The Detroit times., 1911-01-24
THE STAGE


liam II. Crane has given the stage
another or those delightful characters
which. for the nonce, enable the work
a day world TO forget it's trials and lts
worries and make the old sphere look
a little Tighter and little better. IL
one A disposed to take out ones spy
glass and 30 into the analysing Dusi-
ness. II Is a sure guess one II COINS
40 and n few flaws. You Will say, TOT
Ninstance. that no United states MIN
ister IN real life ever conducted nim'
self as does the malls-believe diploma.
OF the latest Ade farce, but that neeu
not deter you from settling Dack ln
your seat for series OF chuckies tnat
win keep you In good humor Tor inc
rest Of the week.
Col jackson Bedloas of Springneid
(any old Springfield. whether IL DC
| massachusetts, Illinois or Ohio), ID
not a mere stage type. There are
many men like him I'm the world. You
will md him In every community OF
auy consequence, but he Is not, as
rule IN the diplomatic service. he 10
the type OF man who, as Mr.. crane
explained In his curtain speecn,
willing to shatter a few rules OF con-
duct to help friend Anyway, IN
this case, II is the character rather
than the play that counts most.
Won are In need of good laugh, jus,
drop into the Detroit opera house anu
BILLY" Crane will do the rest.
Col. Jackson Bedloe Is editor or the
only daily In Springfield and as sach'
is regarded as one OF the city's In
fiuential citizens. When the CURTAIN
rises the colonel has just received
news of his appointment and Is out
celebrating the occasion. He Is the
hero OF the hour and his good wife,
dear old soul, Is immensely proud OF
him. II is winter and the family wei
comes the prospect OF O sotourn In
the tropical CLINE of Caribay, which
might be Nicaragua, Honduras or any
one OF a score of little South Amerf
can Republics.
In the next act, the family has ar
rived in Caribay The tropical at
mosphere Is impaired with much real
liam. Col. Bedloe has been minister
two weeks and is already sick or his
Job. II Is too hot even for the thin
blooded Mrs. Bedloe and the monot
ony of IT all has begun to get on the
coIonels nerves. But there soon
comes a change The colonefs resig-
nation Is scarcely in the malls before
dire threats and rumblings break into
full-fedged revolution and the
colonel finds plenty to do. The close
OF the third act finds the revolution
in full swing and Minister Bedloe is
having the time of his life trying to
remain neutral. His good resolutions
desert him when word comes that his
prospective son-in-law Robert Deans,
an American boy who has allied him
self with the rebels, Is about to be
shot as a spy. The colonel then be-
comes a rank partisan and shows the
insurgents how, by strategic move
ment, they can take the palace by sur
prise. His plans work out TO perfec-
ton. The final curtain leaves the
rebels in full control and the lovers
reunited.
II George AIDE intended any part
of the play to be serious he missed
his mark. Even with the hour nj
execution only six minutes away and
the success OF the flank movement,
on nhich the young mans life de-
pends, in grave doubt, the audience
refuses to be thrilled. The fun
throughout has been so rampant that
IL IL impossible to take the situation
seriously. But we still Insist that It's
q good show, Notwithstanding.
AS in all the Crane plays, there
arc little human touches here and
there that add greatly to ones en-
joyment Of the piece. There Is. for
instance, Col Bedloe's tender solici.
tude for his good wife, who, through.
out the three days bombardment W
made to believe that the natives are
celebrating the presidents birthday.
And even when one OF the cannon
balls takes a chunk out OF the le-
cation, a satisfactory explanation Is
forthcoming.
Mr.. Crane has surrounded himself
with a cast that is In most respects
adequate, though IL must be borne
I'm mind that the play Ia only in It's
fifth week and allowances made &C.
cordingly. Mrs. Thomas Whiffen has
hal better opportunities than are at
forded her in the character OF the
minister's wife, but, such as they
are. she makes the most OF them.
Macy Harlan, as Juan Lautaro, an
ardent young revolutionist, gives q
very satisfactory account OF himself.
Harrison Ford, who was one of the
bows in Father and the Boys" is
the Robert Deane of the new play.
The other characters do not matter.
The engagement is for three nights.
GARRick.
IL Is seldom that an audience liz
kept laughing as steadily and as
heartily as was the audience in the
Garrick. Monday night, which saw the
Inimitable Marie Dressler in Titles
Nightmare" Marie Dressler Is
funny. intellectually, uproariously
funny. and the play which she brings
to Detroit this week gives her oppor-
tunity TO keep up the mirth without
tagging from beginning TO end.
There Is another feature of her
work worth noting. and that Is the
freedom from coarseness. 1t could
hardly be claimed that the humor Of
"Tiliie's Nightmare" Is OF the refined,
tenuous sort, Go be found In play
like THE Passing of the Third Floor
Back but I'm situations that might
easily have crossed the line, Marie
Dressler succeeded in getting all the
laugh without resorting to the vulgar
Especially was this true I'm the scream
ingiy funny scene when Title appears
on the deck of her yacht suffering
from an acute attack OF nal de mer
and. later, when she discovers the ex
bilarating effects OF champagne az 9