The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-11-28
THE STAGE


~nebecca OF Sunnybrook Farm IL
IA called. and II is just as pretty and
simple and pastoral az its title. that
play IN the Detroit opera house, this
week. Kate Douglas Wiggin. who en-
-foared herself 10 the reading public
through her now famous Rebecca
stories. collaborated with Charlotte
Thompson in the dramatization OF the
story. and Il has been splendidly
staged under the direction OF Law
renee MarSton IL is klaw a.
Eflaneer production and no expense
has been spared. seemingly, TO make
The piece just what II purports TO De
an accurate picture OF rural lie In
The state OF Maine, 30 years ago,
All the familiar elements OF the
New England rural drama have been
carefully preserved, as though in de-
ference to ancient traditions. Some
Of theee days. no doubt. a dramatlst
win come along who will write play
OF New England without mortgage
on the farm, which is finally saved
from foreclosure by the timely inter
yention OF a railroad looking for
rleht of way; withou; 3 wronged wo-
mar, prosecuted by gossiping tongues
without q thuudershower or a snow
storm and without New England
kitchen scene in which real vituals
are employed. The authors OF Re
hecca OF Sunnybrook Farm have
secn az to utilize all of these time
honored .xpcdients, in 1udlclous
xsa... bat the story told is just a sim
Die little lore tale OF a little girl VINO
Il forced Dy circumstances. one oil
thenn being tbs aforesaid mortgage,
10 accept fhe support OF a pair OF
maiden auatS, and whose lovely dis
position finally. neutralizes the vine
rar in the blood OF sour old Aunt
Mirandy and wins the heart and hanu
Of 3 rich bachelor neighbor.
This IS the story in nutshell and
us telling requires four acts and nVe
scenes, each picture OF rural love
Illness.
The characters are all faithfully
drawn. the most conspicuous figures
In the cast being dainty Edith Talia-
fero. az Rebecca Rowena Randall, and
Archie BOYD, long ~ted
PLAYS OF New England nfe, as Vme
kiad-hearted old stage driver. Jere-
miah Cobb. The introduction OF a
real stage coach and team OF horses
lends a touch OF realism that Is APP
preciated by the audience. Then there
are Mrs Perkins, the village chatter
box. VINO knows everything about
eyerybcdy and can scent a scandal a
mile away: Mrs Simpson. at whom
suspicion Is directed because she has
no wedding ring: the children OF the
najghborhood, Emma Jane Perkins,
Clara Belle Simpson, Minnie Smellie
and Alice Robinson. whose prattle Is
An rather striking contrast to the talk
one Is accustomed to her on the
stage: Abner Simpson, the luckless
fellow who finally gets steady job
and saves the honor OF the woman
who bears his name by long deferred
marriage; Abijah Flagg, the youth
whose ambitions are exceeded only by
his patriotism. and Adam Laid, who
proves to be the prince of Rebeccas
childish fancy.
The characters are well taken with
out a single exception. including the
Juvenile parts, and 1t is interesting TO
watch the transition OF Rebecca from
childhood to womanhood. Three and
one-half years elapse between the
third and fourth acts, and now We
find Rebecca. at the age OF IL, de-
n1ure young graduate. II Is the eve
ming of commencement, and Rebecca
has Just returned from the exercises
in the schol house. where her essay
wac the prize effort. Everybody Is
proud of her. including even sour
Aunt Mirandy. who Is now fast fad
ing away. As the curtain descends,
things are shaping themselves for a
funeral and a wedding in the near
future. The mortgage on Sunnybrook
Farm has already been discharged.
and Mirandy has made her will leav-
ing her brick house in Riyerboro TO
Rebscca's widowed mother. II is not
tin the very end that the long-expect-
ed proposal from Adam Laid Is
forthcoming. and IL is the one thing
necessary TO bring the story TO the
happy end. Thus everybody is pro-
vided for and there's no reason to
complain.
Archie Boyd's Jerry Cobb is de-
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