The Detroit times., 1913-05-13
THE STAGE
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.

That's May Robson--the one with
the gray hair-who sits with her back
10 you when the curtain goes up In
the Detroit opera house this week.
She is on the stage hrst and last and
most of the time. and that is why "A
Night Out" Is a successful farce. Miss
Robson and c. I. Dazey collaborated
in the making Of the play, but In spite
of Mr.. Dazey. whose knowledge OF
comedy Is wide. "A Night Out" would
be out about one night II il were not
for Mis- Robson.
The play tells the adventures OF
Oranmum whose puritanic daughter
gets on her nerves, In the life OF her
two yrandsons. The boys are In the
habit OF clamboring down the Ivy
that decorates the front porch and
hiking to New York on the 1890 D..
NJ. train. TO return at sunrise and
appear the incarnation OF virtue when
their smileless mother knocks on their
door few hours later. Granmum
gets track OF their escapades, and de-
termines to go with them. just to see
what sort OF time they have among
the bright lights. They don't like the
idea; but Granmum declares she'll be
real sport. and in the second act
they haul her In over the Ivy route, In
sad state of mind and stomach, for
the cabaret has been raided and she
has departed suddenly via the fire
escape, minus brooch and hand
full OF puffs. The secret can't be kept
Tt energies at the same time as an
other secret--the fact that someone
has stolen bond from Granmum s
safety deposit vault One of the boys
Is suspected: and Granmum lies val
iantly to an astonished policeman
who, she thinks, has come TO arrest
one Of her darlings. But the villain
Is exposed, the boys are triumphant,
their girls are radiant. mother is
squelched, and the curtain goes down
on a speech by Miss Robson that
sounds too much like what comes aft
or Moral in the animal lies they tell
children.
The play itself isn't 50 much; but
Miss Robson Is most amazing good
Once a minute she pronounces some
very unexpected line; twice in the
same period she delivers herself OF
piece OF acting that nobody else would
have thought OF. The old lady OF the
stage Is like the old man Of the sea
an incubus that our comedy has found
impossible to shake OFF Either she
is grouchy dame with an ingrowing
mouth, or she is one Of those sweet
faced saints. But Miss Robson S
Granmum has been conquered neither
by the sourness nor the strenuousness
OF life: she Is neither bitter nor re-
signed; she Is still alive and eager
and alert. and il they could only be
bit quicker on their pins, couple of
cid ladies' that we know would be a LOT
like Granmum
very good company supports Miss
Robson. Paul Decker and Harry
O'Neal take the roles of Paul and
Jack. the grandsons. and supply plen-
ty of ginger. aKthleen Comegys and
Winifred Bryson are the girls that are
necessary to explain why Paul and
Jack haven't passed away from ennui
in their mothers home. G. {. Gwynne
has the part OF Mr.. Deacon, who will
make love to anybody whom he sus-
poets OF having money: and Eddie
Leaman plays Percy. his son. Mr.
Leaman's chief asset is pair OF
seductive dimples: his smile is the
signal for outbursts OF mirth. !, John
Rowe gives very good character
stury OF Terry. the careful gardener.
whose vines are being ruined. Edith
Conrad Is very good as the stern
mother
The play is In three acts. The first
setting gives beautiful picture OF
the Hudson highlands on a moonlight
night.
The Detroit opera house will close
for the season after Saturday nights
performance.