The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-02-04

comedy" just shrieks with the red
white and blue spirit OF the u. s. A.
| Mr.. Sousa has written a score that
has the military precision and the
Tree swing OF his far-famed marches.
! His music il a good deal better than
the material provided by his librettist.
Leonard Liebling. In fact, without
the lyric end or IT. The Glass
Blowers" would be rather poor com
edy."
The whole idea OF the piece Is good
and the story Is a pretty one, but
there Is an impression OF a lack OF
spontaneity, the something-or-other
best conveyed perhaps In the phrase
1.-The punch" Perhaps II will find this
much.tobe-desired blow. for. be II
remembered The Glass Blowers"
had its first presentation on any
stage just one week ago in Roehes-
ter, ~ Y.
In this day OF scantily clad musical
comedies the most remarkable thing
about The Glass Blowers" Is the
fact that Il hasn't a bare knee in A.
II Is the most respectable and thor.
oughly nice" theatrical entertain
ment many a decadent season has
shown. Mr.. Iiebling. while he may
not have achieved anything tremend-
-easly- Original, -killingly humorous
In his lyrics and lines, is 10 be loudly
commended for cleanness and de-
cency. The stage producer. George
Marion, has aided and abetted in pro
viding some very pretty costumes that
are feminine and modest.
The first scene OF THE Glass Blow
ers." Is in a Flfth-ave. mansion. dur
ing a reception, where the Duke OF
Brantford is the particular lion OF the
occasion. Thanks be. this duke Is
pictured by the librettist as a Brit
ish gentleman and not a fortune hunt
Ing cad Annabel Xanderyeer. one OF
two heiresses whose mammas are
angling dexterously for the dukes
capture as a son-in-law. has developed
notion that a man should be able
to earn his daily bread, and so she
turns away the man she really loves.
Jack Bartlett, because he is a mil
lionaire by virtue of Inheritance Jack
makes up his mind to go 70 work, n
the horny-handed labor way Is the
road TO Annabel's heart, and the Sec
ond act finds him-and Annabel too,
because her father has lost all his
money--employed in the Consolidated
Glass works, on Long Island The
setting OF the act is novel one show
ing the interior OF the factory with
the glass blowers at work. two ex-
perts at the trade, a man and q wom-
an, blowing glasses before the eyes
OF the audience. There is much mock
labor-against-capital sentiment work
ed into this scene, which, how
ever is rather neatly kept from any
melodramatic pitfalls by the libret-
tist
The close OF the act sees the Span
ish-American war declared, and the
factory curtain rolls down TO the
marching OF the factory hands to
the front, the girls going along as
| Red Cross nurses. In the third act
pitched" near Santiago, there il op-
portunity for pretty stage settings.
lots OF Old Glory fervor, and the use
of a moving picture machine, show
Ing the battle OF San Juan hill
The piece has SO much to recon-
mend 1t on the score of decency, right
sentiment, stirring music, attractive
stage pictures and good talent in the
cast OF principals and in the clever
young people in the chorus, that
when 1t is all summed up, its def
ciencies fade into happy oblivion.
Edna Blanche Showalter, as Anna
bel, has a charming voice. pure, sweet
and flexible, if light and she uses II
with the discretion and effectiveness
of one who has been we'll taught, vo-
cally She is an attractive young
woman who has dainty way with
her. and. in this.- her first venture in
the light opera field 1t Is understood,
itwould- seem that she-has- nothing
to fear for the future.
The cast OF principals is exception
ally good. Charles Brown, an Eng
lish light comedian, is thoroughly at
home as the duke, a part he inter-
prets very cleverly. Edward Wade,
as Silas Pompton, head of the glass
trust; George O'Donnell, az Col.
Vanderveer; Maude Turner Gordon,
as Mrs. Pompton and Louise Ford,
as Mrs Vanderveer. OFFER good
straight, legitimate work that is eff
fective and finished. Gilbert Greg
ory, as Stumpy, Jack Barlett's chauf-