The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-25
Metrop olltan-"The Earl Of Pawtucket.'

If a tall, well groomed, proper, heavy
moustached, .dragoon-like Engiishman,
Just over here for the first time, or even
acclimated and self-confident OF an under
standing Of American ways, were to wan
der into the Metropolitan and look on
La,wrance D'Orsay as the Earl Of Paw
tucket, he would doubtless stalk out in
a huff and brand this English actors earl
a. caricature and a. libel. Thereupon All
American would go into transports OF glee,
for the denouncing Englishman would ne
the very counterpart Of the stage English
man. The earl is so impossible in the
American sense of the word that he is an
entirely possible earl in the true. the in
ternational sense. Therein lies this
plays insinuating, humorous, delicious
comedy. For the earl, while a good fellow,
always game, is likewise self-sufficiency
personifed, for he has gone ponderously
about an endeavor to pass himself off
for an American, unconscious of his pro-
nounced English accent and manner1sms.
+ DESTROYS Of absenting himself from
England and attracted by the charms Of
an American girl, this earl crosses to
America, and takes the name of Mont
gomery Putnam when he arrives at the
Waldorf Astoria. The name is that Of an
American exile in London. club friend
Of the earl, who suggests this use Of the
name On this assuming of an alias hangs
all the play, which is almost pure comedy.
For the American girl Is the divorced
wife of this same Montgomery Putnam,
and her family, getting wind of the sup
nosed presence Of the real Putnam, closes
in on the rascal and pounces on him fol
defaulted alimony. The girl? She learns
| lust enough of the deception to bait this
| earl who declaims most wondrously OF
''his birthplace, Pawtucket,' and tangles
I'D the names Of his sisters and other rel
atives in surprising manner. All the
time, nevertheless, she is the woman II
love with the earl. She even lets him
involve himself in the trap he has SCI
for himself, and he is arrested for the
murder Of himself, the earl just before
| his-Putnam Slight from England and
his-the earl simultaneous disappear
ance.
1 OF course, the snarl Is untansled for :
final curtain with all appeased, three set:
of lovers united, and the earl dominating
the scene.
This earl Of D'Orsay's is rare good
creation Your American swelling witt
pride Of native land fairly licks his chop!
at the. morsel, however he may know
naught Of peers other than jurymen. You
American would take great delight in &C
companying a Britisher to this play ant
! pointing out the mannerisms and infiec
| tons and complacency Of this earl Q
i Pawtucket. This earl is such a-suchf a.
we'll, Mr.. D'Orsay himself says he toll
| Augustus Thomas: II say, old fellow. y
/ kneow, don't make me a silly ahss, "
i kne-ow,'' and that Mr.. Thomas pledges
| his word he would not-that ne Woui'
make D'orsay play himself, indeed
Mr. D'Orsay never loses himself out
4 the chara cter. He is the Englishman un
conscious Of his Englishness His vote
lis peculiar, his tones high-pitched, nj
words as hard to understand, at times,
Irying,s. Sometimes he seems to look to
much at the audience, but where else ma
he look and gain his point? His earl 9
Pawtucket is really che OF the most de
lightful stage personages Of many a da
I lin Minneapolis, and his appearance her
4 therefore is notable one.
1 His support is entirely adequate. Mis-