The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-12-22
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.


ION Trial" one OF the most recent
view York successes, Is being present
"a In the Detroit opera house this
week. II Is play by new author.
elmer l.. ReiEenstein, and drama
that IL new also In its arrangement
and In the unfolding OF Its plot. II is
a melodrama. the keynote OF which Is
emotion, and the success OF which Is
Won only by very strong emotional
acting. II was well received Monday
evening.
ION Trial" as It's name suggests, Is
"A court room play, but IL differs from
others OF similar nature, In that the
causes for the trial are not known UNI
I'll the testimony Ia given, when the
scenes revert TO the time OF the crtme,
land to the events preceding II. Ihe
Y opening and closing scenes or every
act are In the court room. the inter
mediate scene being the place talked
about by the Witness, !
The dramatic moments are-mdny,
and thrill follows thrill as the turns
in the plot work themselves out.
There Is the moment In which the
defendant, Robert Strickland, dfscov-
ers the relations between the slain
man and his wife In frantic haste en-
deavors to warn Trask. OF his danger
mot because she cared for Trask
STILL but because she feared the re-
suits on her husband,
But by far the most impressive mo-
ment OF the whole play comes In the
testimony OF the wife, who Is taken
from the hospital to testify. Her story
pgoes back IL years, to the time when
Trask himself, though married, elopes
with her, promising marriage as soon
as minister could be found. The
father OF the girl and Trask's wife
catch them and the misguided girl
screams and faints as Trask deserts
her.
Though all OF this sounds much like
The "bicod and thunder" OF the old
Vine melodrsma. there is really none
OF II IN the presentation. The ability
of the actors, every one Of whom prov
ed himself or herself perfectly capable
Of emotional acting. kept the drama
from the common place and made II
highly dramatic, thrilling play.
Mrs. Strickland the wife OF the de-
PENDANT. was enacted by Emily Ann
Wellman. and though she had the
most difficult OF roles. she encompass
ed its dramatic moments and Its ten
der emotional possibilities with equal
ability and success. Her playing won
for her the utmost approval OF the
audience. Lee Baker, as the DEFEND
: ant, also had hard role TO fill, but
was equally successful
Much credit should be given Il
Maxine Elliott Hodges, who took the
part Of the little daughter of Strlck
land with wonderful ease and natural.
ness. Her work added a note OF
pathos and affection to an otherwise
100 harsh play. Harry c. b. Browne
as the slain man, Helen Lackaye, az
his widow, and Harry Mestayer. as
the secretary, were admirable In their
respective roles.
ION Trial will be in the Detroit
all week.
y
GARRick.
A shuffling, stumbling. singing
riot" is being staged in the Garrick
theater this week where Neil O'Brten
and his company OF American min
strels are holding forth for one week
OF their third American tour
"a marked departure from some or.
The time-honored standards or min
strelsy serves to strengthen O'Brien's
claim TO originality.
The first part presents The Futur-
ist Atelier" This feature, which Is
unusual IN It's setting, furnishes an
opportunity for the display of some
marvellous vocal ability and great
deal Of side splitting fun.
Harry Van Fossen and Neil OBrien
lead In the fun-making. O'Brien's Abb
soluteiy No" and Sixty Cents an
Hour" slap at the plumbers, being
particularly funny. The first part
closes. with travesty from the quar-
tette from "Rigoletto," in which
C'Brien Is convincingly proved q chick
en- thief.
Then comes 1.-THE Ebony Club Gam
Dol," new terpsichorean conception
directed by Pete Detzel. Eddie Mailer
and Major C. Nowak, the latter most
amusing little drawf, get most OF the
laughs. This r. the "shufflin' part
of the program. though and most OF
the interest is excited by the dancers
Nowak shows some surprising ability
for one OF such abbreviated limbs.
Pete Detzal also contributes some ac-