Evening star., 1915-11-14
NATIONAL.

An event of the local theatrical sea-
son will be the appearance OF John
Drew tomorrow night at the New Ma
tionaI Theater for a weeks engage
ment, with Wednesday and Saturday
matinees, in his new comedy entitie
The Chief" by Horace Annesley Va
chell, which will have it's first presen-
tation on any stage in this city.
Mr.. vachell. distinguished English
author of books, has recently turned
his attention to the theater with un-
commonly successful results. Three o.
his plays are prosperous at the pres
ent time in England and America. The
comedy which he has supplied for MI
Drew has an extremely interesting plot
as well as a delightfully."- eccentric and
sympathetic central figure.
The story Is as follows: Lord Yester,
Familiarity known as the ChieI. Is
wealthy widower whose home Is looked
after by his sister-in-law, Emily Bar
gus. He had been in love with charm
ing girl before his marriage, but the
match had been broken of by Emiiys s
designing mother, with the result that
at the beginning of the play. aided
and abefted by her mother. is using all
her wiles to become his second wife.
Yester has a ward. Daphne Kenyon,
ticipation of her return he has par
TALLY arranged a marriage between her
and Lord Wrexam. son of the Duke of
Drax. Daphne, on her arrival, makes 1t
plain that she will have none of Wrex-
ham, having fallen in love with Yes
ter's secretary, Derek WarinG, this un-
known to Yester. At this point Mrs
Vansittart, Yester's former love. now
= widow. who has arrived In London
from India, phones Yester that she de-
sires an interview with him. This
knowledge reaching Mrs. Bargus. she
privately, to her daughter Emily
stigmatizes Mrs. Vansttart as a thief
stating what appear damaging reasons
eor her accusation. A bit later Mrs
Vansittart appears. charming woman
of the world, very much down in he
luck. In a comedy scene with Yester
she frankly admits her need Of money
and borrows quite a sum from him.
giving him a string of pearls as Sc
curity- In addition she proposes that
she become his private secretary. Yes
ter is quite taken with the idea. be-
cause he considers II dangerous to have
an attractive male secretary In thr
house with such an impressionable
Young creature as Daphne, not dream
ing that the young people are already
desperately in love with each other
7H"n to complicate matters Mrs. Van
sittart has persuaded Yester that t.
-eality he, Yester. is the object Of
Daphne's devotion. Quite sufficiently
ties are painfully increased by the
'eve1atton. made through Mrs. Bargus,
! that the pearls on which he loaned
money to Mrs. Vansittart are merely
imitation. This unfortunate truth is
scarcely explained away by the owner
Of the pearls when she is openly ac-
cused Of being thief by Mrs Bargus
who sees her daughters chances Of be-
coming Lady Yester diminishing rapid
ly. The clearing of Mrs. Vansittart's 8
name, the discovery of the real thief.
the Strengthening out Of Daphne's love
affairs and the diplomatic avoidance
OF becoming Mrs. Bareus' son-in-law
fnr the second time keep Mr. Drew
| busily occupied and constantly anus
| nR through three acts.
The Chief" will be beautifully
tagged. and Mr.. Drew will be surround
ed by his customary excellent com.
pany. Notable among the players is
Laura Hope Crews. the well known
comedienne. Other members are George
Graham. Echlin Gayer. Walter Soder-
| ling, William Barnes. That's Lawson,
Consuelo Bailey and Katherine Stewart