The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-27
Mr.. DREW IN "THE LIARS
A Large House and a Finished Exhibition
of Stage Art.

Mr.. John Drew and an excellent COM
pany presented Henry Arthur Jones'
four-act comedy, 1.-The Liars" at the
Worcester Theatre, last evening, to an
audience that was no less remarkable
for its quality than for it's great size.
There has scarcely been larger house
this season. The performance was adj
mirable. The principal characters were
distributed as follows:
Col Isl. Sir Christopher Deering. John Drew
5E!9I,w Ard F'alkner.. Arthur Byron
Gilbert Nepean. p "a Harkins
qady Jessica's husband.)
Sc 4Nepean ;;...;;..;... Milton Lippman
ASuuiS 4dtlOn... Recommendations Baker
ro,,,bCLIaa LADY Rosamund's husband.)
1AFchiDald Coke, James Lindsay
vrs cro.. Dolly's husband.)
RPe oiI, Ebernoe.. Ethel Barrymore
Dotiy Coke. ................ Gertrude Gheen
cousin to Lady Jessica and Lady
Lady Rosamund Tatton. Jane Eustace
Lazy Jessica Nepean. Isabel Irving
(Sisters.)
With two exceptions, the play has to
10 win very commonplace people, and
llese Two contribute about all the act
ual dramatic strength the piece con-
Ia5ns. Sir Christopher Deering and
, NJ ara falkner are two British ex-
i iaaltslohlsts who have come home to
rest from their labors Of expanding
her maJesty's realms at the EXPENSE Of
tne africans. Falkner is introduced by
oiI christopher to a house party of
Iuie ana gossipy women who are en-
Suhipered with tedious and exhausting
husbands. Falkner, the hero of the
T No,iSan campaign, who is as unused to
Ion a441uon ways as Kitchener himself is
| SAID 10 be, falls desperately in love
with Lady Jessica, the prettiest and
most coquettish of the women. and
GGesplte th~'husbands rage and all Sir
christopher expostulations and warn
liiss' loses his head SO completely as IN
pan olandestine dinner with LADY
o oro at a country inn. There thew
ene discovered by the obnoxiouslv-
wbo rs brother, George Nepean,
mGo must needs inform Gilbert, the
,auy husband. The play derives IFS
, ,rdlile from the hopelessIy stupid living
wien is the sole device of ali parties
1aYe or Christopher to extrfcate T,ady
'gSSlca from her predicament.
anre are but two moments of ORA
, ,,lsn'lc intensity. These are when Falk-
Of e. Sippeafs IN the midst of the tangle
- iaisenood, and bluntly and defianflv
tells the whole truth, though Of I'adS,
1essicas despairing request. The Other
Is When Sir CHRISTOPHER frankly r.
hIiloly lectures husband, wife and love
81 oll the eve OF the intended elope1nent
70 winch her husbands faulty and
1larshness have driven the hYsterioa !
lazy 1ess1ca to consent He brings
S eielll 70 thelr senses and all ends well
pr Christopher himself winning 4ba
hand OF Beatrice Evernoe. the vo,,ne
ana pretty widow of a former comma
ion in arms. ipe'li-
This barely escapes being an nm
nealthy play with healthy moral The
olaactlc principal is there, but the MIA
oea!s with unpleasant social conditions
without presenting them for a. moment
IN seductive light The dialogue is
always interesting and sometimes
bright, but a large share of the fun is
furnished by the stupidity of the hus-
panos and the ingenious faculty of the
wives Tor making sport of them To
thls should be added the great skill of
the company in making the utmost of
every situation and bit of conversation
MI. Drew, in the character of Sir
christopher, was as easy, finished and
authoritative as usual. He filled the
whole part, but by no means the whole
play. There We're others. Miss isabel
irving was arch, coquettish and pretty
as Lady JesSica, and the other ladies
and gentlemen filed their parts in a
most gratifying and satisfying man
ner. Some interest attaches to Miss
Ethel Barrymore, who was as nensive
proper and attractive as a widow in
love need be. To show how carefully
even the smaller parts were cared for
it is only necessary to cite the instance
of Mr.. Frank E. Lamb who made
capital French waiter at the English
country inn. The piece was finely
staged and the gowns of the ladies
We're very handsome. Applause and
laughter were frequent and curtain
calls uncommonly numerous.