The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-11-18
GARRick.

GARRiCk.
George Bernard Shaw at his best
and this master-satirist having the
very finest time OF his life ridiculing
SNUG responsibility and the circum
spectness Of British middle-class life:
making merciless fun of George Bern
ard Shaw: laughing at his fellow
craftsmen in the business OF review
ing the drama and indulging In halt-
dozen other typical Shavian pastimes
this Is "Fannys First Play. which
was seen. for the first time in Detroit,
in the Garrick theater. Monday even.
ing. A large audience. in which were
scores OF Shavian admirers Judging
from the manner In which the play
was received. laughed and applauded
and called before the curtain many
times the admirable company.
or course. "Fanny's First Play" is
filled, from the rise to the fall OF the
curtain, with long speeches-it could
not be a Shaw product. otherwise
but. the author, with saving grace.
Offsets any shouts of "talky" by cali
ing the thing. not play. but con
versation.' And SO II is--but, con
versation that is brilliant, witty, un
usual. intellectual, stimulating.
And the Granville Barker company
In association with the Kingsway the
alter. London as the program quaint
ly Announces Ii. Is JOY to tn ad-
mirer of stage technique and artistry.
The members of the company were
brought to New York from London,
nearly two years ago, to present
"Fanny's First Play" on Broadway
and the company has remained in
tact for the present tour Of "the pro-
vinces"
The play is play within a play.
Count O'Dowda. a ''nobleman OF the
holy Roman empire" as he informs
all who listen, is a Britisher over
weighted with artistic ideals. whose
exquisite feelings are horribly Jared
by the roast beef" materialism and
vulgarity of England; SO he makes
his home in an ancient palace in
Venice. The count has lovely
daughter whom he has sent to Cam
bridge university. his own alma mater.
Fanny Is offered her choice OF birth
day gift by her father and she makes
tiC itih0i noOiC iCquCot tuat ohC pO
permitted to have a private perform
ance Of play selected by herself. en-
acted by real actors and witnessed
by the professional critics OF London.
The count and MS daughter are lir-
ing temporarily In an English country
SO the matter Is easily ar
ranged by calling upon a well.known
London manager to carry out Miss
wishes. The count assumes
that the play his daughter will Sc
lect. breathes romance and poetry.
and beauty but, he reckons
without the Fabian society OF Cam
bridge. the militant suffragette and
the ways of the modern young per-
SON. Fanny's play. really written by
herself, although It's authorship Ia 10
the critics have given a candid opin-
lon. deals with two lower middle-class
London. E. c., families. Robin Gilbey
and Joseph Knox are perfectly re.
spectacle shopkeepers. Mrs. Gilbey
Ia dear, comfortable old lady; Mrs
Knox. much younger woman with
religious obsessions. The ~Giibeys
have q son, Bobby a plebeian young
rut-up.s who gets into an ENHANCEMENT
with q vulgar little coekney, known
Is Darling Doras." The Knoxes have
4 daughter. Margaret, who Is so Eek
alted' after attending prayer meet
Ing. that she runs amuck in the
streets OF London, gets into a fight
with a policeman an blinds herself
sent up" to Holloway jail with a
number OF militant suffragettes as a
trunk and disorderly. Bobby. at the
same time. has been on what he de-
scribes AZ a loose" british slang for
the American tear" bat. !" skate" ct
all with Darling Dora. and the pair
are likewise sentenced. In Bow-st. po-
lice court. a. drunk and disorderly.
Dora meets Margaret I'm the jail. and
Bobby makes the acquaintance of
Lieut.. Duvallet, middle-aged French
marine officer, who was with Mar
garet when she pummeled the
bobby"
To relate how Fannie handles her
dramatic personae would be 10 spoil
the seeing OF one OF the best PLAYS OF
the season. Better go 10 the Garrick
for yourself
With so excellent company n IL
impossible TO praise one members
achievements rs being superior ~
anoihers. Every character was prc.
sented impeccablv and every man and
woman on the stage speaks with dis. 1
tinctness ~ utterance that makes
avery Shavian point brfstle. Ivan