Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-21

Put, friend OF Jcthcr. ..... Mr.. George Byron
IIadrR Nut. another friend. Mr. stephen Wright
EarzL tax collector for King solomon
Naoml. cousin Of Jcthcr. Miss Olga newton
sidona s.r Of JcrusaGI, .Mss lIoTd2 1.g9c
-, NJ Lionel Ershsm
SYNOPSIS OF SCENES
Act Near Hebron. about one thousand
Act 1.-The house OF Nadlna in Jerusalem.
Act III The home Of Jesse
An audience vast enough to honor
Caruso night filled the great auditorium
illumined with lights Of mystic pastel red
The special stained glass entrance doors
admitting the huge crowd struck in their
designs the scrptural keynote inspiring the
verdict that The wanderer" is an Amer.
ican Oberammergau." Reverent and at
tcntive was the spectators attitude as the
new gray curtain and disclosed a
scene that in composition and atmosphere
was as fine tribute to the art OF David
BeasCo as any setting that he has ever
supervised before the footlights.
In the foreground a notwithstanding
Oriental house embodied I'm lines and color
ing the popular notion OF habitations Of
ancient Palestine. Bare hills "shoudered"
upon each other in the distance. The sky
was delicately flushed with pink The pic
ture combined bucolic charm with the sense
Of hospitality and home. The long-heTalded
flock of sheep. admirably trained and
docile, contributed the crowning touch OF
realism The whole stage environment was
eXpertly fashioned to introduce the simple
and essentially moving tale of the Prodgal
Son, on which the structure Of THE Wan
derer" is raised.
In the uaivete of it's appeal much of the
force OF the drama lies. The Wanderer'
has no more plot in the conventional sense
than the sacred parable from which it is
derived. The tale set forth Is that OF
.Iether. son of Jesse who demands and re-
ceives his portion of his fathers goods,
departs for Jerusalem. is lured there into
dissipation. tastes the lees of dishonor, re-
turns a contrite beggar 70 the parental
homestead. touching mothers, and finally
fathers heart as one who through error
has found the way Of true virtue.
In it's sincerity and in it's subtle spirit of
reverence the first act is unQuestionsbly the
best i'm Mr., Samuels adaptation Of the Ger
man original. Furthermore, some OF the best
acting IS disclosed in the opening scenes.
Fredcrick Lewis as Jether, goaded by a
desire t0 see the world-the same longing
that troubled SteVensons exquis.teIy ap-
roalihg "WiI-G the Mil" although Will
rrver Welded to it--portrayed youthful en-
thusiasm pOCtiCallE and with keen appre-
cation OF dramatic values. James ONeill's
riue experience was triumphantly displayed
most delicate tones throughout the wide
reaches of the Metropoiitan's auditorium.
His portrait of the father Jesse is care
fully etched masterpiece. That sterling
actor. Charles Dalton. lent truth and viril-
itv to the role OF the jealous brother, Gaal
Whose virtue H. statistical and merC.less.
As Huldah, the mother. Nance ONeil
established claim for consideration as one
Of the most gifted stage artists eXtant.
Philadelphians with memories can recall
her majestic Lady Macbeth, her many
faCeted Magda, her passonately patriotic
Judith of Bethulia. But in none OF those
characters was her hstrionc splendor more
eloquently manifested than the Quin-
essentially maternal Hudah. Any one
who believes that the ''palny' days of act
ing have forever vanished should behold
and hear what she does with a figure of
rather scant literary value. but replete with
The elemental humanity even older than the
parable in which 1t is involved.
sydney Herbert as the irs:diouse Tola
who eutices the rowing spirit of Jether Ia
Jerusalem, completes the quartet OF accom-
plishcd players. II is noteworthy that al
these artists have previously shone in the
dramas OF William Shakespeare II the
resOurceful and ambitious management OF
'"rhe Wanderer' ever feels like invading
the Bard's realm, it already has the nucleus
of an organization whose talents and train
ing il would be hard to surpass,
The moral Of plunglng into vice without
an unlimited pocketbOok Is driven home ir
the Wanderers second act, amid scenes
OF elaborate Oriental revelry. The various
dances in the gardens Of. Nadina, whose se'
ductive daughter Tisha, beloved of the
Grant Jcther, is somewhat roughly played
ny lean stuart. are effectively devised ant
admirably executed. Huge Lionel Bra
ham, as the lustfuI Pharis is striking and
effective figure in this scene whose staging
has the typical Belasco touch, without at
tanning the intangible but irresistible at
traction of the sets of the FIRST and las
acts.
The dramatization Of the "'rod'gal Son
parable is pertinently manifested in the
finale. i'm which the noble. plastic art o
Miss ONeil is once more given free scope
Her curse of the traducers of Jether has
something Of the austere power OF antique
tragedy or Of the noblest music drama
Oddly enough. there is a distant suggestion
of "Parsifa!" In the development of THE
Wanderer7 For In Tisha II Is possible L
read Kundry and Jether's penitence recalls
the "guleess fOol' who, through suffering
eventually compTehended the soul OF man
As a literary product Mr.. Samuelss pla,
Is neither notable nor offensive. The an
tuue diction occasionally slips into pom
uou5 rhetoric OF the Bulwer-Lytton school
but on the whole the cOlloquy is direc
and cOuched in a sincerity that Is preferable
10 striving for poetry and not achieving IL
Herr GoetzeTs incidental music is usual!
appropriate, and considerably retires whel
significant passages Of the dialogue are II
order
The great iblage OF spectators wa
more respectfdf In attitude than showil!
noisy In thoughtless plaudits. There coul'
be no better tribute to the design and pur
pose OF this ambitious footllght offering
II. T. G.
NEWGp pApERMAN SHOT