The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-12
"The Spendthrifl"
interesting Drama Is Finely
Presented At Lyric
Theatre

1t is not often that one sees in a
stock production the class of per-
Torrance which was given last night
at the first presentation of Porter
Emerson Browns '"The Spendthrift."
at the Lyric Theater. A play that is
intensely human from start to fin
ish, staged in the lavish manner Mr..
Carpenter has provided, and inter-
preted by most competent cast last
nights performance held a capacity
audience spellbound
The story, briefly told, is that of a
young business man of the city. mar
ried to the idol of his heart, and
working with all his might and main
to provide his extravagant and selfish
wife with the luxuries she Graves,
even more than she Graves her hus-
bands love. Living, as she insists
upon living, costs much more than
the young mans income, and there
comes the time when a halt must be
made. This time of reckoning comes
the .vening of the day the young
husband has decided to become a
voluntary bankrupt, and brings the
climax on it's heels. The young wife,
knowing that certain sum of money
was needed to tide over the crisis,
has accepted from a friend the need
ed amount, the friend having asked
and received no security, other than
his own expectations. She tells her
husband that his rich widowed aunt
has loaned her the money, but be-
cause of previous dealings with the
aunt he is inclined to doubt, and his
doubts are confirmed with the unex-
pected arrival of the aunt herself.
The next scene is laid in the bou-
doir Of the wife, and in it the hus-
band draws from his wife the name
of the man from whom she received
the money. He disbelieves her pro-
testations of innocence, and forces
her to call the man in question to her
presence Immediately, even though it
is unconventional time and place to
sures the husband that his wife is
still innocent, but the woman cannot
stand the shmae of the affair and
disappears from the home.
The last act shows the cheap lodg-
ing place in the city where she is
She has learned the lesson of econ
omy and unselfishness which she
should have learned with her marri-
age, and the play closes with the re,
union Of husband and wife.
Miss Cleveland, as the spendthrift
wife excels all her previous work in
this city. Her portrayal of the selfish
vincing and she carried her audience
all of the way.
Mr.. CONFESS, as Richard Ward, the
hard working husband showed splen-
did power at all periods.
Mr.. Carroll. as the rich young club
! man who loaned Mrs. Ward the large
sum was capital. Mr.. Devine, as the
young brother of Mr.. Ward, who mar
ries Mrs. Wards sister, with a def
mite understanding before hand. has a
part in which he displays to good ad-
vantage his versatility. AS a come
dian he is one of the best seen here
in stock Miss Strickland, as the
widowed aunt of Ward. shows great
ability in her portrayal of the strong
minded business woman, and Mr..
Gilmore. as the staunch friend and
legal adviser of Mr.. Ward, was never
seen to better advantage. Clarice,
sister of Mrs. Ward, was well played
| by Miss Carpent:..
On the whole it is production
for which the management and the
players are to be congratulated and
| it is certain to fill the theatre at ev-
cry performance. The usual matinees
will be presented today, Thursday and
Saturday afternoons and every even
| ing this week.