The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-02-25
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.

OE HOII OfEHA nOOSc.
Although the grippe. or Indigestion
or some sudden indiposition equally
Quaker Girl. Monday evening. in the
annoying and uncomfortable, took Per-
cival Knight out OF the cast OF Tine
Detroit opera house, the gods were
kind and left In the 'girf'-Miss Ina
Claire. Without this attractive young
woman there would have been a sorry
ime,-iiideed. -------a------------------
Mr.. Knight, an English COMEDIAN
who is known in Detroit for some es'
centric comedy in The Arcadians,
In which he sang, with screamingly
funny-effect, a song-called My MOO
ter" Is rated as an accomplished
light comedian and the part assigned
him in The Quaker Girl" calls for
the lightest OF comedy. Roland boe
tomley. who assumed Mr.. knights
role OF Tony Chute. an American
naval attache 10 the American EN-
bassy in Paris. did very we'll indeed.
getting through the part with ease
and grace and showing no signs OF an
understudy's hesitancy or awkwar i
ness. Mr.. Bottomley's regular part
that OF Capt Charters, British OF
ficer and kings messenger, was taken
by 4. f. Taylor also with credit 20
himself in jumping into an eleventh
hour breach, although il was evident
that Mr. Taylor has not had the stage
experience Of Mr.. Bottomley.
But The Quaker Girl, despite the
press-agenting of the tremendous
~
success OF three continents, woulo
be very attentuated as an evenings
entertainment II it were not Tor the
daintiness and demure charm or ina
Claire. and the broad comedy, FOR pur-
pose OF contract OF Maisie Gay, in the
role OF Nine. Blum, Partisan mod
iste. There is good deal or TOO
broad comedy in the piece, some OF
which is vulgar, out-and-out. But Miss
Claire. with her shy demeanor, her
pretty face. and sweet little voice re-
mains, and she stands out like
cameo in the garish setting.
In watching Miss Claire and The
Quaker Girl" the years rolled back
10 Edna May and The School Girl.
The two girls, and the two pieces, are
much alike. Miss Claire also reminds
one OF charming Julia Sanderson.
IL takes three scenes to tell the
story of The Quaker Girl" all or
them pictorially attractive. so II
doesn't matter about the tale. Sumce
to saw that the girl starts on her
musical way in Quaker village IN
England, and Is quickly transferred
to Nine. Blum's dressmaking estab-
lishment in Paris, where she is en-
-ployed as a manikin. and the last
scene finds her at the inevitable care
ball. The piece Is no different 10
dozen other musical comedies manu-
featured for London consumption, py
the industrious Lionel Monckton, Al
drian Ross and Percy Greenback, who
have been doing the same sort OF
light, tinkling, pretty stun so many
years that IL has become habit with
them.
The company employed in The
Quaker Girl" is "A large one with the
principal parts, aside from those men
toned, taken by Gilbert Childs as a
Quaker rustic who kicks on the
garb;"N Harry Farleigh. as Prince
Carlo; Ruth Lloyd, as Partisan ac-
tress Harry Hanlon, as the Paris
chief of police; w. H. Burton, as MIN
lister OF state: May Allison, as Prin-
cess Mathilde; Connis Mac, as Phoe-
be, the princess maid; Eleanor Shell
don and Charles Harter. as the lead
ers of the Quaker colony; Martin Cox,
as the waiter OF the Chequers inn, IN
the Quaker village, and \. w. Met
calfe az large the village crier. Nei
lie McHenry-can il be of Salisburys
fame?-is the landlady
OF the inn There is a-large COM
pany OF manikins, shop girls, Quakers
and young men who hang round In
one capacity or another. The piece
is well-dressed Probably because or
the Encouragement OF the cast, the
performance seemed 10 lack some
what in sprightliness and. II II had
been "speeded up bit, the absence
OF Mr.. knight would not have been so
Hattie Williams and Richard earle,
co-stars in The Girl from Mont
French farce with music,
will be next weeks attraction, in this
theater.
ELLA MAE. HAWTHORNE.