does he permit his audience to for
get that, or depart from the simple
moral of his story. The very plain
talk between the men folks Of the
lplay tickles the risibilities of some in
the audience. who do not take the
menace to the home quite as serious
" as does Mr.. Browne; but everyone
is allowed TO pick out his own place
to laugh as his sense OF humor sug-
gests. Mr.. Browne doesn't introduce
anything, unnecessarily, just 10
crafty 30 base a desire.
The Spendthrift" is a sermon on
extravagance, and aphorisms exude
from the persons and tumble from
the lips OF the characters: whether
| IL be the husband. who is shaving
while his wife plays with folly; his
brother. full of slang and inexper-
ience; his brothers sweetheart. new
ily brought to realization OF life's
seriousness from reading a popular
novel; his wife's aunt. with, as ehe
said. Zone foot in the grave and the
other in Wall street. all, all. ex-
oept the wife, who plays the part OF
heroine to her own villainess. No
laphorisms are stored in her maga-
zine, poor thing: she's the target for
'em all. We do her injustice. she
did have a sermon TO preach at the
end OF the play. after all the others
had had their sav. but 20 was suoh
weak. penitent little sermon. COM
pared TO the oratorical parts OF the
Others.
One OF the beauties OF 1.-THE Spend
thrift" from the point OF view OF a
lesson. is that, Ike most sermons
on practical moral question. IL IS
pitched high enough 50 that Il does
not hurt the feelings OF many OF
those. who foot the bill. Richard
Ward makes $4,000 a year and his
wife spends $4,000. He goes TO
THE wall and his wife borrows
$50, 900 from a skate she knows.
The husband points the moral and
she leaves. and We find her in an
attic, where she lives. while she Is
governess to a couple of children.
This awal1ens her mother love and
makes a good wife of her. That's
merely the text, everybody In the
show gets a good sermon out OF IL,
and there is material enough left for
several more sermons.
With all the preaching, however
"The Spendthrlft' is an intensely
Interesting story. dramatically told.
and with a climax that Is sufficiently
Thrilling The characters are quite
well drawn and distinct. the one
family trait OF speaking in epigrams
being the only thing to show their
blood kinship.
The applause last night was fire.
Iquent, and once we caught a char
acter, pausing, like William Jen-
nings Bryan. for the customary re-
sponse he expected his sentiment to
evoke. He was not disappointed. 1t
came In a moment
The scenic embellishments OF the
piece are exquisite and the Illusion
OF costliness Is cleverly carried out
The ladies' OF the cast are hand
somely gowned.
Altogether. It must be said for
Mr.. Frederick Thompson, that he Is
making his word good In sending out
competent cast and well appointed
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