The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-20
THE STAGE
pErao,r OPERA HOUSE.


Although the week before Christmas
Is considered the worst IN the yea
from the box office standpoint the eA
ception TO prove the rule happened IL
the Detroit opera house, MONDAY even
Ing, when an audience that oceupies
every seat In the theater, came 10 see
the pretty musical piece The AT
cadians"
The gathering was ore OF the smart
tst OF the season, too, Win socle')
folk sitting in orchestra chair and Do>
In their best frocks. An astonishingiJ
large number OF young people were IL
the audience, evidently boys and girls
home from school fcs the holiday"
Fortunately The AIcadians" is
show that the Young Person and hel
college crush" or her staid papa and
mamma, are quite safe In going tt
see. for II is one of the prettiest, dam
TEST and cleanest in hunor, that tn.
heason has offered.
The piece has long record of sue
cess. Ii has been running nearly tw'
wears in London and a season in New
York, and is likely 10 have an equa
popularity on the road AS frequenuJ
happens with English musica
comedies, half dozen persons have
had a hand in the making OF This
Arcadians." Mark Ambient and A. nj
Thompson are credited with the hook
Arthur Wimperis with the lyrics
| lionel Monckton and Howard Taboo
with the score and anc Their composer
or so have contributed an interpolateo
song or two. In this instance, too
many cooks have not spoiled the
broth. The result Is entirely TO the
credit of all.
There are three acts To The Ar
cadians." The first is charming
scene in Arcadia, where the sandal
shod and gracefully-draped figures OF
the shepherdesses dance and frolic t.
the pipes of the shepherds, and every
ihisy is care-free, sunshiny and sweet
as the flowers with which the inhabi
tants OF this lovely spot deck them
selves.
The stage setting provided would dc
honor to a landscape painter and n
one of the most delightful pictures one
could imagine. Into this sylvan quie
Is precipitated London restaurant
keeper named Smith, whose 'vittles'
puIyeying has been so remunerativ'
that he Is able TO indulge In the mod
ern sport of aeroplaning, and II /:
while on trip through the clouds tha
he lands in Arcadia.
Because he tells a fib about Astro
phel and Sombra and Ghrysea, three
of his Arcadian hosts, he is thrown
into the Well of Truth to emerge as 1
young Arcadian with accompanying
abbreviated dress.
Smith is christened Siniplicitas b.
his new friends and IS sent back Il
London with Sombra and Chrysea, a:
his hand-maidens, 10 teach the inhabi
tants OF that gay old town the VALUE
OF truth. The second scene finds
Simplicitas and his maidens at the
Ackwood race track during big meet
and the third act finds them runnin;
The Arcadia" restaurant In London
also a very charming piece OF stage
caTpentering and scene painting.
Unlike several of the American
pieces founded on similar theme
The Arcadians" does not descen,
into broad burlesQue, but is kept In ii
fantastic strain from rise to fall o
curtain. II has plenty OF humor witt
srasms OF rollicking FUN, and dia
logue that is witty ard bright. Th'
music is light but melcdious and sew
eral numbers linger In the memory a!
being particularly tuneful and catchy
In the present instance THE Ar
cadians" has the benefit OF clever In
depreciation. The members OF the
cast are excellent players and the
chorus is large and well-garbed one
A contingent OF men adds to the eff
fectiveness OF song numbers and stage
groupings. a
There never was a more delightful
young woman in musical comedy than
Julia Sanderson. whose charm OF face
figure and manner is one of the nices'
things about The Arcadians." Miss
SaIderson lie so daintily pretty, dances
like a bit Of thistledown and is SC
agreeably modest and shy in de-
meanor that she makes an impression
not soon forgotten. AS Eileen Cavan
agh she has most fetching Irish
bAO6nCs anu hCA Ahoiht "dyo OF
trlctive voice make the little bit she
has To do stand out with a charm
ali its own.
Percival Knight. a nEnglish come
dian. immensely amusing as a ZACH
rymose, forlorn jockeJ who insists thai
his mission in life Ia 10 be "blithe
and gay" Nothing funRier could be
asked than his ditty my Motter.'
which comes almost at the last cur
tain and is worth waiting for as a bi
OF genuine humor portrayed by a rea
comedian. s-sa,.s.@s $1,000
Frank Moulan, Whose Sultan %
Sulu" will always be remembered. Il
the Simplioitas, and~,he ravorts al
nimbly and sings'.as sally as though
no such thing az a recent court de
cree for large alifnony hung over him
Ethel Cadman as Sombra has sev
eral quite pretentlous songs vocally
0EE tn -u n