The Detroit times., 1911-01-17
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.

The Offering In the Detroit opera
house this week is The Bachelors
Baby" written and acted by the old
comic opera favorite Francis Wilson,
and Il kept the audience laughing
Monday evening throughout the entire
three acts. AS the title would indicate
The Bachelors Baby deals with a
Grabbed old bachelor uncle and i've
year-old girl left TO his care by the
will OF a twin brother,
Tom Beach. the bachelor, who has
all his life been unfortunate In his ex-
periences with children and has VOW
ed to have nothing TO do with them,
comes home TO hear about his broth
ers will from weekend party at
which the chief feature was "preco-
cious" child who made life miserable
for him. When he learns OF the re-
sponsibility thrust upon him by the
will he refuses to accept Its terms or
even to see the child. He remains OBJ
durate to the entreaties of his friends
who see In the child possible cure
for his selfishness, and 10 furious at
the laughter and ridicule OF his club
members, who all know OF his strong
hNeIslOn 10 cnlluren.
But the little girl comes and every
thing Is changed. Against his Will he
Is won over and before the end OF the
second act he Is buying toys and
playthings, and the little niece is rul-
ing the household.
The little girl. Martha Calvert
Beach, is played by Baby Davis, wao
just the sort Of little girl that
could break into the heart Of crusty
old bachelor. She plays her part with
all the finish OF grown-up.
The Bachelors Baby" starts with
. situation that Is full of comic posi-
bilities, situation from which good
farce has been constructed, light to
be sure, but with bit OF truth behind
H. The lines are above the average
and take we'll with the audience. Tor
these reasons IL seems unfortunate
that SO much horse-play should be
considered necessary to get a laugh
out OF the audience. There Is seri-
Gus question about the real humor In
seeing a man fall upstairs or instance.
After the bachelor and the baby, the
n st important character In the farce
Ia Winifred West, pla. ed by Edna
Brdns, who also has an interest In
softening the heart of Tom Beach,
and who, finally, offers - help him
take care of the little girl. Her mo-
Their, Mrs. Brookfield West, furnishes
one OF the reasons why he should not
allow Winifred to become q part OF
hil household. being described by J.h-
er characters in the play as a cat"
and hen" and deserving both APP
pelations for her pernicious activity.
Mrs. Emily Streator. Toms aunt Is
well played by Eleanor Barry, and
Martin Dale, his friend and legal ad-
wiser, despite some sarcastic remarks
about tie advice he gives, Is handled
In good style by Clarence Handyside.
Richard Gordon as Theodore Harjes,
a club friend: Thomas f. Tracy as
Colonel John Calvert, the material I'M
Gle OF the baby who Is to take her II
Tom refuses, and E. So .ene Powell
az Forbes, the butler, make up the
cate.
.The Bachelors Baby" will be pre-
sented all week, with mItineeG nod
nesday and Saturday.
GARRIck.
Felicity reigned m the Garrick the
alter. Monday evening, when Thomas
A. Wise presented" himself and the
play of which he Is co-author, "A
Gentleman from Mississippi" to the
unmistakable approval of large audi
ence. There was no doubt that the
audience liked Mr.. Wise, his play
and his players, and applause was
generally hearty. At one stage of the
proceedings the jovial actor was
Obliged to make curtain speech and
he was frank to say that the welcome
to him warmed the cookies of his
heart and made him believe Detroit
was a pretty nice place and its peo-
pie the right sort.
"A Gentleman from Mississippi"
was a visitor to Detroit last season,
with Burr Mcintosh in the name part,
and II struck a popular response, at
that time. Its qualities as a plav
were 80 good that Mr.. Wise had no
difficulty in placing himself and his
property under the managerial wing
OF the astute William A. Brady for
solid booking during the current sea
son. There Is always a field of popu-
larity for a play wherein rugged hon
esty wins its own high reward and
good triumphs over bad. and Mr..
Wise's play, in which he had the col
laboration Of Harrison Rhodes. Is no