The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-01-25
xd dMl,: PLAYHOUSES
nrraolT OPERA HOUSE.

"Septlmus," as revealed In dramatic
form to a Detroit audience for the
first time Monday evening in the Do
troit Opera house, Is a vast improve
ment oyer the novel by w. j. Locke
from which the play was made by
Philip Littell. AS presented by George
ArlIss and Emily Stevens, In the cad
ing characters. II is what might be
called an emotional comedy, compact
and imbued with a very human ten
derness aud quaint humor that makes
Il entirely pleasing.
With theme which might easily
lend itself to melodrama, the art OF
author and actors Is shown IN the uelf
cacy OF the handling throughout. one
can hardly conceive man SO lhsth'
nous. simple and selfforgetful as sep
timus Dix. yet. Arliss' creation OF the
character makes him real to us Tor the
time being. And the breadth of the
actors talent is emphasized by con
trasting this role with the one he as
sumed in The Devil last season; no
two parts could be more widely sep
arated in idea, although the same
Quleb IcScINcu hiVNANN' "A~
By Arliss In both
The current play Is succession OF
anti.climaxes, the working up OF the
situations bringing out very strong
emotional acting, while the novel man
ner IN which the denoument is turned
aslle TO a comic lnterlude each time
canses laughter 10 come where tears
had been imminent. Moments whlch
r-tn
scenes that border closely on farce,
and all without an unnatural shlitlns
OF the thread Of the story.
! Once the viewpoint OF the audience
! ia adjusted To the irresponsible, whim-
! steal sacrificing nature of Septimus,
/ all else follows consistently; the I'M
probable become the expected, and
! one of the strangest love-stories oil the
stage works out to its inevitable con-
cusion. There is a personal triumph
not only for George Arliss In the title
part. but also for Billy Stevens In
! the trying role OF the betrayed girl.
whom Septimus marries to save her
reputation. without giving his own
| thought.
These two are the play. the other
! characters Of the book being subor-
dinated largely IN the dramatic form.
| We find Saptimus Dix, the inventor
dragged back from the continent by
! the imperious Fora Middlemist TO her
home village In England. there TO meet
her Younger sister and to receive the
latter's naive confession that she has
been indiscreat enough 10 take three
DAYS motor trip with the actor whom
she is to marry.
81 must marry him now--whether
| love him or not, she adds.
In all respects the second act, III
which Emmy, expecting her bethroth-
ed TO come to marry her, receives IN
stead a tawdry present from him and
/ the shocking news OF his marriage 10
another. is the strongest OF the play.
I Broken-hearted, the girl sobs out her
! secret, and Sertimus marries her hnr-
riedly with a promise or divorce AS
soon as may be.
l. The stress OF the later scenes comes
| In mis- artless determination TO carry
cut mis- promise, although he has allen
in love with his wife, while she, In
turn. suffers through her unwillingness
To confess her own love for the man
who has given her his name. There
| is never doubt as to the final outcome,
but IL is worked out With simple APP
peal Even the most finished acting,
however, does not serve to make be-
lievable the idolatrous affection OF
Septimus for the child that is not his
own.
In some respects "Septimus' is com
parable To that other odd work OF
Locke's, THE Morals of Marcus In
the latter we were made acquainted
with a young girl absolutely ingen-
nous and innocent. while in the cur
rent play the same sort Of character
is that of the leading male parsonage.
The same gently satirical touch is in
evidence In both. and the pathos not
overstrained
A capable company supports the two
principal players. Henry Wenman is
ponderous and droll in the part OF
Glenn Sypher. the patent medicine
manufacturer, while Nina Lyn makes
the most of the role OF Fora Middle
mist Cyril Young is irresistible as
the ex-convict. Wiggleswick. who acts
as Dlx's housekeeper. Herman Hirsch-
berg achieves much in makeup and
more In manner az the French lawyer,
w.~1. Afutfe I'm