The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-04-04
THEATERS
GAR RICK.


Twelfth Night is one Of the
Shakesperean comedies that is as
good ON the stage AS il is In the read
ing. and one OF the few Elizabethan
plays that have stood times test
Judged by modern standards. 1t is
crude enough II is based on misuu-
lerstapdings so broad that nowadays
they are excused only in farce At
contains COMMISSIONS OF identity that
would earn laugh OF scorn from the
managers. We're they "a be presented
! by a modern playwright; IL Is in no
way related 10 life. IA 1873 play
must be; it's action might as well
have taken place in the moon as IN
! Illyria, and few hundred years
difference in costuming would not
alter the essentials OF the story. For
| Mr.. Shakespeare had no thesis. His
eye was on the box Office. he aimed at
entertainment, and II he could in
terest people and make them laugh
or cry, he was just as content as a
modern writer would be II his play
had converted an audience TO the
Idea OF free love or euthanasia or
stories To tell. and he told them,
weaving them together after the
fashion OF a Dickens novel, or like
a stage magician who takes num-
Der OF colored handkerchiefs In his
hands, rolls them together. and
presently draws out pair OF silk
stockings In their place. This collec-
ton Of tales Shakespeare called
Twelfth Night" or What You
WILL" which. translated into the
modern tongue. means ANY Old
Thing" or "Hanky Panky."
Mr.. Sothern. Miss Marlowe and
their company played Twelfth
Night" in the Garrick theater. Thurs
lay evening, TO an audience composed
Of some who came TO see Sothern and
Marlowe. others who came 10 hear
Sh akespeare, and few who liked
the play for its own sake. All were
satisfied When Miss Marlowe decides
to give up the stage. the government
should give her anything she wants
liz she will consent TO show other
actresses and actors how 10 read
blank verse. IL Is sore temptation
to name a few stage people. much
praised by the critics. who ought 70
take Lessons from Miss Marlowe-
ought, IN fact. 10 be barred from the
boards until they do. The part Of
Viola is very difficult. 1t is prob
lem how to treat the wooing OF
olivia. for instance. Some actresses
assume that Viola finds IL a grievous,
hang-dog task. and on that assump
tedious and sad. Miss Marlowe acts
like a reporter on disagreeable as
signment: il she can't get out OF il,
the zest Of the game is sufficient TO
make it interesting and exciting. She
gives Olivia every reason in the world
Tor falling In love with her Cesario.
instead OF making il appear
miracle
Mr.. Sothern as Malvolio is perfect
in makeup, nawless in acting.
Shakespeare probably conceived the
character as one to be laughed at
and ridiculed from first TO last Mr..
Sothern injects an element OF pity.
at the risk Of spelling the fun OF the
scene where Feste acts as the priest.
But he humanizes the part; and
when uc te6TS from MS neck us
badge OF Office and stalks haughtily
from the stage. the sympathy Of the
audience Is with the abused steward
Excellent work IL done by Row
land Blackstone as Sir Toby Belch.
valiant drunkard. and by NAL
colin Bradley as Sir Andrew Ague-
cheek. the unashamed coward. Others
who have good roles and handle them
we'll are j. Sage Crawley as Feste,
the clown; Miss Millicent McLAugh-
lin al Maria. and William Harris as
Antonio. Walter Connolly Is ad-
mirably cast as Sebastian, Viola 8
brother He has considerable of
Miss Marlowe's aspect; usually in
choosing persons for the roles Of Sc
bastlan and Viola. managers try TO
find two who are as much unlike as
possibl so that the audience will be
surprised to find that they are
brother and sister. and that q whole
stageful OF people has been unable
to detect the difference.
The Merchant Of Venice" IL Fri
day nights performance On Satur-
day the players will give As You
Like IL" for the matinee and Ham
let" in the evening.