The Detroit times., 1908-04-21
the DETROIT.

A real event In theatrical circles
was the coming to the Detroit opera
house Monday night OF The Red
MILL" musical play In two acts. by
Henry Blossom and Victor Herbert.
Besides bringing something original
and unique In plays. The Red Mill
brought David Montgomery and Fred
A Stone. who. as the Tin Woodman
and the Scarecrow In The Wizard OF
o." achieved triumphs that have
never been excelled by any similar
performances Detroiters welcomed
the production in seemly manner.
every seat being taken before the cur
tain went up Monday night. and the
pretty settings. the~Dutch atmosphere
, and the fun-making qualities of Mont
gomery and Stone were all duly APP
preciated from beginning TO end.
Versatile Victor Herbert. who has
given us many pleasing musical OFFER
ipgs. including that delightful comic
opera, Mile Modesto" must have
been In his best humor when he wrote
THE Red Miil.' for the music is
bright and attractive and essentially
musical Herbert appears as much
part OF the play as any OF the &C
|
throughout the length and breadth OF
the land as the former conductor of
the Pittsburg orchestra, and music.loy-
that comes from him.
Mr.. Blossom. In casting about for a
suitable setting for the play. decided
upon Holland as something quite QUE
OF the ordinary run for dramatists.
With one or two exceptions, the char
acters are Dutch, and their quaint and
brightly-colored costumes. exhibited by
q framework OF picturesque windmills
and delft decorations, form some de-
cidedly pretty stage pictures.
| The story has TO do with the adven-
lures Of two Americans who are finan-
cially embarrassed while doing Eu.
rope. and who are stranded at katwyk-
aan-Zee. BY means OF a ladder. they
endeavor to escape from the tavern
and also escape paying their board
bill, but are caught by stern sheriff.
prosecuted by the unrelenting tavern
keeper, but eventually saved from
prison by the burgomaster, who SEN
| fences them to work out their bilf
This gives Messrs. Montgomery and
Stone an opportunity TO display their
| talents as waiter and interpreter,
respectively: TO work out pretty
love story with two fiaxen-haired
Dutch girls. making their escape from
the tavern by means of swinging out
on the arms OF the huge windmill
which forms so important part OF
| the setting The love story Involves
the Americans. navy ofhcer,
piouant barmaid and the burgomas-
| ter's charming daughter and sister
AFTER their escape from the tavern.
Montgomery and Stone again appear
| ir the burgomaster's home in the
xuise OF italian street musicians. and
later as Sherlock Holmes and DR..
Watson. these characters giving them
ample opportunity TO display their
abilities and versatility.
Taken individually and collectively,
the company Is good, this being es-
pecially true OF the work of the WON
en- In the play Gretchen, the burgo.
masters daughter. as impersonatea
by Edna Fassett Allene Crater, as
Bertha, the burgomaster's sister. and
Ethel Johnson as Tina. the barmaid.
the innkeeper's daughter, were excel
lent. while Neal McCay, the governor
OF iceland. with whom every day Is
lady's day" did splendid bit OF act.
ing.
One OF the delightful features Of the
play is the sextet Of little Dutch boys
and girls, who. with their wooden
shoes, quaint Dutch caps and cos
tunes, evoked such applause that
these wee youngsters bid fair to rival
the famous "Florodora'' sextet. The
| only fault that the audience might find
was that theese little ones appear too
infreouently in the performance.
{ Taken as whole, the play is de-
! lightful. without moment that drags
The colors. settings and even the fun