The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-01-02
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.

SShOdy1 lubNodu VI NV hAeANtS
OF the tragic herolnes OF the high.
brow" drama, will prove somewhat or
shock 10 that talented woman's do
voted admirers, when they visit the
Detroit opera house this week TO
spend couple OF hours with Mrs.
bumpstead-Leigh." Mrs Fiske's art In
the past has embraced the delicate
huances Of what Is known TO the stage
as high comedy, but, Ia the-eha
acter or Mrs. Bumpstead-Leigh, she
frankly enters into the broad work
on the faFeeur and stops Just This Side
OF burlesque.
The play is In three acts and was
written by a Young unknown" with
the very prosaic family cognomen OF
James Henry Smith. II is well-known
mat Mrs. Fiske is ever ready 10 lend
an attentive ear TO the work OF aspir-
ing playwrights, and this friendly hab-
II OF hers has resulted In "A number OF
hnds' as far as playwrights are con
cerned and several immensely profit
able stage successes. The most notable
instance OF recent years was Yrs
Fiskes acceptance of Edward Shell
don's Salvation Neil" which made
that youthful colleglan's fortune. add
cd another triumph 10 Mrs. Fiske and
scored a wonderful popular success.
Sometimes even such nstute judgment
MS that possessed by Mrs. Fiske and
her husband. Harrison Grey Fiske.
errs, as Witnessed in the play present
ed by her early I'm the season, The
New Marriage which II was hoped
would hit the bulls eye OF critical
70 h.,t frh OF aaIf
To be "the exception 10 prove the rule
OF Flske successes and was quickly
withdrawn Then the lightly.gathered
dust was Wshed of Mrs. Bumpstead-
Leigh. which had been put away last
season, and the road tour undertaken
with this play pending another new
production by Americas hardest-work-
inS and most discerning woman star.
After seeing Mrs. Bumpstead-
Leigh" il Is dfIicult not IN believe that
Mrs, Fiske would not be using the
play II she had anything better, for,
In spite of the strength OF her per
sonality. 1t seems pretty thin material
for one OF her genius TO be expanding
time and energy upon.
Not that the play lacks in broad
comedy, In excellence of acting. beau
" OF stage investiture or any OF the
details for which Mrs Fishes pro-
auctions are deservedly famous, for
indeed. It's has all OF these elements
and to spare. A less clever and re-
sourceful player than Mrs. Flske
would bring disaster 70 Mrs Bump
stead Leigh. The character might beI
called dual one for il demands all
the mannerisms and snobbishness OF
the so-called society" woman, one
moment and the coarse vulgarity OF
a very common type, the next
Mrs. Bumpstead-Le is the wife
OF Church of England curate. the
Younger son OF a high born family.
and makes her home on the ancestral
estates in England Living with her
are her mother and younger sister.
The trio claim the family name OF
deSalle and their early home as
Washington, u. c. When the play
opened they are visiting in the home
OF Justin Rawson and his sister, Miss
Rawson. on Long Island sound, The
Rawsons are exceedingly proud OF
their family lineage. The deSalles
are enormously rich. and SO mar
rage has been arranged between An
thony the elder son OF Mr. Rawson,
aud Violet deSalle The love inter
est is provided in the attachment be
tween Violet and the younger son of
the house. Godfrey, who is home on a
visit from a ranch in New Mexico.
where he has lived I'm recent years.
Anthony is a conceited prig who poses
as "a perfect angel while slyly
firting with the housemaid.
As matter Of fact Mrs. Bump
stead-Leigh and the deSalles original
Is hailed from Missionary Loop, In.
diana, where paw" was known as
"oid Jim Sayles" and made his money
In "Sayles Sassafras Sarsaparilla for
Suffering Souls" Nav" Sayles. or
deSalle, is an amusing piece Of bag
gage as portrayed by Miss Florine Ar
T. DID. NAV" is completely under the
thumb OF daughter Della, or as she
is known 10 society, Mrs. Madeleine
DeSalle Bumpstead-leigh and the
latter Ia quite equal TO managing any
thing that may come into her cap
able hands Back In the old days. Del
ia had been engaged to Pete swallow,
Of Missionary Loop, and II Is the APP
rearance OF Pete on the scene as a
"monumentalist" selling tombstone
10 the I.eavitts, neighbors OF the Raw
sons. that puts Mrs Bumpstead-leigh
on her highest mettle and although
the facts concerning Missionary Loop
and Sayles Sassafras come out Mrs
BumpsteadLeigh routs the enemy
and sails along 70 conquer even high
or social fields
Joseph Kilgour plays Pete and dur
Inc his brief appearance In the sec
ond act pervades the scene As an
exaggerated characterization Of GER
tain type OF travelling salesman. Pete,
IN the person of Mr.-Kilgour. is
huge success.
The supporting company is admir-
able throughout. Cyril Young "a Kit
son. the butler. offers an especially
c1pable bit OF work Kathleen Mac
Donald ia we'll cast as Violet, Miss
Hattie Russell the grande dame type,
"a Miss Rawson Henry stephenson
An excellent Justin Rawson, Shelley
Hall. breezy Godfrey; Douglas Pat
erson. the SNUG and priggish An
thony: Helena Van Brugh, coquet-
tlsh Nine, the housemaid; Il. Owen
Nesch and Gilda Veresi. as Mr.. and
Mre Ieavitt. all that could be asked
OF them
Mrs. BumpsteadLeigh thorough
~ amused the New Years day audi
ences. Mre Fiske and her Manhat-
tan company will remain all week
with Wednesday and Saturday NATL
rees. The second week OF the year
will bring Percy Mackaye's poetic
play, "The Scarecrow."