The Detroit times., 1913-11-25
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.

Detroit admirers of Chauncey o.
colt game him an enthusiastic well
come In the opening OF his usual
Thanksgiving week In the Detroit
opera house. Monday night. They not
only expressed their approval of the
play. 6hameen Dhu. by demanding en-
cores to all Of his new songs. but In.
sisted on calling him before the cur
tain till he needs must sing my Wild
Irish Rose" to be let of.
"Shameen Dhu" Is another play OF
mingled patriotism and love like The
Isle o. Dreams" with the added inter
est for American, audiences that al
Though the scene Is In Ireland, the
theme Is that of sympathy for the
heroes OF rs. for the time Is that Of
the American revolution. It rings
with that same clear purity OF sentt-
ments which matches the tones OF
Chauncey's voice as he sings tho
songs by which those sentiments are
best expressed.
Dare ODonnell known to the Amer
lean patriots rs "Shameen Dhu." the
Irish poet whose ideals OF liberty
serve as an inspiration for them, Is
presented by Olcott with all the tradi-
| tional strength and tenderness OF the
Irish character, with the daring to
| face any enemy, but the inability to
close his heart against q penitent ad-
versary of the tears OF any woman.
To begin with, he allows pretty.
rich young widow to engage herself
. to him because he sees no other way
. to stop her crying. She wants him
merely as a figurehead to protect her
from other suitors.
Then Dare meets Peggy O'Dea, a
bewitching little patriot from America
'swho left Ireland before she was
born" but whose love for the sham
rCCk and the Emerald Isle Is still
green. She has even written poem
. 70 "Shameen Dhu." which she sings to
him unwittingly.
Along with Peggy comes her broth
or, Edward, an officer in the revolu-
tlonary army. whose business Is to
treat with Q'Donnell and others who
believe In the cause he represents.
He promptly falls In love with Shiela
Farrell, the widow engaged TO Dare,
and she with him. Then the engage
ment between Dare and Shield be-
comes an awful" nuisance all the
way round
The villain rs there in the person
OF Lawyer McGleash. You'd pick him
for the villain from the very name. He
treacherously obtains papers" that
would convict O'Donnell, whom he
looks upon as his rival, of treason.
But with resource and daring. ODon-
nell averts the danger and wins over
lhis enemy. to send him finally to
America to fight for freedom.
But with all HIS ability to handle
mans work. Dare Is helpless in the
tangled situation OF love. 1t takes the
practical sense OF Betty Bowers, an
old IRISH nurse Of Shiela who has be-
rome mistress Of the Green Dragon
Inn. to clear that up. Just as Sham
zen Dhu" stands for the poetry and
courage and all the finer sentiments
pf the Irish race so she reHeksE the
plain spoken broader brogue and bu-
NOR which go with the names Mike"
and Pat" wherever they are found.
Olcotts inimitable ability to present
he alternate backward and impulsive
hctions of such character as Dare
DDonnell, was never shown to better
advantage. His besitant acceptance
bf the way In which he Is made love
10 for practical reasons n most anus
Ing
II Il his singing, Of course, which
puts the finishing touch upon his abil-
ties as an actor and makes his hold
Upon the public doubly secure. First
10 be mentioned among his songs in
This play Is II Never Before Met a
3irl Like YOU" Others are 'Too-ra-
oora-loo-ra-ly," "My Little Dhudeen,"
Peggy Darlin," and Dream Girl O.
Nine"
Mr.. Olcott's supporting cast is well
buited to the play. Constance Molin-
Paux, as Peggy, does very well indeed
n showing the Yankee spirit OF the
GIRL, her girlish admiration for Sham
zen Dhu." the poet. and her unwilling
king for him as a man.
Mrs. Jennie Lamont, as Betsy Bow
prs. Is Irish through and through.
Without any make-believe, while the
charming widow rs aptly played by
Beth Franklin.
The play will be given each nieht
his week with matinees Wednesday
md Saturday, and special one
Thanksgiving day.
oARRIck.
II the hundreds OF persons who
crambled and pushed and showed to
et into the Garrick theater, Monday
fternoon-and they we're mostly
romen-to see Evelyn Nesbit Thaw,
|xpected to be shocked, or to have
nything in the way of risque enter.
ainment furnished them, they left the
heater, wiser. although let it be
oped, not sadder, as the old adage
las II.
Nothing out of the ordinary was to
|e seen. and Mrs. Thaw is, as one
erson aptly expressed 1t, "disappoinf-
hgly modest"
It Is not to be doubted for an in
liant but that the audience In the
sarrick, Monday. was there out OF
! uriosity TO set one Of the worlds
host-talked-cf women, The fact that
he capacity OF the theater Is almo'.t
completely sold out at the moment OF
1riting for the weeks performances
wo each day-would seem to be proof
nough that Detroit Ia full Of curiosity
It Is too bad for Mrs. Thaw's own
AXE. II she IL sincere In he- desire
o earn her living on merit on the
tage, that 4 better medium FOR her
O0tlight appearance could not nave
cen provided than the silly and inane
antomime called Marietta" which
the Offering. fol. owing a half-dozen