The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-03-01
psrRolr oPERA HOUSE.


one of the leading department stores
Orwell. any American eity-ior 10
wears. She has come up from cash
girl TO the position OF assistant ouye,
Her chief has just resigned ana vas
gle applies for the position ON? ~
be turned down. It's bitter uisaP
pointment and Maggie Is feehns prer
~ blue when well-dresseu souus
business man drops into the s.oeN
room where Maggie has peeh po"iins
out her heart TO Hattie Murphy, ou
of the stock girls. lie is interes'eu
and persuades Maggie 10 become Gu
fidential with him. She speaks her
mind freely and tells him some plain
truths about Holbrook a co. When ne
has left the room she discovers tha'
she has been talking 10 her new ooss'
the son OF the founder of the estao-
lishment. who has just stepped INTO
the control of the business. Magsie
IL stunned. She turns TO Hattie WITH
a gesture that indicates convicuoh
that she Is done for as FAR as hor
brook a Co are concerned.
| Did | say anything, Hattie! she
asks, not knowing what else TO say,
"Did YOU say anything? My Gawa'
Maggie
Thus closes the first act or Mag
gle Pepper" a new play by Charles
Klein. which was given It's nrst iocal
presentation in the Detroit opera
house. Monday evening, with MISS
Rose Stahl in the title part. IL pleas
ed the large first.night audience I'M
mensely. IL caught the crowds tancy
/ from the very outset and the interest
Was sustained throughout the three
acts and four scenes OF the drama.
The play deals with types SUCH as
are found in any modern department.
store types with which the shopping
public. and especially the feminine
/ contingent. is familiar But the make
I bhsiieye elevator takes the public one
story higher Than IL is accustomed 10
20 and gives IL glimpse OF the STOCK
J room. where the inner workings OF
department store operation are laid
bare. The treatment of the subject
shows intimate knowledge on the part
of the playwright. and there 10 no
tendency TO overdraw the characters
II there is any one quality In Miss
StahTs work that distinguishes II
from that OF other stars Ii Is her great
naturalness. Her Maggie Pepper IL
practically her Patricia O'Brien, OF
The Chorus Lady" In new surround
ings. All the old familiar qualities
are apparent in the new role, In q
modified form. Maggie has the slang
speech, the independent air and the
same philosophical disposition. In fact
all the characteristics that were sc
pleasingly combined in Patricia, and
through Miss Stahl's rare art, Maggie
! is destined 10 become as famous as
her predecessor. IL the manner In
which the Detroit public has received
her Is a criterion.
Maggie Is not fired az might bs
supposed There wouldn't have beer
any story in that case. On the con
! trary. the little episode which forms
the first act makes such hit with the
new head OF the house that he pro
notes Maggie to the coveted position
without delay. The next act shows
| interim, wonders have been worked
i'm the establishment. The archaic ole
methods that obtained under the ole
| regime have been discarded ant
| Maggie. with her great resourceful
ness. her intimate knowledge OF the
business and the buying public, ha:
reha5ilitated the institution. Yount
| Holbrook gets all the credit for the
change, and the public places a wronl
construction on mis- frequent cSnsulta
lions with Miss Pepper Gossipini
tongues link their names with sncl
persistency that Maggie is finall,
harassed into rendering her resigna
ton. This satisfies Ethel Hargen, nice.
OF Holbrcok's business partner. whom
Holbrook IL engaged to marry. 10
Ethel has been insanely jealous OF tin
woman buyer.
Association with Miss Pepper ha
left It's imprint on Holbrook's mind
however He has learned first Z
admire and then to love the womal
who has been the real brains be-
the rejuvenated institution, but Mas
gle apparently does not reciprocal
his affection lie comes to her apart
ment determined To pop the question
He has been imbibing and has littl
tea" on that gives the proposal seen
a deciI eddy unique aspect. He be
comes involved in quarrel with Mas
gie's worthless brother-in-law wh'
! COHlcS W TIC pidSC toohih6 iOt
hayward wife, and is wounded. II
prevent scandal he remains in Mas
gie's apartments during his convale
soence and the impression goes on
that he has been drowned. In tn
meantime he continues to urge his sui
and Maggie finally gives in because
as she puts IL, she can't help herself.
There are other features of tn
story, which bring out Maggie's ter
der sympathy and solicitude for thos
In trouble, but they are incidental &
the main issue.
Frederick Truesdell gives an exec
lent account of himself az Joe" Ho
brook. Miss Agnes Mare, as HATH
Murphy. Is true TO the type represent
/ ed. But BY an overwhelming vote
second honors must be accorded I
Lee Kohlmar, whose portrayal OF I'll
> Hebrew drummer, Jake" Rothschiit
is a classic. The humor throughou
lis refreshing and frequently pointed
: There Ia no attempt In the play I
point a moral OF preach a sermon, bu
no one can sit through a performance
. OF Maggie Pepper" without exper
encing feeling OF sympathy for TN
average department store girl