The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-10-25
parRoIrl opERA HousE.


Dainty, mischievons, sprightly Billie
Burke told an audience gowned In
smart clothes and OF large numbers.
Monday evening, In the Detroit opera
house. that she was glad, very glad
TO be back with you, again" and from
the way In which It's charming little
lady was welcomed, there could be no
doubt In anyones mind that every
body was glad to have her back
again.
Miss Burke comes this season with
q new Somerset Vaughan comedy
called Mr.. Dot" II IL similar to her
French playlet OF q year ago. Love
Watches In the. fact. that. In bo.h,
Miss Burke has the role Of super
man." In other words, she imperson'
ates very pretty. wilful, determined
o-get.married-atan young per.
son who does the proposing herseir
SO as to be sure OF her prey and get
comfortable In her mind. In Love
Watches. she marries "the brute" and
has her reward In philandering hub
by In MRS. Dot" her pursuit lasts
until the finai drop OF the curtain, but
she gets him nevertheless.
Mr.. Maugham's ability to write wilt
~. smart comedies il quite we'll
known to American playgoers.
recent seasons having brought several
Of his very English, very brilliant
plays to the American stage. He IL
exceedingly skilful In writing scintil-
ventional situations There IL not
much beyond the bubbles and the
froth. but II Is all very amusing and
daintily served.
Miss Burke Is not an emotional
actress. and doesn't try TO be. That's
why she Is 80 charming. She has
created public all OF her own; she
knows her limitations and she keeps
within them. and In doing what she
has talent for In the best possible way
she reigns supreme In her own little
kingdom. As Mrs. Dot, the widow OF
q millionaire brewer. she Dl'thely
dances her way into English society.
maintains magnificent establishments.
gives delightful house parties. knows
all the best people, spends money as
fast as she can write checks and IL
DESPERATELY In love with penniless.
handsome chap several times removed
from peerage.
"A year previous to meeting Mrs.
Oct, Gerald. the aforesaid good look
ing young man. has had a fiirta"cn
with Nellie Sellenger, the daughter of
Lady Sellenger, who like most British
IdAmmas, has an eve for none: AMI
position only. The affair Is frowned
upon by Lady Sellenger and Ge'alt
has orders to break his foolish "un-
derstanding" with Nellie Although.
willing to stick To his bargain. Il the
girl desires II, Gerald Is ticklei 10
death at the chance to get out OF his
corner that he may make honorable
love TO Mrs Dot. At the crucial mo-
ment. however, word comes that the
relatives who stood between him ana
the peerage have been killed In an In
dian mutiny or something equally I'M
pleasant, and Lady Sellenger, natur-
ally, insists that the marriage take
place.
Mrs. Dot pops the question to Ger
aid anyway. but he politely declines
to break Nellie's heart, and Mrs. Dot.
stamping her tiny foot and firmly clos
ing her pouting lips, sets herself to
the task OF breaking the engagement
between Nellie and Gerald and marry.
ing the latter herself. Her cousin and
secretary. an imbecile youth hanging
around the place, seems the best
means at hand TO pair of with Nellie
and in the most ingenious manner
Mrs. Dot plays the young people
against each other until she has them
head over heels in love and on the
way, In her fastest motor TO the near
est parson with a special marriage
license she has taken pains to provide.
While Mrs. Dot Is In the chase after
Gerald the onlooker Is kept nightly
entertained watching the means she
employs and the altogether illogical.
irrational, feminine manner In which
she presses every member OF her lit
tie coterie into use to attain the end
she has set herself to reach. II Is
all awfully jolly. don@6 you Think"
as Freddie, the cousin, frequently re-
marks.
Miss Burke IL so doll-like. SO pref
t,ly frocked. so fascinatingly feminine
that she charms without half trying.
Che Ia a DYNAMO of good spirits and
mischief. and no one could possibly
hold out long against such an attrac-
tive young person.
The PLAYERS surrounding Miss Burke
are among the best on the Charles
Frohman register. Lawrence OOfsay,
IN one OF his inimitable heavy Brit.
ish swell" parts IL most amusing;
Julian L'Estrange, the handsome
prey" gave the same admirable sup
port he did last year; Basil Hallam
as Freddie, the cousin-secretary. dis
closed especial gifts for character
work: Mrs. Kate Meek was her usual
well-posieo self as Mrs. Dots dear old
maiden aunt. and Miss Annie Esmond.
q typical British mamma Of smart so
ciety. The other members Of the cast
fitted into their parts as they did into
their well-cut clothes.
Mrs. Dot. will give two matinees
Wednesday and Saturday-during
the current weeks engagement.
A large musical production THE
Follies OF 1910" will be the TRACTION
IN the Detroit next week.
ELLA MAE HAWTHORNE.