The Detroit times., 1912-10-21
THE STAGE

IYCEUM.
THE Divorce" the play which
opened an engagement In the Lyceua
theater. Sunday afternoon. IL Q re-
markably frank and In many ways
a powerful study Of the vexed Ques-
ton Of divorce from the standpoint
OF the Catholic church. 1t comes TO
Detroit after q long run in Chicago,
and Rowland & Clifford have gath.
cred together an exceptionally good
company TO play It.
The entire action takes place In the
sacristy Of church, and the dominat-
ing figure In It IL Father William
Jerome. To him come Herbert Lock
wood. a lawyer, with AL the argu-
lments In favor Of divorce at his
tongues end, and Mrs. Roger Man
lners. the former Mrs. Lockwood, q
society woman chiefly interested IN
the match OF her daughter BY her
secoud marriage. II develops that
they have lost track OF the two chill
dren, orphaned by their separation,
and left to the care Of some distant
relatives. This first part 10 rather
ltalky. but the action that follows
makes up for the duliness. There Is
street brawl, revolver shots and
the two children make their appear
ance. the boy q snivelling drug-nend
| ana the Girl an outcast. Behind them
comes \ mob eager for vengeance on
i.Dopey Doe" as the boy Ii called,
flor shooting one Of their leaders 70
save his sister.
Poor Dopey justiies the shootins
in an arraignment Of the man ne nas
shot and his partner In terms ina
are not exactly parior conversa.ion,
and there iss very frank exposition
OF some OF the details Of the Wnite
slave" traffic. When the mob 10 gone
he tells his story to the priest, identi'
living himself as the son Of Herbert
lockwood. The parents are confront
ed With the ruined lives Of the chit
Idren for which they are Responsible,
and are made TO see the hatred and
bitterness which these children feel
toward the parents who have leis
them to the unequal struggle OF NE
THE girl dies Of heart disease while
the father and mother are wrangnne
lover which shall take her home ano
Ithe ruin In complete when Dopey u
taken away to jail for killing the man
who had kidnapped his sister.
I'm the part OF ''Dopey Doe, VIII
liam v. Mong scores distinct sue
ceas There a finished skill and ap-
InaIl;nr realism IN his portrayal OF the
drus .stricken gutter-waif. His work
i a. ~ the sort that will bring recogni.
lion VIRGINIA Pearson who played
ithe vampire In "A Fool There Was,
Ii for n season, has the part OF the SIS
ltsr ana she does II creditably, though
her voice does not meet the require
ments of some OF the lines. John M
Kline is n commanding hgure as the
Rev. william Jerome, and Ms ar
raignment OF divorce az he shows the
Icoupie the ruin Il has wrought - tor
Irible. Charlotte Granville as Mrs.
Roger Manners and Sheldon Lewis
"A Herbert Lockwood are good, and
the supporting cast does well. especi-
lally Patrick skeliy. as quaint ola
Irish sexton. .
applaud In the play, SUNDAY
afternoon, and Il Is stirring treat
ment OF much-discussed question.
There might be some condensaticn' ,
and perhaps the preaching 10 scatter
ed through too literally, but on the
whole It IL a strong play.
-The Divorce" will be played In
the Lyceum theater all week With the
usual matinees.
cAvETY.
| There Il at least one theater man
aeer In Detroit who H. invariably
tr1thful In putting an estimate on his
! snow after the first matinee perform
ance. He knows that he cant fool
the boys" who like burlesque, and II
the show q a little beloy standard
ne is frank TO say 50 70 the press. In
yariably he comes back with crack
(, er-jack' and when he says splendid
/ you can take Il for the truth that II
Iis splendid. This manager evidently
believes IN truthful ADVERTISING. He
lis william Roche, OF the Gayety.
Roche assures his patrons that ne
has an unusually good show this week
lin Sam Howe's "Lovemakers." and
glimpse will convince any one thai
ne has. II IL one Of the best II not
i the best that has been staged In ths
Gayety since the evening of the new
Iplsyhouse on Cadillae.sq-
Tuneful lyrics. sung by . large
eood-l looking chorus With good voices
scenery like handsome paintings
Inovei features and comedy that make
1.-THE audience laugh. combine 20 MAKE