The Detroit times., 1911-06-19
THE STAGE
LYcEuM


last week OF its stock engagement in
the Lyceum.
Because every one OF the support
ing company is we'll selected. Mr..
Chaser and Miss Courteney make a
really strong presentation of the
piece. which would be murdered II
II ever went TO a melodrama house.
What saves II Is the portrayal OF
the reclamation OF st. Elmo Murray
through the truthfulness and purity
OF Edna Earl. a waif educated by
his mother. Mr.. CHASER and Miss
Courteney have these parts.
The play opens with a duel In
which st. Elmo kills his former
| friend, a young minister, who has
stolen the heart OF his fiancee. Agnes
Powell. The duel is witnessed by
Edna, then a young girl. who Is
standing near the blacksmith shop
If her grandfather. Aaron Hunt st.
Elmo's escape Is retarded by a forced
visit to the blacksmith shop to have
his horse shod. and Edna, while hor-
rified at the duel Is interested In the
stranger, and directs st. Elmo's pur-
suers the wrong way, saving his life.
| y
forgiveness for the lie, she finds him
dead. Frederick Kerby has he
grandfather's part. new one for
him, and does II effectively. Miss
Edna Ellsmere plays Miss Powell,
and has different part, which she
carries out well 10 the end Of the
play.
The next scene finds Edna FIVE
years later In the home OF st. Elmo.s
mother, where she was carried after
a railway accident and had been
kept and educated. Miss Powell Is
also an inmate OF the home and
makes life miserable for her st.
Elmo has grown wicked, and Is
feared by the whole household. He
entrusts to Edna the key to place
where he. keeps letters from Miss
Powell to his faithless friend, and
after accusing her of prying, he finds
that she has been wounded by Agnes
In defending the key. Miss Con
stance Kenyon, as usual has the
mother part, and as usual won a
hand" on her first appearance. Sun
day Charles Carver comes into this
play as Gordon Leigh, sutton for
Edna's hand, much to the chagrin of
Agnes The likable James Hester
want to st. Elmo.
The third scene Is In the garden
Of church and rectory which st.
Elmo built for his friend before
knowing him false. The friends
father. an aged man, well portrayed
by Harrison Steadman, has charge of
It. Here some of the most effective
acting Of the play Is seen, as st.
Elmo Is drawn upon sacred ground
for the first time In five years, when
told that Edna has refused to marry
Leigh, and finally is led to repent
ance in front Of a stained glass win
dow representing the Savior. The
fourth act Is in the cemetery, where
Edna's grandfather and ST. Elmo 9
victim lie buried side by side. A
little comedy Is introduced by Mrs.
Wood and her hopeful daughter,
Tabitha, who are seen on a bench
stringing peppers. MISC Kenyon
doubles as Mrs. Wood. while the part
Of Tabitha Is taken by Miss Selva
Morrell with a cleverness that sug-
gests Sis Hopkins. Here come first
Et Ia. who wishes to visit her grand
fathers grave before leaving Ken
lucky; the aged Mr.. Hammond, to
see the grave Of his son, and st.
Elmo, who has decided to return tee
discriminating letters which he
buried there, to Miss Powell and
then commit suicide. The troubles
are Strengthened with some well ar
ranged conversation, and the piece
ends happily.
Besides the work Of the actors.
the piece Is strengthened by some
beautiful stage settings arranged by
George Williams. scenic artist;
Laurence Wakefield, stage director,
and George Beiber. master carpenter.
The musical numbers were enriched
Sunday night by xylopbone solo by
Henry Carter,
Mr.. CHASER and Miss Courteney re-
ceived seven or eight curtain calls
after the third act, and Mr.. Chaser
finally was forced to make brief
speech, In which he thanked the pa
irons for successful season and ex-
pressed hope Of coming earlier noxt
year.
AVENUE.
THE Partisan Bellies" are the at
traction In the Avenue theater this
week. Two burlesQue companies are
doing stock in the Woodward-ave.
show house during the summer
months, but they are not up to the
standard set during the winter. The
choruses are poor, and the burlesques
appear to have been composed about
two days in advance.
"Dashing Dainty Marie" is the star
attraction again this week In fact,
she Is the whole show. In the olio,
Marie, az usual, removes a great por.
ton of her clothing In front OF the
admiring audience.
The Railroad Rag" rendered by
Marie and the chorus Is the best act
in the performance. The chorus was
well costumed, and Dainty Marie re.
ceived many encores In Sunday af.
ternoon's performance.
George x. Wilson, the leading come
nj hn