The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-01-30
IN THE LOCAL PLAY-HOUSES

still that the proverbial drop OF pir
might have sounded like a shot.
The play was written by an Ameri
can, Henry S. Sheldon, and II is play
ed in a thoroughly American mannel
by Mr.. Miller Miss Laura Hope
Crews, and that exceptionally compe
tent actor, Francis Byrne. These
three have the entire burden of the
three acts with the exception OF &
fourth person, a man, who appears fol
a few moments toward the end OF the
play. All three are middle-aged New
Workers. Mr.. Miller has the role oil
Richard Craig, hold a responsible
position in a railroad Office; Miss
Crews that of his wife. Kate, and Mr.
Byrne that OF Paul Hessert. friend
and fellow employe of Craig. Hesseri
has been making his home with the
Craigs for four months when the play
! begins. He is given to reading the
sort of novels that soon at the sacred
ness OF the marriage tie and cry for
/ freedom. He has philosophical
on this sort OF individualism in the
sexes until he believes himself 10 be
as great an adjuster OF life's prob
! lens, between men and women, as
| Ibsen, Shaw, Nordau. Suderman or
any OF the other writers who special
ize' in human emotions.
AS a matter OF fact Hessert has
many theories and no convictions, and
as the drama wears on the dissectins
OF the man by the playwright. Is a
mighty good lesson 10 study Tor
every man and woman who has watch
ed the work of the dramatic surgeon.
Hessert has made Kate Craig believe
in him and his perverted theories,
and as the play begins the audience
Is face 10 face with the situation or
Hessert urging Kate 10 cast aside
her husband for freedom" and his
love, and the woman having given her
hearts love honestly 10 Hessert, de-
Gliding TO leave the man she had mar
ried many years before for home
without the accompaniment on her
part of any real affection. Craig mas
been an Incompatible husband honor
able. kind and loving his wife with
sincere and trustful heart. The man
ner in which he learns OF his wlfes
unfaithfulness and his friends treach-
cry is best left for visit TO the play.
Hessert, like the rest Of his Tx, is
a poor philosopher when II comes 10
putting his alleged philosophy into
practice. Craig, who has always
seemed TO the wife and friend so pro-
sale as to be "a stick, proves the
real stuff of which he is made Wnen
he forces Hessert to marry Kate. lie
leaves them TO their own company TOT
a wear, then returns TO become the
family friend and broader-to give
Hessert a taste of the medicine Craig
formerly was compelled to swallow.
The intimateness of the triangular
gets on Hessert's nerves
and the incidents move swiftly for-
ward 10 a second edition of havoc.
A child comes 10 Kate and Hessert.
Hessert embezzles in the railroad OF
nee Craig finds himself in position
rarely accorded in this world 10 the
innocent and wronged, that OF meung
ont his own sweet revenge" Hessert
nas ben a BLACKBOARD to Kate and
her child: she sees him as he really
is. and the curtain falls to leave her
in the place she left many years be-
fore to become Craigs wife-stenog-
rapher In the railroad ONCE.
This singular tale of marital COM
plications is highly interesting as pre-
sentei by Mr.. Miller, Miss Crews and
Mr.. Byrne. The playwright has been
distinctly clever in his treatment OF
il. To the spectator the events that
transpire are more often productive
Of laughter than sympathy, and when
the curtain goes down, one leaves the
theater with the comfortable feeling
that Hessert got just what he de-
served. Kate is entitled TO little con-
sideration and Craig. a good-hearted,
gentleman, whose sense
OF humor saved him from becoming
the conventional outraged husband,
proved himself to be brick under
the most trying circumstances.
Mr.. Miller's acting is that OF the
man who knows his trade. He gives
an exceptionally fine portrayal OF the
decent home and wife-loying Amer
lean into whose even, business-like
life enters the grim hand OF tragedy. |,
Mr.. Bryne is equally expert In the
opposite characteristics OF Hessert |
Kate, as the playwright has drawn |
her and as Miss Crews presents her,
cannot fail to make the average per-
son who sees the play utter the bro
mide, What in the world could those |
two men see in herr"
The Havoc" will remain. in the De
troit all week with matinees on We'd !
nesday and Saturday. 1t should not
be missed by the discerning theater-
goer. Next week Nine. Lima Abar-
banell in Mae Sherry" will play
return engagement.
ELLA MAE HAWTHORNE.