The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-08
JOHN DREW AT EMPIRE
IN 1.-THE PRODIGAL HUSBAND"
New Author Is Introduced by the Comedy
Popular Actor Has Pleasing Middle
Aged Part.

finds a mark made by the girl He
Follows and finds her with his wife 1t
is quite obvious to the least sophisticated
theatregoer what will happen then. 1t Is
not even necessary to have seen THE
Rainbow" or to have read Mon PEREZ or
Tho Little Treasure" to divine that tho
duty OF this girl. Just as II Is the duty
OF all stage girls in simii.r circumstances.
is to unite that separated father and
mother. When this happens The Prodi
gal Husband" has ended, as plays dealing
with this theme always have ended. in
the way that pleases the audience.
1t will be seen that Mr. Drew In these
conditions could not be always what his
public has found him in the past on
at least two occasions he was not well,
nice Once In the first act he was
under the infunce OF liquor. talking with
a lady who was distinctly no better than
she should have been. Then at the close
of the second act. when his feelings
toward his ward changed so suddenly, he
was again not at all as his admirers have
been In the habit OF seeing him
There were other conditions that were
not the most favorable for his personal
success Mr.. Drew's skill and polish, his
technical resource and his sense Of humor
carried him through scenes not In the
least suited to him, not because they de-
mand powers beyond those he possesses
Dul lot inc utlueUldDly apparent Teispil
that lie looked twenty years too old for
the part and nothing he could accomplish
established the illusion that a man of his
age could have don what VI. Nicodemi
had set dow nfor his hero.
In speech after the second act Mr..
Drew said Il was his twenty-second
annual speech on the Empire Theatres
stage His manner suggested that the
artist realized quite as well as anybody
else that no was not seen under oondi-
tons best for the revelation Of the fine
age could have done what ". Nioodemi
had set down for his hero.
The play would probably have not been
very impressive under any conditions. Its
frst act acquired certain charm from
the appearance OF the little girl. Pntheti-
cally acted by Helen Brown. the presence
OF helpless, unprotected childhood among
less innocent elders created its usual effect.
The dialogue was und!stingushed in style
and matter. There was an Improvement
IN the second act 40 far as the interest of
the audience In the DEVELOPMENT OF the
story was concerned for Jessie Glenden-
ming acted with glrlish naturalness and
refreshing simplicity tho part OF the
founding in her girlhood.
Then Ferdinand Gottschaik, as n b,bu-
lous friend of the husband, had built
up a really amusing character which
the public awaited on every appearance.
writing Of the speeches. which were some
what more polished In form and less In
fantile In their EFFORT NJ humor.
In the third act the flame Of middle
aged passion was In embers. and the
meeting OF all the characters in the home
OF the divorced wife suggested no return
of the pathological flare that had brought
the second act 10 a climax. II was not
long before the mood Of the actors dropped
into farce and perhaps that treatment
was the best for the work.
". Ncodemi had aroused IN his audi
ence' no feeling that demanded any more
serious conclusion 10 a play which. OBJ
vious,y unsuited a. II was to Mr.. Drew.
possesses the advantage OF a certain nov
city of mllieu. some excellent characteri-
zation as in the case OF the dissipated
friend and above all served the purpose
OF restoring a popular actor TO his public.
That Is the traditional purpose OF the
play acted at the Empire Theatre on the
evening OF every Labor Day. 1t may be
| at least said that The Prodigal Father
accomplished that much.