New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-03
JOHN DREWS RETURN
In New London Comedy by
Alfred Sutro.
s1aR MAKES USUAL SUCCESS
,,ov Received Without En-
,busiasm Satirizes Suffraget-
tism and Silly People.

,obn Drew as perplexed husband rs
..niIjar and welcome figure. This
49,. Mr. Alfred Sutro furnished him
~, the matter for perplexity. The
ns is as familiar as the player, even
. N, method of working 1t out Is
m,l, different from the methods Of for
..r years and former plays y silly
r,e wife has 10 be rewon. She has
Ian captivated, however. not by the
,..u,'. designing villain, for villain
49,. ,s none. but by the cause of
,,an" In two weeks she has been. or
','-Ls she has been, converted from
-. Of husband and children to the
..rse.n and converted by shabby, tat
"A Pecksniffian person called Clarence
u.oodhouse, whom she calls THE Mas
49, II is the way OF the sudden
1,-,nies OF this olea ginous bounder TO
address him and allude to him as The
y,,ter." Any person with shred OF
..,.e car see through him In half
,,,,ute. But Sophie Polling loses her
..nses IN half a minute. AS for Mrs
rl,,ead. the woman leader OF women she
4. born meddler. and her profession Is
n, spreading OF discomfort.
The, Polling, husband OF the wao-
Hing Sophie. returns from India TO
1npdon Cof course. this is en- English
,,,v. none other Is selected for John
r-.y). 20 discover that his loving WIFE
has discovered 1bsen. and that she, IN
turn. has discovered that. like Nora, she
,,a Doll in q DOLLS House The fact
I. that Sophie Is nothing OF the kind'
sb. has merely struck streak OF SILL
ness In her own character. Thomas
Falling. 70 rewin her, pretends TO make
love 10 the fascinating Miss Finch. who
calls herself Kalleia (she has "a Greek
,opl" and worships beauty, whereupon
Mr., Polling becomes jealous Ana
there you are.
The play was fairly acted. on the whole
IN. 4. went quite mildly in the last act
or two. and there was difficulty in know
ing when Mr. sutro meant 10 be satirlst
ard when he meant 10 be champion oi
.th. cause" or any cause. John Drew
,s,urally enough. was first rate. bu1
hardly any one could repress the wish
,b.. fortune had bestowed upon this
fsvorite actor a better play.
Mr. Alfred Sutro. who wrote ne
,iered Husband" Is the author OF pe'Ie'
,l.vs This one lacks sincerity ooth III
"a satire and in its sentimentah'y' 4'S
~u,.,e-" the man Woodhouse, is pre-
,o.,a-ous nerson. a humbug from heel 10
c-orn and. represented as he is by HUI
-, D~,ce he could never have convert
ID even the weak little sister 0op'"e
perinx 10 belief in anything ana never
eou,d have led movement OF I'D
,..n the inspiring figure OF cause
pr, Mr. Sutro has superintended thS
New, work production Of his play ana u
mo-, ha assumed that he has NoodhouSe
a,,sd as he wishes him 70 be ac'eu.
r7ahb,, and sentimental masters Oh
.,,overnents' there have been IN p'eH'S'
and will be forever more, out thcs
nm been low comedians. IheS l@'o
4nlsved up' 20 their parts and mol COW"
70 the grOundlings.
The play chosen for Jonh DIc"
n4arsnce at the Empire Theatre "as P'O
dpced IN London a year ago. IL Wa ii'i
,o-,sd Tor John Drev's sake, ana Jolll
nav, makes the best OF bis chances as
he slvays does. So does Mary boiahu
maize the hest Of her Chances. All tle
xor,s, will 20 TO see her gowns. ana heI
hair. which is OF the color the sous
lov." Her Kalleia has big, candid eyes
and 4. an artful mink with pose u
ehildish innocence. She puts her Green
xo,,," against the Great White Soul OF
the Master. and In the end runs on WIN
him thereby bringing disillusion 10 the
disciples OF that fat and irnpecuhlous
fraud and q happy ending TO al ANN
tons. Just what Mr.. Sutro IS dri'lhs a
who shall say? But he equips the evening
With pleasantry. His play lie not d 'hlns
10 worry the militant suffragettes nor the
Ibsenites. Perhaps II would nave mao 10
chance OF stage performance had IL ueeni
intsnded 10 attack or 10 defend a cause
or +, master" In the London or the
virdoy-snaashers and the assailants OF
Prime Ministers IL may have kindled
reatsr interest than 1t is likely to nave
here, where not the play, but John Drew
Is the chief and deserving attraction
CAST OF THE PERPLEXED HUSBAND.
c1sr.-C. u-on1bo,,ss ...... Hubert bruce
Pits ..,....-.......... Walter s0derIns
eorhis Polling ...........-.' $3.50. vstson
Drlcis Estead .........-..- .Marsa' 81 - IoLn