The Detroit times., 1915-08-03
cARRicK.

Mr.. Argyle died. 30 that more or US
might find careers as detectives like
Asche Kayton. to make our lives
more interesting to ourselves and
to the public.
The Argyle Case" kept the Gar
rick theater audience. Monday
night, tense with interest and ex.
element for four acts, and as this
IL the entire number Of acts in the
play. It follows that it's a good
show. The fact that the Bonstelle
company was handling 1t insured
the adequacy OF acting and staging.
A few finger marks. . counterfeit
bin that would have deceived any
body but Asche Kayton. and q large
acquaintance with psychology were
all the detective needed to unravel
the mystery Of Argyle's death. The
play Is success because II always
keeps about three jumps ahead of
] the audience. bringing on its char
acters. yanking them on and chang
ing the situation with such rapidity
that the mind grasps but cannot di.
gest the implications before some
thing arises to give new twist to
the primary facts. So after trying
In vain to puzzle out a. solution from
the various examinations thAt take
place In Act 1. the spectator who
| gives II up, and decides to let the
| company 90 ahead In its own way.
without any help from him. is the
one who gets the most enjoyment.
The Argyle Case" gives a better
test Of the Bonstelle company's abil.
ity than any OF the preceding offer
ings. II is a play that offers every
temptation to the actor to be
STACY" to work himself UP into q
great deal OF draamtic excitement,
to pitch his part in too high key.
But the Bonstelle company strives
to be natural. Life itself, not stage
life, IL It's criterion. II goes about
the play In very matter-of-fact
manner. with the result that Miss
Won Ottinger's two big scenes are
tremendous In their effect, and there
II no antielimax in the fourth act.
after the tenscness OF the third.
| Telephoning plays an important
part In The Argyle Case" There
are two ways OF telephoning. The
\ accepted stage way IL to grasp the
instrument. say Hello, hello" very
rapidly before central has a chance
to inquire. Number. please" and
rattle on conversation In a voice
that nobody on the other end OF
the line could possibly understand
But Corliss Giles and Robert Adams
have another way. They use the
phone a. II II really were connect
ed with Bell exchange, and give
the girl q reasonable time TO get a
number for them. OF course, II
isn't realism, for they always man.
age to get their number. and they
don't have to call more than once:
but the stage strives for the ideal
In telephone service, as we'll as In
other departments Of life.
1 Miss Bonstelle plays the part OF
Mary Masuret, Argyle's adopted
daughter, a part which does not
keep her on the stage very long. but
1 gives an opportunity for good acting
which Miss Bonsteile improves won
derfully. The big emotional role IL
In the hands of Miss Won Ottinger
~ Mrs. Martins, Mary's mother,
who gave up her infant child to fol.
low Frederick Kreisler. the counter.
feiter. Any slight suspicion which
; former plays have given that Miss
Won Ottinger Is q fine actress, was
shaped into certainty, Monday even
Ing. With what skill and what sin
cerity she handles the part. How
well she brings out the conflict be.
tween her mother.instinct and her
love for Kreisler. Miss Houston as
; the voluable Mrs. Wyatt tickles the
house. Miss Wilson as Nancy Thorn.
ton and Miss Workman az the maid
Kitty. have very slight chances to
0isplay their well-known ability.
4 Coeliss Giles 40 Asche Kayton,
4 the generalization Of William J.
!. Burma, 10 on the stage most OF the
; tine. ana his acting IL interesting
!. forceeul and natural. Usually ne ID
the hard. cold man Of brains, GU
perior - circumstances and con
d oomD(u00o e pooplo. But he haS