The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-14
THE STAGE
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.

DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.
Svelte. spriehtly and so girlish and
pretty that every MAZE heart In the
audience went a-pattering and every
feminine voice said 'lsr't she dear
Elsie Janis. captured big houseful
oi people Monday evening. In the De-
troit opera house. when she brought
10 town the new musical play. The
Slim Princess Since the days when
she used to come To the Temple the
alter at the age of IL years and en-
terrain us with her clever limitations
under the name OF Little Elsie, MISS
Janis has not lacked for admirers In
Detroit. She has grown into highly
attractive young woman ana has added
scores OF friends 10 say nothing OF an
army of boy and girl enthusiasts, VINO
flock to the theater To clap themselves
weary in tribute to her joyous youth
and cleyerness.
! In The Slim Princess" which
Henry Blossom made into stage
vehicle from incidents in George AIDE
story Of the same name, and for when
| "Florodora" Leslie Stuart wrote the
music, Miss Janis perNades the scene
throughout the three acts. for which
the public may be grateful. Miss Janis
is one OF those stage stars that twinkle"
without suspicion OF flicker OF
dimmed brilliancy during an entire
levening's entertainment In her pres
ent medium plenty 81 opportunity -
given her to exercise her many ac'
complishments and the result Is u
most enjoyable entertainment.
| Her famous limitations OF stage
celebrities find their place quite un-
expectedly, at the very end or the
I piece. as part of a clever song num-
! Der. Miss Janis has unusual gifts IL
this respect, and her mobile face
seems TO be able 10 take or the exact
mask of countenance of the person,
man or woman, whom she is lmper-
sonating Every trick OF facial ex-
preston, voice and gesture, MISS Janis
presents in faithful m!micry. Monday
evening. she presented Ethel Barry
more, Anna Held Sam Bernard, Eddi'
Fog. Harry Lauder and George conan
| with such fidelity, In the peculiarities
Of these well-known stage folk, that u
was no effort at all TO believe .that
| pretty Miss Elsie had vanished and
the individuals mentioned were before
you In Representations. Miss Janis
has long been acknowledged head and
shoulders above everybody else who
attempts similar WORK.
The Slim Princess" is a fantastic
story about the daughter OF Turkish
governor. who is sent here and there
and everywhere with her German
tutor and suite, to get fat so that
she may find favor as a beauty In the
eyes OF the young TurkA Despite all
sorts Of aids she loses rather than
gains in weight and, finally. In despair.
she returns to her fathers home de-
termined 10 blum her family into be-.
( lieving that she is fat with the aid
of stuffed cheeks and q hinge padded
gown. The deception is discovered, II
course, and she Is panished TO
I America The first act passes in Bori-
veenia and the other two in Washing
ton. ID. G.. All three settings are very
attractive. the first showing the pic
turesGue Turkish garden, the second
the Chevy Chase club house and goli
green In Washington and the third
the interior OF Washington residence
with ball in progress. The latter Is
delightful bit OF Wedgewood decor
alton, and is not only unusual and ar
tistic but charming background for
the display of pretty frocks.
Throughout the three acts charm
ing bevy Of very young girls and boys
skip blithely in tuneful songs and
pretty dances. a quartet of small
such a hit that a short song number
by them had 20 be repeated a half
dozen times.
The music is of the very light and
"sweetly pretty" kind that Leslie
Stuart usually writes for the English
musical pieces to SO many OF which
his name has been attached. The en-
! tire score is based upon his old Floro-
dora motif and every concerted num-
Der in The Slim Princess rings in
the strain of the famous soxtet. 1t Is
merely a matter of change of key
The cast surrounding Miss Janis is
OF an even excellence not often found
in productions of this kind. Joe Cav
thorn as the German tutor is one Of
the chief tunmakers, while Ralph
Marin as British consul, Joseph
Miron as the Turkish governor and
Charles Judels as an eXCitable Italian
count do the rest Of the eccentric
comedy. Wallace McCutcheon, Charles
King and Elizabeth Brice. with Miss
Janis. make up a group of most attrac-
tive young people whose voices are as
pleasing AS their feet are nimble. Mr..
King and Miss Brice made the hit
of the show with q southern song
called MA Dixie Land" which had to
/ be repeated times without number.
The piece Is well dressed, amusing
and worth going to sec as one of the
best attractions likely tC be offered
Detroiters this season. Ar audience
that filled every box. orchestra and
balcony seat and all the standing
room Monday evening, testified with
laughter and applause to the entire
satisfaction and enjoyment the show
afforded them. Miss Janis and her
clever associates will remain ali week,
giving a Saturday matinee only. Next
week an English musical piece. The
! Arcadians,' will be the attraction.
ELLA MAE HAWTHORNE