Evening journal., 1919-03-14
FINE STAGE CRAFT
IT THE WAN]EREh'
Int resting Portrayal i n
Spectacle Now at the
Playhouse
INTERPRETED BY
EXCELLENT CAST

THE PLAYH0UsE-"The Wanderer"
an adaptation OF the parable OF the
prodigal Son. by Maurice V. samuels
staged by David Belssco.
PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS
shelah. a servant OF Jesse
Z. p. Sullivan
Naomi, cousin Of Jether =. Olga Newton
Jeiher. son OF Jesse, Frederick Lewis
Gaal. elder brother OF Jether,
Richard Thornton
Jesse. father OF Jether and Gaal.
Henry Duggan
Huldah. his wife 80. Florence Auer
Tola. friend OF Jether,
George stillwell
Tisha. daughter Of Nadina.. Louise Orth
Nadna, keeper Of dodgers in Jerusalem.
Mabel Montgomery
Aro. dancer,
Nile. Francesca KirmonavO
Friends OF Jether, servants, visitors
10 the palace, dancing girls, Egyptians.
Arabs. Nubisns, shepherds.
'The Wanderer," which opened a
three-day engagement at the Playhouse
last nisht before q large audience, Is a
sumptuOus example Of stagecraft. and
a wonderfully accurate study OF the
costumes, architecture and manners Or
Old Testament times. That is the lrst
Impression Of the aud ence as the gor-
seous spectacle OF the play unfol,ls.
The second Is that the cast as a whole
gives a sincere and remarkably good
portrayal OF the age old story.
The frst and last scenes show the
courtyard Of the home Of Jesse, 4 typ
ical white plastered Judean house. vita
outside steps leading TO a roof gaIden,
and surmountcd by a cleaning dome.
Beyond IFS arched gateways the rolling
hills Of Judea show verdant beneath a
bue sky. Graceful girls pass with wa
ter Jars on head. and sheep and dogs
come home from the mounia rs The
second act. where the prodigal is vast
ing his substance In riotOus living, /
shows the palace Of a wsnton In Jeru- |
salem, with silken cushions and crap |
cries, torchlishtsEdancing girls, revel- |
ers and muse
Frederick Lewis as the p.Odieal. was |
despair without becoming melOdramat- 4
ic and took the part Of the reveler con
without disgusting The audi
ence by sensuality an eXcee1ng.y q + !
acuh thing 10 do. His acting in the /
final scene Of repentance and reconcilla- /
tion was very fine.
Florence Auer as the mother OF the
prodleal touched the audience deeply
with her powerful poc,'cyal OF the
mother love that holds fast through in
gratitude and disgrace Of her son.
Jesse, the father. was another prin-
cHal who gave an impressive inter-
'pretat0n OF his part The tlnal cpl
x sie. where the father siangs long i'm
.1ovable with cloak over head, while
mother. sweetheart and son plead in
va for clemency and then casting Q1
his yeillng drapery, takes the prodigql
back TO his arms and heart, is a worthy I
md 10 the play
Caal the sternly just elder hrother,
,aomi. the sweetheart, and Tisha. q
ruly beautiful siren. were all notable
n f1eir parts. Tola was an eycell INT
haractor as the friend who aids II
he prod.gals downfall, finally detray
nc Jether by disclosing the prod.gals
mad denial Of the God OF Israel.
Considerable criticism was heard 10
he audience over the scarcity Of cloth
ng worn by two or three dancers. %
aid seem that a little more genrgetle
would not have hurt the arr site quail
ity Of he costumes, and would have
added much to the dignity Of the play
Another criticism, somewhat general
was that the actors talked too loud
This was probably because they have
had 20 nl immense aud torms and had
difficulty in adapting themselves TO a II
much smaller place
The play does not follow the parable
literally, Bat IL keeps tie splr Of the /
Biblical story. There viii be perform /
ances tonight and tomorrow night with /.
a Saturday matinee.