The Detroit times., 1911-08-15
THE STAGE
aARRlck.


Even a summer audience. persplr-
ing and uncomfortable. loves excite.
Inent and so the climax 20 the second
act OF "wildnre," presented Monday
evening. IN the Garrick theatsr. BY
Miss Jessie Bonstelle and her stock
company. so enthused the large gath
ering, in the playhouse, that a riot
OF applause followed-and everybody
was warmer for the effort Despite
the distinctly rsticky" and close at
mosrhere created by General Humid
ity, Miss Bonstelle' and her assoc.-
ates were greeted by big housefui
OF friends. and there seemed TO be
complete satisfaction and enjoyment
OF the racing comedy, first made
known TO Detroit by Lillian Russell.
Az each member OF the company
riade his or her entrance, welcom.
Ing hand" was forthcoming, anu
surely there can be no doubt, In the
minds OF the clever men and women
OF the company, that each has made
circle OF ardent admirers.
rWildfire" isn't much OF a comedy
and IL isn't much OF q play In any
higher sense of the term, but II
s.rves to make an agreeable even
ings entertainment. The first act
drags good deal but the events Of
the second act In the training quar-
ters OF the John Duffy racing stables,
rake up for this In swiftness OF in
cidenf and movement. The scene mr.
ishes like the race by Wildfire.
which Is supposed TO be run just out
side the door, on the adjacent race
track. In a wild gallop. The climax
is we'll worked up, and in the hands
of Miss Bonstelle and her company II
was skillfully carried through and
won round after round OF the Wild
est applause.
The manner. in which the members
o. the company came on, in response
TO the many curtain calls, was a clev.
er bit of stage management anu
greatly pleased and amused the audi
ence.
Tie story OF the comedy concerns
Mrs. Henrietta Darlington. a widow,
whose deceased husband left her a
stable of racing horses. In lieu OF the
good income her friends supposed ne
had willed her. The stables were
known as the John Duffy stables. and
as Mrs. harrington, like her husband
before, did not care TO be known as
in the racing game. the stables con-
tinued TO be run under the Duny
name. The charming widow has two
ardent wooers-John Garrison. enact
ed by Charles Balsar. and Fred San
derson, played by Bertram Harrison
The former is an enthusiastic horse
l,syef and the latter a motor bug.
The necessary "villiany streak Is
49,, Lob q hunk
maker. who is thought 10 be, by all
of the widows friends, the real own
err of the stables whose star racer Is
WiIdfire. Besides the love and vii
,liany elements there Is the comedy,
furnished by DR. Woodhurst, an ex-
IRENE opponent of the race track,
which character Is cleverly handles
by that excellent actor, William III.
Sans. Mr.. Sans versatility has been
given all sorts of opportunity during
the current engagement Of the Boil
stelle company and he has onered
distinctly different characterization
In each play that has been pre-
sented
The undoubted talents Of the yari.
Gus members Of the company had
plenty of play in "Wildhre ana
through sheer ability. and the smooth
ness and finesse due to long training
and wide experience, they lifted
very ordinary and indifferently writ
ten play to plane Of genuine inter
est
"wildfire" will be the offering for
the entire week and will be replac.
ed Monday evening. Aug. Fl, by Israel
Zangwill's interesting play, The
Melting Pot" when Charles Balsar,
In the part originally presented by
Walker Whitesde. will have splen-
did opportunity TO show his mettle.
ELLA MAE HAWTHORNE.