The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-10-21
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.


Although Fine Feathers" the
Eugene Walter play, which Detroit
theatergoers saw for the first time
Monday evening. in the Detroit opera
house, sends the audience away with
the sound Of suicides pistol shot
ringing in the ears. the mimic trag.
edy, fortunately, Is not long drawn
out and the strain upon the special
or's sensibilities Is short. However,
such a announcement Is not cheer
full memory to take home to bed with
you.
The pistol shot ends the life of a
naturally honest, upright, fine young
man, whose love for his wife, a thor
oughly selfish young woman, who
inee ticket and pretty house, above
ing.
The husband Is persuaded by the
wife, to accept graft" gift of a
large sum of money from the owne,
OF big construction firm, on the con.
dition that the husband. a chemist
who will pass upon the quality OF the
cement to be used In the building OF a
dam, shall 20. X" an inferior grade
as higher standard. The young hus.
band consents to the scheme, when
his wife tells him she will leave him
unless he accepts this opportunity to
give her the fine feathers" she longs
for and Is determined to possess. Com
Ing quickly to the end of the story,
the young husband, after two years of
affluence, finds himself financially
ruined through the clever machina.
tons Of the head Of the construction
company, and. when to this Is added
the catastrophe Of the breaking of the
dam, due to faulty materials and con-
struction the newspapers say, he takes
what he considers the only way to
save his wife from going to the pris-
on he sees looming before himself and
ends It all with. shot.
The story, a common one in mod
ern business and domestic life as all
readers Of the daily newspapers know,
Is told In Mr.. Walters graphic way.
The diaiogue Is crisp and pointed,
with truths born OF everyday expert
ence. Melodrama has the right of
way, as might be expected from the
story, but the American public,
whether witnessing 1t in Daisy, the
Dressmakcr's Model" at ten cents a
seat, or, In a modern society drama
form an orchestra chair 1t 81, dearly
loves to interrupt with applause, the
virtuous words of the hero and like
wise mark its approval Of the situa-
lions where the. terrible tempter ia
worsted.
The company presenting Zine Feath.
ers,' in the Detroit this week is called
"all-star," and justifies the title with
the following names: Wilton Lackaye.
Robert Edeson, Max Figman, Rose
Goghlan. Lolita Robertson and Lydia
Dickson.
Mr.. Lackaye plays the smooth,
hard-headed, cold-hearted, steel-like
construction company president, who
confidently declares that the words
money" and JAIL" cannot be used
In the same sentence. Mr.. LAckaye's
work Is 40 clear-cut and brilliant as a
first water diamond.
Mr. EdesOn does excellent work as
Bob Reynolds, the young husband, and
Max Figman scfntillates as Dick
Mead. the newspaperman and muck
raking' magazine writer Lolita Rob-
ertson is the young wife. whose love
for fine feathers makes the play, and
Miss Coghlan brings all her we'll
known artistic ability to the role OF
Mrs. Collins, garrulous. vulgar per-
son. who lives next door to the Rey.
-nolds' cheap little bungalow, on
Staten Island, where Bob and his wife
were quite happy previous to their
sudden rise to affuence And a real
house In New York. Miss Dickson
gives an excellent character bit as
Frieda. a maid-of-all work.
Fine Feathers" will be in the De-
troit all week with matinees on Wed
nesday and Saturday. Next week.
Montgomery and Stone and Elsie
Janis will bring the tuneful Lady of
the Slipper" to CHS theater.
ELLA MAE HAWTHORNE.