The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-03
DOMESTIC PROBLEM
PLAY AT THE HUDSON
sWhat Would You DO?" Con.
ventional, but Has =.
Good Scenes.
MAKES HUSBAND STEAL
Actors Do Well With Material,
Much Of Which Is
Familiar.
Aueurtus MscHugh. who rose 70 tame

Aug,iptus MRcHugh. VINO rose 70 lame
On the excellent comic idea back OF
"Ohieer 66e." dealt with more serious
matters in the new play seen last night
At the Hudson Theatre. What would
You Dor was its somewhat abrupt title.
For the second or third time IN the
present season the perplexinE question OF
living beyond ones means was Drought
up. The title OF the new play seemed
70 refer to the necessity VI raising enough
money 20 meet the bills OF wives who
would spend more for their chinons than
their husbands could AFFORD. who played
auction for higher stakes than they could
meat and otherwise sought to shine by
what they spent rather than through
their womanly virtues.
Mr.. MacIlugh does not go so Tar ~ ono
current drama In revealing tho sacrifices
Of their good traits that women make In
this cause Her mother did not set an en-
eouragins example 70 the particular wife
who was the heroine Of What Would
You Dor for she did not hesitate IN
minutes OF financial stringency to re-
oroach her for having married a poor man.
Then she encouraged as much Is possioie
The attentions Of rich Admirer VINO
tion for the wife under the appearance or
an affection for her unmarried sister. But
Il Ia his ability to tip" the young husband
that enables this unhappy Individual II
hrst 10 make money enough TO meet inc
rising wave Of hie wites demands. There
follows OF course more speculation Its
event Is different. There would have
remained for this ni!sled husband only
A.sxrace but for the Shrewdness or
friend who comes to his rescue.
Already the husband. having used
enough Of his hanks funds TO Insure
him ten years In prison. Is about to com.
NIT suicide But his resourceful friend.
n rnsrssine muckraker OF Wall Street.
suggests that he take enough more 20
play . tip he has overheard in the bank
and nay back everything. The young
cashier contrives to gain possession or
more than half a million. restores the
securities to the bank and contr!ves 70
earn In addition some 100000 for him
self He resigns from the bank. but
recognizes that he Is quite as much OF
. thief a. II no had been apprehended.
Three scenes Of speculation occupied the
ssoond and third acts. There was GER
tain dramatic interest in them. although
the improbobiiity Of the incidents and the
excessive number of them robbed the cpl
sodes Of the necessary plausibility. Then,
their kind has become familiar. The audi
onee, maze Up 1drBeS VI WIN o~'S's' ~
mained apathotIc.
Mr.. MacHuEh's views Of New York life.
sven in the cheap set he was depicting.
are strangely naive Then. his reflections
rs to the share that metropolitan existence
plays In making men and women what
they become here were no more SOUND
than most Of the ooiter dicta on life scat
tered literally throughout the play. His
heroine was selfish and heartless. because
that was her nature. and II would have
surprised none OF the spectators IL she had
accepted the proposal OF the rich nah to
divorce her husband and marry him. Her
husband started his dishonesty because he
wanted to enjoy more OF life In New York
than $4,000 a year made possible. There
wa naturally no conclusion to be drawn
from two such natures rs to the !nfiuence
II their surroundings.
60 IL WAS for his dramatic scenes rather
than his ethics that the spectators were
patient with Mr.. MacHugh. Louise Drew
played very charmingly the part OF the
natural young sister OF the heroine who
Has intended to attract the eye OF the
man OF wealth but fell in love with his
chauffeur instead. Then the school
teacher sister OF the weak husband. an
attractive character, was winningly acted
by Grace Wynne.
The rest of the characters were stem.
ciis, but well represented by the actors.
Bessie Barriscalle has an adorable profile,
and Milton Stills represented one OF the
types OF middle class American manhood.
in which he excels. Less restraint
would have added greater variety to his
acting. Byron Beasley and Richie Ling
were plausible In two wholly conventional
rods.