The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-22
ADJUSTMENTS
The Percy 1sasve1ls in "The Liass.r

The Percy kAswe1ls in s.The Liazs.~
Enthusiasm over the Percy Hsswell pro-
duction OF, "The LIARS" Is well justified The
play Is smart society comedy by Henry
Arthur Jones, and the manner OF Its playing
Is highly counmendable. In fact, 1t has been
many q long day since a summer audience
at the Metropolitan has seen so smooth and
meritorious a performance as that presented
at the opening this week.
The Liars" teens with epigrarns and smart
| cyntctsms, many of them calculated merely to
! create laughter. 1t is highly amusing play
| OF interesting incidents in the, career OF
| likealble people; and 1t pleases alike through
| the humor II It's situations and the brilliancy
| OF Its dialogue First presented in Mime
| apolis by Otis Skinner, this eNpatriated Jones
drama has been received with acclaim on both
| sides of the Atlantic. And the reasons are not
| far to seek. The play tells a story Of that
| petty deceit which, Corneille said, was an
attribute OF little minds, and which another
Frenchman declared to belong only to dipio-
mats, women and fools. The Lady Jesslca
Of the play is a married coquette whose hus-
| band either cannot or will not understand
her, and who consequently seeks that admit
ration her husband .neglects to provide else
! where This condition Is so common in real
| life that it must excite interest, particularly
| as everything is Strengthened around at the
| last, through the contrivance of Sir Christie
i
| like the fairy in the pantomime, sets mat
ters right with a wave of his wand and
persuades Lady Jessica that an elopemeni
| with the military hero Of the hour 'won't
work. Society comedy, when 1t is dull,
is dull indeed: but when 1t is smart" II
provides most enjoyable entertainment and
fortunately, 1.-THE Liars" belongs to the lat
ter classification. .-.''..
| There can be little but commendatlon for
the work iof the various members OF the
Haswell company in this play. A better bal
anced performance has seldom been seen here
even in the regular season. The Lady Jes-
sica, Of Miss Haswell herself is delightful
Interpretation of a charming. character, 8
4 character that is sympathetic < despite It's
friyoltty. Lady Jessca enjoyed skating on
| thin fce Most people do, and those who DC
not find pleasure in watching the experimen,
performed by another. Her filtration with
| Faulkner, serious enough so far as the man
was concerned, innocuous to her until
the jealousy Of her husband compelled he1
| to regard it differently A coquebte, but not
heartless, the delicious roguery with which
| Miss Haswell imbues the character gives II
| an added and potent charm; while heI
acting in the more tense situations Of the
later acts can not but compel admiration.
In Sir christopher Deering, the philosophi-
! cal cynic, man of the world and lover,
Frank Gilmore has found part that fits
him to a nicely. Himself an Englishman,
! he makes Deering popular fellow, despite
his masterful habit Of regulating other peo-
pies affairs in q manner that would not be
I tolerated in man Of less strength of char
| acter. For Deering was a meddler; nothing
| nore;: yet his Is the commanding figure of
| the play. Equipped with a singularly express
sive2 and highly trained voice. Mr.. Gilmores
reading Of the long speech in the fourth act,
| in which he persuades Faulkner. and Lady
HTAES - A. S-&>
| tion to run away together, justly evoked the
most enthusiastic applause OF the evening.
His acting throughout WAS marked by artis-
tic ability and finish; his reading by a nice
appreciation Of the many good lines.
Frederick Lewis, in 1.-THE LIARS as in
| "Catherine," plays thef part of an unfor-
| tunate lover. He is an actor Of unquestoned
| power and his handling of the scene in which
| he tells Lady Jessica's husband the "whole
! TRUTH" and announces his love for her at the
| same time that he declares her innocence, Is
! little short Of masterful.
i George Fawcett has fallen into the error
Of exaggeratng the boorishness OF her thus-
band. Gilbert Nepean is not q gracious char
aoter, but he must have had some OF the
attributes of a. gentleman to make under
standable his marriage to Lady Jessica. Mr.
| Fawcett makes: him a man whose manner
I would not be tolerated for "a a1minute among
people of breeding. However, there Is THU
to be said In favor OF the Characterization
Unless Nepean,s boorishness Is sufficiently
pronounced to obtrude' itself upon the natiee
Of the audience, the character Of Lady Jes.
sica must lose sympathy. Mr.. Fawcett'E
mistake is in exaggerating this trait. Hi
! assumption Of boorishness-there seem to be
i no other word that will httingly describe II
lis too obvious.
Excellent work Is done by Miss Laura Nc:
oilvray and Miss Viola Burton as society
| friends Of Lady Jessica, and by Lloyd Garlic.
ton and Alfred Hudson. as their respective
husbands. The others are satisfactory.
Altogether 1.-The Liars'' Is one Of the mos
pleasing offerings OF a stock season seen II
Minneapolis in recent years. It Is well worth
4 while. Go to see it. .: = -, =
| &C.,: - ....-J. s. Lawrence.