The Detroit times., 1916-03-14
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.

Mischievous boyhood. which pei
sons out OF sympathy with child life
it's trials and its temptations, ca
"incorrigible." is the bit OF every
day life presented in Young Amer
lea" this week. in the Detroit oper
| house.
The play is all about a younI
| ragamuf'in and his "dswg." and hi
| gang pals, and how they get hale'
into juvenile court for chicken raid
Ing. Art Simpson is known 10 th'
comuuter residents OF small 81
burb as tough cuss. and viii
his chum, "Nutty" Beemer, and thu
dog. Jasper" is engaged in tbs
business OF making life miserabl,
for the community. Art is an or
phan and has no more home thar
a rabbit with an aunt a tippllnt.
washerwoman who whales hel
kids" as energetically as she as
saults the pettiskirts and paiamas
OF the neighborhood on her wash
board. aNturally, Art and the dos
take TO the streets 10 get out OF
the way OF her "hefty" hand. and
quite as naturally get into mischief
When Jack Doray's hencoop is
raided, and Art is caught with a
chicken under each arm, IL is the
Juvenile court for him. unexpect
eddy, he finds a friend in Mrs
Doray. in whose family his mother
was once a cook. Despite young
Mr.. Doray's persuasions and pro
tests. Mrs. Doray prevails upon the
judge OF the court 10 parole Art tC
her instead of sending him up ID
the reform school for year.
The court room scene takes az
the second act and is as natura
and funny and pathetic and human
as half-hour in Judge Hubert:
court in our own county building
"Nutty' yarns like a true gentle
man and real pal TO get Art on
of the scrape, but is undone by th'
testimony OF one OF the aggrieveC
neighbors just when he had bull
a beautiful alibi for Art and himself
and Jasper" and the judge said h'
believed he was telling the truth.
Assembled In the court are pecu
liarly interesting types Of human
kind. old and young. Every grind
of the wheels of benign and father
ly justice. as administered by the
quiet and understanding Judge
Palmer admirably portrayed by
Forrest Robinsonl, is a good lesson
to the men and women who jump
TO conclusions about boys bad
ness and unfortunately have
neither the inclination, sympathy
nor patience to give the mischiey-
ous youngsters another chanel"
The play Is delightfully."- entertain
ing and has strong appeal in its
very naturalness II is absolutely
human and without pretensions Il
be other than just what il is--s
Straightforward little tale about
lively youngsters whose exuberance
finds outlet in wrongdoing because
right methods for healthful play
are lacking and older folk persist
In assuming that every time a kid
does a thoughtless and mischiev.
Gus act. he must be malicious and
deey-dyed criminal.
Art and "Nutty' are acted in iusi
the right vein by Charles Frohman
Everett and Benny Sweeney. respec-
lively, while Jasper" Is about the
cleverest and sharpest dog boy
ever loved with his whole heart.
Peggy Wood is charming as Mrs.
Doray. and Otto Kruger Is the most
liksble young fellow in the world,
as Mr.. Doray. Exceedingly clever
comedy il provided by William
Sampson a. Billy Coombs, neigh
Dor of the Dorays and down on
boys generally, because they poster
the life out OF him and by Charles
Dow Clark a. the village police
man, who is a succession of laughs.
Indeed, every member OF the cast Of
20 is player OF real merit. the
smallest bit being enacted with full
recognition OF It's characterization
value.
II will do anybody good 20 see
stances, hereafter undoubtedly, will
save boy from being wholly mis-.
judged for prsnks OF thoughtless
youth
ELLA MA HAWTHORNE.
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