The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-03-25
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.


One of the pleasantest events OF the
current theatrical season took place,
Monday evening, In the Detroit opera
house. when that admirable actor,
Robert Lorraine. revived that most
amusing. most mocking-and to many
most diabolical-of George Bernard
Shaw's comedies, Man and Super
man" II is nearly seven years since
Mr. Lorraine presented this Shaw play
on the same local stage. and he has
not been in Detroit since. While he
does not look in the least different,
nor even a tiny bit older. than he did
In 1906. the passing years has ripened
his talents and polished his ART, ana
his performance Monday evening was
OF such high worth as TO form the wish
in the mind Of the spectator that Mr..
oraine might come oftener 10 De
| troit -.
Mr.. Lorraine has surrounded himself
with so excellent a company that the
whole presentation Is one TO mark an
epoch I'm artistic perfection and genu.
inc ability. and TO erect a standard
with which TO compare other acting
companies Miss Emily Stevens.
pretty. delicate. blonde little girl, a
niece OF Mrs. Minnie Maddern F1ske.
and with the Mad6ern acting gifts,
PLAYS Ann Whitfield, the superman.
Miss Stevens embodies the play
wright's picture OF the very feminine
Ann. in personal appearance. and she
manages to present AIMS character
istics cleverly and with conviction.
Shaw makes John Tanner (Mr,
I.oraine) call Ann all the blunt and
unkind names in the category. includ-
ing those OF liar, deceitful vixen. un-
principal coQuette, etc, etc. Ann
with a Arm determination to marry
this truthful, II ungallant, young man,
merely smiles and tells John he Is
lovely talked" and John finds him
sci. raging impotently and finally
captivating, although still struggling
and talking at the top OF his voice. but
with the marriage halter tied In
good hard knot around his unwilling
neck.
Mar and Superman," Is nothing II
no. talky The very last lines In the
play come from Ann, who. with the
furious john railing against marriage
at the top Of his lungs, cries 10 MIN
when he stops to find more breath
"Oh. Jack. do go on talking. John
does not need to be urged to go on
talking" at any time. in the progress
OF the three acts. He talks all the
time in the best Shavian style. He
upsets every one OF the best British
made conventions with regard to the
status OF woman. marriage and the
home. He upholds fearless truth. sup
ports Justices and stands for equality
and brotherhood, against the respect
able hypocrisy and to quote Mr.. Shaw
the 'damnable cant" OF the circum-
spect British middle-class point OF
view and life Mr. Shaw uses John
Tanner as a medium for spOuting all
his well-known views against estab-
lished custom and Tanners radicalism
out-radicals Shaw All the talk which
the other characters In the play have
TO stand from John Is mighty enter
tanning food for the auditor on the
other side Of the footlights. Man and
Superman" Ia Shaw at his best
trenchant and witty. keenly analytical
and satirically cutting.
The play Is charmingly staged. The
splendid company offers Louis Mason
as the pillar OF respectable British in
stitutions, Roebuck Ramsden Alfred
Hickman, as "Ricky-ticky-tavy," other
wise, Octavius Robinson: Maggie Hol-
loway Fisher. az Mrs. Whitefeld May
Seton as Miss Ramsden; Marguerite
Unett. as Violet Robinson; A. p. Kaye
as Emery Straker. the philosophy
STEPPED Chauffeur: Rockcliffe Fellows,
RS the younger Hector Malone. Charles
Horbury. as the elder Malone. and
Grace Moore. as the Ramsden's maid.
Mr.. Shaw's views on the independ-
ence Of women and his ardent support
OF their struggle for political recOgni-
ton and complete sex emancipation
should be sufficient to draw all persons
interested In equal suffrage to the De-
trOit opera house, this week. Man
and Superman." will give every think
ing man and woman something to feed
the mind and the intellect.
Mr.. Lorraine and his admirable play
ers will be in the Detroit opera house
all week. and will be succeeded on
Monday evening, March 81, by Julian
Eltinge IN The Fascinating Widow
ELLA MAE HAWTHORNE.