The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-04-27
DETROIT OPERA nouse


The triumph OF personality over
matter was strongly In evidence
Monday evening. In the Detroit OBJ
era house. when May Robson, one
OF the most richly endowed OF our
women OF the stage. was seen as
Martha In play called 'Martharby-
the-Day." made from Julie NJ. Lipp-
MAINS Martha" stories.
Mas Robson Is thoroughly
equipped player with a gift for com
edy. and remarkably balanced
sense OF the relation OF tears 70
laughter In appealing To an audience
through simple means, knowing that
sympathy must be created and inter
est sustained II any measure OF sue
cess Is 70 be established for player
and play. In the present instance.
the player Is the thing.
Like 30 many other offerings pre-
pared for the stage from material In
popular stories. "Martha.by -the-Day
cannot truthfully be called n play.
II 10 merely Incidents strung togeth-
or rather crudely on the semblance
OF a plot. the whole so arranged as
to keep the central figure. Martha.
IN the public eye most OF the time
For such an arrangement. as far as
Martha Is concerned. let Us be
thankful.
Martha. rs characterized by Miss
| uoh.on a. n xphot.sorna moi erlv
woman. with n sickly husband and
a large family She goes tout by
the day In order to exc out the
sienderness OF the family income
She works hard and for long hours.
but nothing dims her bright outlook
on life. shadows her courageous
spirit or lessons her jolly laugh
Martha is optimism personified. Her
tongue Is frequently unruly and she
has a mania for Akin" other peo-
Plies business. TO be sure. Always
with the best intentions II not the
happiest results. But everybody
loves her. and. strange TO say. most
folk recognize her splendid qualities
and give her credit for being the
honest. God-fearlng woman that she
10.
Miss Robson makes Martha the
most lovable woman imaginable. She
gives the best that Ii IN her TO the
part. thus proving that she is the
real artist. for the role Is one that
must be .sensed" by its portrayer
| 10 get Il over the footlights. That
Miss Robson has been pre-eminenuy
successful would seem TO be proven
In the fact that she has been play
ing the part for several months and
| the public has responded apprecia-
. lively. There Is no galnsaying that
! the audience In the Detroit opera
house. Monday evening, liked Mar
tina immensely. and with childish en-.
ioyment -feli for the obvious, when
not impossible. incidents and situa'
lions OF the piece.
With such material II would be
unkind TO visit upon the players the
sins aud shortcomings OF the play.
IL is altogether probable that each
/ did the best possible with the role
assigned. and doubtless In other
parts could rise nobly TO the de-
mands. The company includes En-
iiy Lorraine. Henrietta Mcdaniel.
Violet Howard. Roy Ardmore. Mary
Mersch. Coates Gwynne. Jack Sto'
rey. Jane Heron. Howard Bedford
Elizabeth Warren and Edwin Brandt
Three stage settings OF perfect ap'
pointment and detail, and in case oil
the second act a most charming
room. have been evolved by Frank
Reicher, whose talent for stasinf
plays and producing correct. original
and beautiful scenic settings has
Isbeen so much In demand. and re-
ceived so much recognition. that his
gifts as character actor OF more
than ordinary ability and achieve
ment are frequently not given their
just place by those who follow mat
tiers OF the stage.
Miss Robson and her company will
remain In the Detroit all week, and
will be succeeded on Monday even
\ ing. May 3, by the second visit OF
the season OF Potash and Perlmut.
ter" ELLA NAE HAWTHORNE.