The Detroit times., 1911-02-28

no one can sit through performances
| or maggie Pepper" without expert
/ encing a feeling of sympathy for the
average department store girl.
ls GARRick
It's a Jolly nice comedy Green
Stockings don't you know, that Miss
Margaret Anglin and capital COM
pany acted for the first time in this
city, Monday evening, in the Garrick
theater. A very large audience laugh
/ ed and laughed, and the play was
! praised on all sides by the laxative,
| departing onlookers and voted one OF
| the most amusing and enjoyable offer-
ings OF the season.
| Heretofore, Miss Anglin has been
| seen in Detroit only in emotional
roles, but in Green Stockings" the
part OF Celia Faraday, which she as
sumes, calls entirely upon her comedy
gifts and she more than eQualed every
| demand She Is delightful COM
edienne, with a perfectly poised sense
OF humor and endowed with all those
graces Of person that make for an at
tractive presentation Of such q char
acter as Celia Faraday.
Green Stockings" derives its name
from a custom In the provincial Eng
lish countryside In which the scene Is
laid OF making IL obligatory upon
young woman whose younger sister
marries first, to wear, at the wedding
festivities, a pair OF green stockings.
Celia Faraday is the eldest Of four
daughters. two OF her sisters having
married, and the youngest having be-
come engaged. Celia, therefore, has
worn green stockings twice and likely
to a third time. The fact that she
does not attract suitors Is a source OF
annoyance to her father and excites q
somewhat contemptuous and superior
attitude from her sisters.
Everybody treats Celia as being
'hopelessly on the shelf" and, finally,
that young woman, who acknowledges
TO 20 summers, resents this treatment
and determines to do something to
change her family's attitude. She
goes to Southampton for weeks visit
and upon her return calmly announces
her engagement to Col. John Smith.
whom she says she met in Southamp-
ton and who had sailed the very morn
ing OF the day OF her return home,
for service In South Africa. The news
has the desired effect upon the family
and friends, and Oelia's position at
once becomes quite different.
Romantic Sister Chyllis. filed with
her own love affair, insists that Celia
write letter TO her colonel SO that
he will receive IL on his arrival in
South Africa and Celia although at
her wits end to get out Of IL writes
ridiculous letter In which she calls
her supposed fiance "Wabbles." When
Phyllis back Is turned Celia hides the
letter under some books on the table
but the butler coming In for the mail,
Phyllis searches diligently for the let
ter, finds ii and IL Is mailed. AS
events develop later, the letter actual
ly reaches Colonel John Smith and
upon this fact the second and third
acts of the comedy are hinged.
Aunt Ida Faraday from "Chicawgo,"
visiting her English relatives, Is
Celia's conidante, and after some
wheedling on Celia's part Aunt Ida Is
induced to enter into the plot Celia
enjoys the dignity of her position as
the nancee Of distinguished South
African soldier for eight months and
manages TO pay back in full to her
family. the manner In which she had
previously been treated because OF
her apparent hopeless "oldmaidism."
Finally Celia and auntie decide to |
kill on the brave colonel and the |
scene in which the family read the |
death notice In The Times and then |
endeavor to break the news" to Celia |
is one OF the funniest the con-
temporary stage offers. IL was a per- i
faa f he raA
itself into near-hysterics.
Just as Celia has succeeded in con-
vincing her family that, while heart.
broken with grief over her fance's
death, she has determined to bear up
bravely and will go on with her life
as usual, she receives a visit from a
Col. Vavasour, who says he has been
sent to her with a last message from
his dear friend, Col. Smith, who also
consigned to his care some personal
mementoes to be given to her.
Another scene which for pure fun
and good comedy would be hard to
excel occurs when Aunt Ida Is intro
duced TO Vavasour. She has violent
Mysteries to the intense amazement
OF the family who cannot understand /
what has happened to her as she had
been perfectly well a few moments |
before. Vavasour, who in reality Is
Smith, but having fallen heir to an
estate, has been compelled TO assume
| the family name Vavasour, which goes /
with II, quickly sees the situation in
which Celia has placed herself, and
proceeds to carry out his part of the
deception. or course, in the end the |
whole AFFAIR, at least between Celia |
| and the colonel, Is Strengthened out |
and one Is left to suppose that Celia |
will not have to wear another pair of
green stockings"
II. Reeves-Smith had the part OF
the colonel, and he brought all his
well-known polish and expertness To
the role. Mr.. Reeyes-Smith was last
seen in Detroit In one OF the leading
roles in "Mid-Channel' with Miss
Barrymore, one OF the best parts,
purely from the acting point OF view,
that he ever had. AS the colonel he
was eminently satisfactory, as one
might expect from so excellent an &C
tor, but the part could give him bet.
ter opportunities.
The comedy is in three acts, and
the last one, as presented Monday
FOR 70