The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-09-23

Deserters," In which Helen Ware ana
the William Morris players are ap-
pearing In the Washington theater,
this week. II three had been engag-
ed In the composition, 1t might be
an even more wonderfully motivated
production. From incident" to final
curtain, the audience Is held breath
less. The suspense Is almost unbear-
able. Suppose Mrs. Marston should
tell Lieut.. Craig that he hadn't killed
Capt. Harrison. Suppose Detective
Madge Summers should pick up = very
little OF the gossip that fills an army
post! Suppose somebody should sug-
gest to Craig, after his arrest. that
Capt. Harrison had been shot. not
killed by q tap on the jaw! Why.
there would have been no play, that 9
all. SO everybody holds mis- breath In
fear that some character will do the
natural thing. and stays excited from
beginning to end
This is not to the discredit Of the
William Morris players. They do very
well. indeed, and succeed In pleasing
those who like such . play. and also
those who are willing to forget its
crudities for the sake OF acting.
Charles Waldron again demonstrates
his great capacity. It Ii not often
that an actor In stock can put such
fnish on Q part that IL rehearsed for
but a week. Mr.. Waldron gets into
tho skin of his characters. He plays
the manly, headstrong Lieut.. Craig
with ardor, and yet with repression.
Malcolm Fassett's delineation OF
Lieut.. Marst0n, overborne by his
sense Of guilt. il excellent. Almost
any detective could tell that he was
the man who had shot Capt. Harri-
son. Charles 8. Abbe's makeup Is
absurd enough to hurt his playing;
his Is not the face for swansdown.
Too bad that he should be cast for
such role; In another part he would
be delightful. Charles Grey and Har-
ry Huguenot, as Reddy and Porky in
the saloon scene, are funny enough
to make one forget that Detroit beer
isn't as popular In Frisco as the signs
would indicate. A little mon 5udg-
ment In selection Of properties
wouldn't hurt. A small matter, per-
haps, but Belasco has educated thea
ter audiences to look for attention to
detail, and a price-tag hanging from
the seat Of q chair Is quite enough to
create dismay in the spectator. Cor.
don Mendelssohn drinks two beers
with perfect ease and wears q won
derful makeup. Marie Louise Ben
ton, a. Molly. Q bar-room lady, makes
the most Of q good part, and Is one
Of the hits OF the show. Ines Buck
plays Mrs. Marston we'll. 1t IL an un,
grateful role. with a good deal OF
standing around In It, but Miss Buck
makes her face express what the dual
dramatists failed to put into her
mouth.
A for Miss ware-well, its .
shame that she should have had to
TOD this play about the country after
her performance In Paid in Full"
She IL one Of the foremost actresses
on the American stage. For two
months this summer she made New
York audiences forget Jane Cowl In
within the Law" which was no small
feat. In q play big enough for her
ability. she II wonderful; but It
should be q drama with something
behind 1t. not merely q pretty story.
In 1.-THE Deserters" there are some
moments when Miss Ware rises above
the paftry opportunity Of the lines
az at the curtain Of the second act
when Made Summers finds that she
has fallen in love with the man she
lis pursuing; and In the final scene
when, having cleared Craig. she col
lapses. Miss Wares presence will
draw many people to the Washington
theater for the next two weeks. and
those who admire finished acting will
not be disappointed.