The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-11
OUR CHILDREN AT
MAXINE ELLI0TT'S
Doting Affection Of Father
for His Unworthy Son Is
Theme Of Play.
LIKE AN OLDER DRAMA

louis Anspacher Is the author OF
.olr children which was divulged to
a superheated audience last night at
Maxine Elliott's Theatre. The doting
Affection Of a father for his son Is the
theme Of the new play. Just as 1t is in
L,Arronge's famous old folkplay called
",iein Leopold" to which the author
acknowledged some sort OF indebted
ness. LArronge's drama has never lost
liz placc on the German stage. Theatri-
cal and conventional, the old play is
full Of heart. which is al element that
will survive many changes of fashion
in form.
The father in "Our children is n
shoemaker and he IL led through his
devotion to an unworthy son. whom he
loves to the prejudice of his daughter,
from prosperity back to the shoe
makers bench where he began. So
the last act shows the living room N
shoe shop Of this doting parent. These
household industries. whether II be a
shoe shop or a banking house. make the
way 81 the adapter hard. h scene
Of the other two acts is the dining
room OF the prosperous man. who Is not
reduced 10 poverty until four years have
passed.
Adolf l. Arrouge's old play used to
be acted by William Warren. who found.
as the deceived father. one Of his most
congenial parts. and soon after its
original production in 1873 1t found
IL way into the vernacular, although
the German players showed II first at
the Stadt Theatcr. Emil Thomas, who
was the last distinguished German to act
the shoemaker here for Georg Engels.
singular, enough did not show his on
cep,ion Of the role to his New York
admirers. although Berlin had long re-
gardcd him as the most famous inter-
prefer of LArronge's old fashioned
hero.
Mr.. Anspacher has made al ingenious
version OF the famous old play OF
LArrougc, wisely keeping It's spirit Ger
man by making the important person
ages OF the drama, although residents
Of Lynn. natives OF the fdtherland.
Several OF the characters spoke with
a German accent and rolled their "rs'
unt. i seemed as II every tooth in
th,.r heads must come out along with
them. The humanity-stage humanity
Of the doting father Is well preserved.
II was never easy to be Altogether
Tatient with him in any form of the
play.
Emmett Corrigan acted this cid egotis-
effectively and mis- denotement of hui
morOus traits was possibly more sue
cesstul than his effort TO strike "A more
pathetic note. But tears on the stage
are more difficult to draw now than
fkaNs vs.Va pho tha-, ... lea. a.. q.
lump In the throat when the shoemaker
began 70 get his deserts. Albert Bruning
was an amusing pendant 10 the more
arrog ant friend.
Not all the mechanism OF the period
in which the original play gained its
popularity was concealed last night, but
the audience was closely interested in
the dramatic incident. which il
laiN" at the close Of he second act.
II was not until the third act, when
the end was easily in view, that the
Spectator were bile to laugh at a
banker IN his fur coat with the collar
turned up and listen to the talk about
The extremity Of the cold outside.
NJ Auspacher's play has many of the
qualities which are rare enough to-day
ana are certain to appeal to the public.
II has sentiment. thick and abundant
q. N'F iill3l'l ana u mas uTdHlhllc SuS-
pers". So In il new form there should
10" "a '' lial reception for our Chill
dre0
The generally excellent acting brought
OUT al On plays good qualities. Elisa
beth \r'cns as "A ~tyrlnnical cid servant
kel' tho spr GATORS in constant laughter
Chf'S,nc Norman brought n simple and
l.atlrfl pathos TO the performance OF
NJ heroine AS We'll as "A profile which
.h'AIi not be overlooked. and Ralph
NO organ made the detestable son manly.
winch is about all that any actor could
H'oog- III with the role. Arthur Lewis
lS IN. banker was excellent, and Alma
I'H .s his daughter offered a striking
example Of the degree to which the hnt
,.aN'' III" beauty. Amy Dennis, Alphonz
tt'.'r and John Mckee were also Of
RNsS'ince 70 the author in bringing
out the merits of his play.