The Detroit times., 1915-07-13

GARRlck

you couldn't have convinced the audi
ence In the Gsrrick theater that IL
was. You couldn't have told II that
there was war in Europe; II
would simply have laughed at you.
II the rest OF Detroit had been Wis
tied by Zeppelins. as Windsor is
nearly every night. the audience
would only have had another convul'
sion OF mirtn and stayed right there.
There's a movement on foot TO
make people believe that I'VE Are
Seven" Eleanor Gates comedy which
the Bonstelle company Is presenting
this week. contains serious matters.
Eugenics Is mentioned. for instance.
But eugenics win never be anything
but subject for laughter until our
asylums become so full that We can't
afford TO keep them going any
longer. and we'll either have TO
slaughter our detectives or stop
breeding them. Eugenics In this
play. at any rate, causes more mirtb
than thought.
I'VE Are Seven" takes up the ad-
ventures OF Diantha Kerr miss Bon
slclle), student Of sociology whose
maiden aunt ueonora Won Ottin'
ger) objects to her unchaperoned
visits TO the slums and insists that
she have a guard. But Dianths
won't have a man who will jabber
at her, or will listen TO what she
says; 80 they request their lawyer,
Col. Avery william Pringle) TO md
deaf and dumb chaperon for Dian
tha. The colonel's nephew. Pete
Avery Corliss Gates). seeing Dian
tina. at once becomes deaf and DUMB.
and takes the job without the col
onels knowledge. Now Diantha has
made up her mind that she's going
TO have seven children. and has gone
so far as TO name them and To pro-
vide clothes In anticipation OF their
entrance into the world. There's a
lot of conversation that the deaf and
dumb chaperon isn't supposed to
hear tbut the audience isl. Pete's
friends can't help looking In on him
~ see how he's getting on and TO
admire Diantha. and the household
becomes suspicious and has the
whole OUTFIT arrested. In the police
station. the deaf-mutes suddenly re-
cover their powers OF speech, even
Peter. who exposes the maiden
aunrs secretary's villsiny and nm
ishes the play with Diantha In his
arms
. And while all this has been going
on, the audience has gone through
the tittering stage, the laughing
stage, the screaming stage, the hys'
terical stage. TO the hoarse. exhaust
ed Stage that betokens the end OF a
well-spent evening,
The play Ia produced with that at
tenilon to the least detail which
M kes the Bonstelie company unique
among stock players. Miss Bonstele
as Diantha Ia charming, and her act
ing IL restrained enough 10 make the
part plausible Miss Won Ottinger
also plays her part excellently. Jane
Houston as Or. Fanny Grant has
role which requires little. but she
does that little we'll Corliss Gates
as Pete Avery. the deaf and dunno
chap. has a difficult part-not that
his lines are hard 10 remember. bui
he must undergo torments u1speak'
able tas Il vercl In forcing himself
TO keep his face straight, MIR Gates
performance Is remarkable. William
Pringle is good as Col. Avery. MI
the other paris are well handled by
Robert Adams, William Powell. Je-
roms Hickman. Vincent Bernard. Ar
thur Allen. Gertrude Workman, Hal
bert Brown. Ralph Elliott. Willard
Perry. II. NJ Slavin. Harry MacFay-
den. Eileen Wilson and John Hill,
who is about three years old and a
little bashfui. Lewis Weary. Of De.
irons, "a. Hans. tho silent German
janitor and faithful sleuth. has a hu.
morous character.role which he han
dies admirably. His daughter. eight
year-old Mary Jane Weary. made her
debut with the company Monday
evening. The seven children
that Diantha hopes TO have ile
upon the stage just before the last
curtain. touches such as this. which
add considerably 10 the enjoyment
OF the audience by showing tina
someone connected with the com.
pany twho can II be bur Miss Bon.
STEELE herselfD Is provided with i'm
agination, are frequent throughout
the play