The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-02-13
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.

A lively, laughing. deliberately
dressed show is The Fascinating
Widow" which had its first perfor-
nance, III this city, at a special Lin
coins birthday matinee, Monday af-
ternoon, in the Detroit opera house,
With Julian Eltinge, "the girl i'm
personator," in the name part. Mr..
Eltinge is well-known to Detroiters
through various visits in his girl
act" 10 the Temple theater. In a
friendly little curtain speech at the
end of the first act. at the matinee.
Mr. Eltinge thanked the audience for
remembering him SO cordially. al
though his absence had been a long
one.
The Fascinating Widow" is the
sort of show that will attract and
please that very large portion OF the
theatergoing public that likes TO be
entertained and amused without any
effort on their part. They will leave
the theater tired out 10 be sure, but
IL will be the result of hearty laugh
ter. The show is hilarious 10 the
point OF Mysteries. The Monday audi
ences shrieked and guffawed until
ear drums ached from the noise.
The piece was written especially
for Mr.. Eltinge, to exploit his particu-
lar talent for impeTsonating good
looking and fashionable woman. The
story is placed in a co-educational
cOtfege. fiaf bfdfkg tbbir. Etttttuget gets
into trouble with the faculty because
of a row with Oswald Wentworth
Colbert Douglas) over pretty Mar
garet Leffingwell tWinona Winter,
daughter OF Mrs Leffingwell Carrie
L. Perkins,, chaperone OF the girls
dormitory Halls chums. Lankton
Wells Edward Garriet, and fHtAiii
Leffingwell tJames SpottswoodD,
urge Hal Ito beat il" until the fuss
has subsidized. but Hal objects 70
turning tail for one thing. and for
tie field free to Wentworth as far as
Margaret is concerned Hal is al
WAYS "the girl in the college thea
tricals. so he conceives the idea OF
as young and hand
some widow who stops on for visit
al X college as the guest OF Wells
and Leffingwell, as she happened 10
be passing through the town. The
three college pals fix up the scneme
and Hal departs presumably 10 ar
rive on the afternoon train as the
fascinating widow
- wren riYp widow arrives rtTc- TRANS
foIma ton is so perfect that Tor con-
siderable time, Lankton and Tut. are
deceived themselves and are ready 10
believe that the widow is the real
article and not Hal at all. OF course,
Mrs. Monty, as the widow is known,
makes a great hit with all the girls
and the manner in which they make
her the confidante OF all their little
girlish secrets and insist upon having
her the center of all their little init
mate affairs is the pivot of the up
roarious complications which ensue.
Mr.. Eltinge is a good looking young
fellow in his conventional manly
babiliments but when he gets into.
froeks of the most dazzling smartnessl
with couture a Ia mode stunning hats
and the dsintiest of silk hosiery and
French shoes, he, is a dream of fem
irine beauty. His voice IL n were
woman's would he known as the con
tralto variety so that In face, figure
speech and gesture, he IS a perfect
OF a handsome fash
ionabir Young woman. 4
Many OF the situations in the three
acts OF the farce, as might be mag
ined, come quite near the line of dan
ger which separates broad comedy
from distinct vulgarity, but disaster t.
generally avoided by Mr. Eltinge'sN
clever and quick change tfem his fem
mime assumption TO the voice. manner
and actions OF the fun-loying college.
boy.
In Edward Garyie. as Iahkton.
Y hose name Is belied by preponder-
ance OF flesh Mr. Eltinge has his CHIEF
support in the fun.making, although
all OF the male characters have been
drawn with the one idea OF presenting
types" and compelling laughter The
college chaplain. the Rev. Wilbur
waits. WIS ClcVerly playeu by Charles
W. Butler, ana James H. sullivan for.
rot his Irish name long enough TO give
Il very funny character bit 81 4 Ger
man detective Mrs Perkins, well
Known TO local thcatereoers also
dressed Mrs I,effingweil like a
1heen. and in the bathing sons
Don Take Your Beau 10 the Sea-
shore the audience screamed itself
~ rt,asm. al The picture she made ir
5 wonderful bathing costume ct iav
ender satin June Mathis and ;.ouisc
9lfth "a Narsar,t I efingWpH = fhums