The Detroit times., 1910-11-29
THE STAGE
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.

DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.
There 10 just one cause for regret
in the present engagement OF VIII
liam II. Crane and his company OF
excellent players, in the Detroit
Opera house, and that has TO do with
it's brevity. Although the piece Is
being presented here for the third
time, three nights is all too short
period to do justice TO 80 worthy
revival There is room on the stage
for more OF such comedies as Father
and the Boys for more such actors
as William II. Crane. IL his equal can
be found as an exponent OF this par
ticular style OF comedy.
II was not altogether Crane or al
together the delicious AIDE humor OF
the actors vehicle that brought out
enough OF the regular patrons OF the
Detroit to almost All the house TO
capacity for the opening performance
Monday night. II was combination
of the two, with the Crane personal
ity holding controlling interest In
the partnership. And, given such
combination, whether IL be labelled
Father and the Boys" or something
else, the management that books 1t
| will have no occasion TO grumblc
when the box Office receipts are
/ counted.
II was with regret that Monday
evenings audience heard Mr.. Crane
announce, when called before the
curtain at the close OF the third act,
that this would probably be his last
| season in Father and the Boys
The feeling seemed to be mutual, too
for when the veteran actor assured
his hearers that he was enjoying 1t
Just as much as they, he said II as
though he meant every word. The
world Is better for having seen
Father and the Boys" and, through
it's agency, Mr.. Crane has given the
stage a character long to be remem-
bered.
The story OF the fond parent, Lem
uel Norwood, who finds his two
boys, Tommy and Billy, growing
away from him because, as they
playfully remark, he is several miles
behind the procession, and who
adopts novel and effective means to
effect closer relations, Is too familiar
to warrant going into detail. The
transformation of the staid old wool
broker, wrapped up in his business
and his boys, into a gay, old sport
who galayants around with a concert
singer, is we'll calculated to arouse
interest. The wholesomeness OF the
comedy lies I'm the way the old mans
change OF heart works to the advant-
age OF all concerned except the
scheming Maj. Ellsworth, and the
happy denouement, with Its typical
western setting, is well worth walt.
ing for.
Harrison Ford and Sidney Blair
are seen as the sons and both do
splendid work. Percy Brooke Is the
solicitous legal advisor; Emmett G..
King. the major; Dan Collyer as the
athletic trainer and betting commits
sioner is most happily cast. and
Arthur Holman makes capital
Col Higbee. or the women In the
cast, Miss Mabel Frenyear, as the
concert entertainer. Bessie Brayton,
must De accorded first honors though
creditible work is done by the others,
including Jessie Glendenning, as
Emily Donelson; Frances Keenan,, as
frances Berkley: Mildred Beverly, as
NUTS brue-Ghlford; Rachel Ridgley. as
MIS- lrombley, and Adele Clarke, as
Nirs' Peasiey, the housekeeper.
GARRIck.
"Extry! Extry!" yelled the news
Doys IN the Garrick theater lobby.
MONDAY evening, as the audience went
us way from The Fourth Estate"
All about graft in the high spots"
/ rang out the shrill voices and a copy
Cf the extry was showed into every.
bodys hands without the usual ex.
change of penny.
Detroit made the first acquaintance
CT The Fourth Estate" Monday even
ing. and a houseful OF people were
held In closest interest and attention
by this play OF newspaper life writ.
ten by Joseph Medill Patterson. the
millionaire-Socialis publisher author.
playwright. OF Chicago, assisted Inv
that dlever woman, Harriet Ford
Both know the newspaper game well
and are entirely familiar with the in.
side workings OF great daily paper.
so that. the play is clear statement
of fact and portraiture OF real people
with nothing OF the impossible The
caricature that heretofore has been
passed over the footlights as the real
thing about the newspaper fellow" IL
entirely absent.
The majority of the theatergoing
public know nothing about the way a
daily newspaper is made, and SO the
glimpse into the editorial and com
posing rooms, as given In The Fourth
Estate" IL novelty that has more
than a passing interest. This setting
In itself makes the play out OF the
ordinary. while the story IL tells is
part and parcel Of every newspaper
typewriter, linotype machine and the