The Detroit times., 1910-12-06
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.

1 After an dDSenCe VI ihahy SeoSoho'
RAYMOND Hitchcock. who used TO be
one of Detroit's favorite funmakers,
came back to the Detroit Opera
house, Monday evening. in one OF the
breeziest and most amusing enter
tainments OF the season-"The Man
Who Owns Broadway" That Mr..
Hitchcock has not been forgotten
was given ample evidence In the ap-
plause that welcomed him and the
laughter that followed his every
move. He is the same solemn-visag-
ed, laconic and quiet comedian whose
''fooling" methods are unique.
THE Man Who Owns Broadway
| is the product of the nimble brain
and fingers of George NJ. Cohan, who
followed his usual procedure OF writ
| ing the jokes, jokelets. words OF the
tunes. the tunes, too and. then select
ing the cast and rehearsing every
body in IL until he instilled into them
much of the characteristic Conan
briskness and ginger. The piece was
first made into a "mellerdrammer"
and christened Popularity but the
public could not be made 10 take to
il kindly without the usual Cohan
songs and dances, SO George took IL
back to his workshop and presently
il re-emerged in its present musical
comedy form as "A starring vehicle for
Raymond Hitchcock.
IL is good fun all the way through.
Cohan makes sport OF his own mel
lerdrammer" in the travesty on the
popular play which forms part OF
the plot" In Mr. Hitchcock, the
public sees an actor whose sense OF
travesty is well-developed and whose
humor is keen and genuine. SO that
Cohan's satire receives its full meas
ure of proper and amusing exempli-
fication.
Hitchcock has the role OF a popu-
lar actor, the idol OF Broadway. 4
young friend. the son OF millionaire,
has a pretty sister who cherishes "A
romantic passion for the actor whom
she knows only over the footlights.
In the millionaires home the vii
lain and the villainess' have man
aged TO ingratiate themselves to the
extent that the villain becomes en-
gagged to Sylvia, the handsome
daughter and the villainess has her
eye on papa and his millions This
is the real true. dark and mysterious
plot, which Cohan proceeds to hold
up 10 ridicule. The result of Cohan's
expose OF himself as a serious play
wright is three hours or more OF
rafting good fun, with songs and
dances that are tuneful and acclerat-
ed 10 the highest point OF speed, bits
OF burlesque and travesty and, over
and above and through all, Mr..
Hitchcock in silk hat and the best OF
broadcloth clothes. the inevitable
flower in the Hitchcock fashionably
cut coat and the inevitable Hitchcock
cane
The song numbers have the read-it-
as-you-run Cohanesque ear marks.
with plenty of work for the drummer
boy in the orchestra. They are none
the less tuneful and pleasing, despite
their noise and are given with so
much vim that the audience is tickled
z most 10 death and applauds 10 the
echo.
Mr.. Hitchcock is surrounded by
clever people. Mark Sullivan leads
the van and is ably crowded about
by young Richard Taber, John Hend
ricks and Francis Lier Miss Flora
zabelle-in private life. Mrs. Ray
mond Hitchcock-as Sylvia the pref
~ daughter OF the rich man." dis
closes some fetching frocks OF the
latest mode. sustains her reputation
as beauty and sings and dances
prettily. Miss Mildred Elaine as the
yillainess, is likewise attractive and
carries OF snappy song and chorus
with bunch of West Point cadets,
with much credit 10 herself Miss
Lila Rhodew and Miss Gertrude
Webster complete the feminine
group. A large chorus of girls and
boys, with quartet of nimble men
dancers help to make the background
full OF color and movement One
OF the most amusing numbers in the
entire show is the servants quintet
called Secrets of the Household"
which had TO be repeated times with
out number
Mr.. Hitchcock has a political cur
tain speech worth listening to and
also makes hit with the ladies in
the front rows of the orchestra
chairs with his floral tokens tossed
from the stage, many a fair and sus-
ceptible maiden showing decided
Willingness TO be hit with a rose or
a carnation.
The Man Who Owns Broadway"
will stay all week in the Detroit
Opera house, and Judging from the
standing room only sized audience of
the opening performance will be a
strong drawing card There will be
4 Wednesday and a Saturday matt
nee
I ELLA MAE HAWTHORNE