The Detroit times., 1915-11-02
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.

Oe NStt
Henry Arthur Jones gets into COM
any with George Bernard Shaw In
Ao manner in which he satirizes
ertain heavy British institutions in
the comedy Cock o. The Walk" In
which Otis Skinner has very fat"
part, and which was presepted-fol-
towing a few days OF life-in the
Detroit opera house, Monday even
ing. The audience was large and
uf the sort TO appreciate fine acting
and play of subtleties, and Mr..
skinner, his associates and Mr..
Jones' playwrishting art were given
full measure of recognition.
A scene in the third act or the
play where church and stage are
made TO join, much against the de-
sire OF the representatives OF each.
in passing judgment upon the guilt
or innocence Of a London knighted
actor-manager accused of philander-
ing with one of his matinee girl wor-
shippers Is SO rich in wit, in char
acterization, In keen satire. In de-
lishtful comedy, and pure fun that
il would be sufficient TO carry any
play to q sure measure OF success.
In this scene. the work OF Mr.. Skin
ner anu his players is an exposition
Of the art of acting In its purest and
best form. II will prove a choice
morsei to every lover OF good acting.
every student of the drama, who
has the good fortune to witness IT.
Concerned In the acting of II are
Mr.. Skinner, as the bibulous, classic
drama type of actor of the old school
who eats. lives. breathes, and speaks
"Bill" Shakespeare; Vernon Steele.
as the up-to-the-moment exponent or
the modern and the classical the
same under either name whose good
looks, social aplomb and complete
responsibility have won him knight
hood from the king and coolies OF
adulation from impressionable
young persons, and the Church OF
England in the be-gaitered ecclecias-
tics, the Right Reverend Lord Bish-
op of Barum, ditto Sherbourne, ditto
Malmesbury. ditto Silchester. por-
trayed by Kenyon Musgrave. John
Rogers, Harry Dodds and John
Gibbs: and the theater in Sir Roger
Winch. manager Of the Piccadilly
theater. London, Sir Fisher Staynes,
ditto Panthenon. Sir John Darrell
ditto society, as impersonated by
Walter F. Scott, Walter Gibbs and
Frederick NJ. Conklin.
To give the credit that is due to
each OF these players. and 10 Reg
insld Barlow as the provincial. the
Alternating, actor-despising father OF
the young woman implicated, and
to Ernest A Elton, as Clibtetts. the
Gver-ofiicious confidential secretary
Of Sir Augustus Conyers. over whose
fatherly kisses TO the young miss
the pow-wow Is held, would consume
many columns. The whole Is ad-
mirably done because OF the individ-
ual excellence Of the actors, and the
ability that makes such an ensem-
BILE possible cannot be too highly
praised.
While satire is the foundation and
the structure Of the play. Mr.. Jones
is entirely good-natured IN his
thrusts at the complacent, society
and money-mad knights Of the the
alter as exemplifad in the actor
manager Of London. and in his por-
traiture Of the senile, deaf, kindly
and Indifferent, as the case NAV be.
lord bishops of the Established
church whose pompousness Is their
chief trait. In his treatment Of these
folk. and what they represent Mr..
Jones Is less vitriolic than il Mr..
Shaw and his satirical digs more
amusing to the onlooker because
more tolerantly good-natured.
Mr.. Skinner as Tony Belchamber.
whose speech while all mine own"
Is largely Shakespeare. Is at his
best Tony is always without a
tuppence, rarely has an engagement
because Of his drinking habits, but
cNtf
wit, ready tongue. honor. charity.
audacity, cheeriness and a complete
faith in his own acting genius. He
is a reprehensible rascal. but lika-
BILE. and Mr.. Skinner acts him with
all the exuberance and pride the
real actor always has In so fiat and
juicy" part.
Janet Beecher Is the silly young
miss whose matinee alteration OF
Sir Augustus gets them both into
such peck o. trouble, and Enid
Bennett Is her equally silly young
friend who in jealousy OF the other
girls progress in securing the at
tention OF Sir Augustus TO herself
tells father, and precipitates the dis
aster. while Rita Onway gives an
admirable character bit OF the cock
ney waitress who wants TO play
Ophelia.
ELLA MAE HAWTHORNE.
HAQRiCk