The Detroit times., 1911-02-07
THE STAGE


Those opening night patrons OF the
Detroit opera house, who remained
away from the playhouse Monday
evening because Of the weather con-
ditions. missed something that was
worth suffering even little physical
discomfort 10 see Those who did at
tend apparently felt well repaid. for
rot this season has there been an
Offering in the way OF straight drama
3 that has quite cqualed The lily"
as David Belasco has christened his
adaptation from the French OF Pierre
WoIf and CASTOR Leroux. II is a
gripping, human play. admirably pre-
scented. and sumptuously staged. The
fact that the action all takes place
IN France. principally I'm the home Of
an old French count, does not detract
from an American audiences appre.
citation In any way, for human ma.
ture Is about the same everywhere
and recognizes no boundaries.
1.-THE Lily" Is a domestic drama.
The story covers a period OF six
months, but the greater part OF II re-
iates TO the incidents OF single day,
the last three acts all being laid In a
living room of the Comte de Maigny's
country home.
The count, a widower, is a gay
old boy" away from home. He has
FILTERED away his fortune in fast liv-
ing and in entertaining fast women.
Z Back among his children, In his own
domicile, he Is propriety itself, how
ever, and rules his household with
an iron hand. His two daughters,
Odette, aged 35, and Christiane, aged
25, have been brought up almost as
prisoners. They are not allowed 10
have beauxs and the old count has
persuaded himself into believing that
they are perfectly happy and con,
tented.
Adjoining the lie Maigny estate is an
old park containing a tumble-down
castle, once owned by the monks. To
Z this place comes Georges Arnaud, who
Is Just springing into fame as an
artist, and here he decides to make
his country home. In her rambles
Christians, naturally enough, makes
the acquaintance of the artist and
falls in love with him. Her affection
Z IA reciprocated, but the artist unfor-
tunately Is married TO woman who
will neither live with him nor divorce
him.
Christiane, unknown 10 her father,
continues to meet the artist and the
ncighbors, knowing that Arnaud Is
married man, naturally begin TO gos-
sip. The story finally reaches the
proportions of scandal. II comes
TO the ears OF Emile Flock, wealthy
cotton merchant, three days before
his daughter. Lucie, is to be married
70 the counts only son, Maximilien.
Because of IT, Flock breaks on the
match, and when the real reason Is
forced from him by his son, there Is
the very deuce to pay in the counts
household.
In a remarkably strong scene. Chris.
tame Is forced to confess first that
she has been meeting Arnaud and
fnaliy, after being goaded and tor
tured in a manner suggestive OF the
Eweat-box methods employed by the
police. Acknowledges that she has
been indiscreet
The her whole soul rebels against |
the injustice of IL all. Like an enrag- |
ed tigress, smnrting under the Lash
OF It's keeper, she turns upon her IA
1 Their and denounces him for his SCI
nshness and, with wild abandon, pro-
claims her love for Arnaud and glor.
les In her independence. Forgetting |
that she is no longer a child. the
count would chastise he, but here
the elder sister, odette, who has stood
placidly by during the trying scene,
takes hand In the AFFAIR. She has
borne her imprisonment with fcru-
tude all these years, taking her moth
er's place in the household. She has
seen another girl marry the man
whcee home she should have graced,
but whom she could not wed, because
her father objected. Thus she has
become an "old maid while her beau
~ faded and she pretended to be
happy. But the old count Is disiL
lus.cned at last She upholds her sis
ter and defies her father TO interfere
with Christiane's happiness as he had
with her own. The old count Ia left
speechless as the curtain descends.
When the performance ends things
are shaping themselves for a marriage
intimately between Arnaud and Chris
tiane. The count has betaKen himself
TO Paris, to forget, and the girls are
in peaceful possession of the house
hold.
The great scene in the third act
gives opportunity for some remark
able acting on the part of Miss Nance h
O'Neil, as Odette, and Miss Julia Dean
as Christiane, and they just about
divide hcnors. The emotional de-
mands are heavy on both, but they
are fully equal to the occasion. Meth
ing could be better done Charles
Cartwright is the count and he PLAYS
the part with full realization of Its
Requirements. II is finished. artis-
tic bit OF character work. Oscar