The Detroit times., 1913-09-09
THE STAGE


II has been David Belasco's aim.
aud accomplishment, for several
years to do things impossible OF
achiey ement by other persons In his
profession, and. In The Governors
Lady presented In the Detroit opera
house, Monday evening. this wizard
OF plsy.making and stagecraft has
dramatised the Irish stew. the dough
nut and the griddle cake. And. more
over, he makes not only the char
acters In the play eat EN-. but. hgura-
lively. the audience also.
The Governors Lady" was written
by Alice Bradley, but II was staged by
the resourceful and inimitable Belas-
co, assisted by his very clever young
son.in-law. William Elliott. and when
Belasco stages" anything, the play
part OF It doesn't matter much.
Without the Belascoan wixardy.
Miss Bradley probably would never
have seen her name on a playful fol-
lowing the title "The Governors
Lady" The story of the play is all
about politics; lust for worldly power.
money, and social influence; a mod
ern. and an old.fashioned romance
and love-tale In contrast, but. above
all. Is the pervading odor. which
actually floats its appetizing way over
the footlights. OF the homely old Irish
stew. The doughnut, the griddle cake
and the cup OF hot coffee have their
inning in the realistic last scene.
placed in Childs' restaurant. at
1880 o'clock. with the eaters" the
peculiar types to be seen at that near
midnight hour. In similar sort OF
lunch place In any city. The place Is
exact In every detail, with all those
wonderful touches for which Belasco
Is famous. There Is no particular rea-
son why the last scene should be
staged In restaurant OF this sort,
but, In all probability, Belasco decided
upon this background because OF its
novelty and, 80 just went ahead and
put 1t there.
The company presenting the play,
which Is a good. oldtimey mixture OF
comedy-dram with laughter. tears. a
lash melodramatics. near villainy
and lots OF high-falutin' sentiment In
its makeup, is admirable In every re-
spect, and the Detroit theater.gOer
who misses seeing 1t will have dis
tinct loss. Every character Is excel.
lently played, the work of Emma
Dunn as Mrs. Slade. the governors
lady," alone. being worth q hundred
times the price Of a coupon seat.
Miss Dunn gives q wonderfully true
and human picture OF the sweet-soul-
ed. gentle-natured, honey little body
who understands" az no education
and culture could ever teach. the way
to manage her big, self-made. ambi'
tious and determinedtoge t-ahead nus
land whose pile she helped to make
over her wash.tub.~ Out-of.date In her
:. df6thes, and 5ass ,ashion. OF dssN. hr$
a hair, and refusing to sit In an opera
box and shiver In low-cut gown
without her comfortable old WOODEN
shawl Mrs. Slade finds herself not
only out OF plOce with her husbands
friends, brought to hi mthrough his
money and political success, but, she
faces also the situation OF losing her
Dan" to younger. handsomer and
socially ambitious girl. Mrs. Dan,
however, is a spunky. high.spirited IT.
tie woman, and she does not step
aside without struggle. and. OF
course, In the end, Dan returns to
mother" Miss Dunn Is Joy every
minute she Is on the stage. She was
applauded for her work until the raft
ers OF the theater shook. 1t IL Mrs.
Dan who cooks and serves the Irish
stew to Dan.
William X. Harcourt gives an equal
ly perfect characterization OF Dan
Slade, and Gladys Hanson, one OF the
most "gorgeously" beautiful speci.
mems OF young American womanhood
the stage has permitted us to gaze.
upon in years. plays Katherine Strick-
land the girl" in q manner to merit
the same high praise to be accorded
Miss Dunn and Mr.. Harcourt. Too
much praise. however. could scarcely
be given to each and every member
OF the large cast. 1t 10 summed up In
the statement that 1t Is one Of tn
best acting" companies that has ever
visited Detroit.
The Governors Lady" will be In
the Detroit all week with Wednesday
and Saturday afternoon performances.
Next week the operetta The Count
OF Luxembourg will replace IT,
ELLA MAE HAWTHORNE.