Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1910-03-29
BROADHURST'S NEW
PLAY WELL RECEIVED
1.-THE Garden of Lies" is Daring Story
of Love Given Premier Per-
Torrance in Los
Angeles
sY SHIRLEY OLYMPUS

VI Justus Miles Forman's novel,
was given It's initial production at the
Belasco theater last night before an
audience which packed the theater ana
applauded enthusiastically.
1.-THE Garden of Lies is a darlhgy
pretty story of love, a beautiful prin-
cess, in distress, a weakling prince ana
a real man. 1t begins In aphasla anu
ends at the gateway of matrimony.
The story Is dellcately woven, the
warp OF love and wool of war Win
shadings of battles and duels blended
bv the consummate skill OF a master
weaver 1t is IL Zenda story, but mas
a snaD and crispness mat one tound
lacking at times in Anthony Hope
great tales of adventure
Trimmed and smoothed and ar
ranged at places and times the play
will improve with each produetion,
but whether 1t will survive the Gloss
scrutiny of New York remains TO pc
seen. There are great possibilities IN
"'rhe Garden of Lies" and there are
some weakness. The success OF IAN
IRE of Mr., Broadhurst's work depehas
largely upon whether the fashloh -,
plays--if the expression may pe uS9 ~
of the Victorian era dressed In the.
costumes and language of today. That
is TO cay il is written with romantic
men and extravagant ink. That was
the style of the playwrights twenty
years or more ago. 1t was good o,e
style and popular with all Glasses. -
fhe former style has come into vogue
again. "frhe Garden of Lies" VIII make
q SIRE hit on Broadway and create
1esire for a return TO the days OF fo-
mantle stage presentations.
Suggestion of Hope
Tho story of "The Garden of Lies
&c similar to Hopes works, yet dissim-
liar princess Eleanor meets with an
accident dust after her marriage WIN
prince Carol She becomes anllctea
with an entire loss of memory. She -
Told that she has married and demands
To see her husband. He prolllsale
weakling, has disappeared. 10 save
+he nrincess from insanity scheme IL
1,.otyed 10 substitute Dennis Mallory
. ,yo,Inp Irishman in Paris worklilg
as p newspaper correspondent. lie Is
tricked into agreeing to take the nus
band,s Mace. hut when he learns what
he has done, returns the money au-
vanced him and refuses 70 go on WIZ,
the deception. Then he Is lmpoftuneu
IN carry through the scheme In orueI
20 beln a woman in distress. He Is told
that She knows of her husband sup
nosed arrival In Paris, where the locale
Of the plav is placed. He then agrees
to carry out the deception.
Instead of being a lark with no serl-
ous consequences. Dennis fails deeply
in love with the princess ana she Wl.ll
him. Finally the real prince puts IN
an anpearanee unknown to the prln-
cess. Real prince and make-belieVe
foht a dueI Prince Carol is disarmed.
As Dennis Is about to run his opponent
through he hears the princess singing.
He saves the princes life. Then INC
real prince attempts TO STAY MS rival
HI
vented.
In the third act the real prince APP
pears again to claim his wife. A
chance word or two unlocks the mys-
terry of the situation. The princess
learns she has been deceived. she
scorns husband and make-peneNe
nrince. Denis goes away to the war
which has broken out in the country
over which Prince Carol rules with
him Dennis takes the real prince. Den
mis- promises the princess he VIII give
her a kingdom as reeompense for the
deceit he has practiced.
First Act Too Long
Reports are received that Dennis and
the prince are killed in battle. How
ever, it is learned that the report
about Dennis is untrue. He returns,
but he refuses to claim his love be-
cause he feels he has not the right.
Again he is tricked into entering tne
garden of lies" where he finds his
sweetheart waiting for him. All ends
just as 1t should.
The first act needs much tinkering.
1t is too long and there are repetitions
of the story leading up to the main
thread of the play. A scene in
boulevard cafe in Paris is excehently
depicted, but when the noise subsidies
there is a singular lack of action which
hoe tba affect Of letting one down very
hard mentally.
A scene in the second act makes Col.
Won Altdorf and Jessica appear very
i'll bred. They turn their backs upon
Edward Creighton when he is address,
ing them directly.
The third Is exceptionally strong and
well constructed. In fact, it is the third
act which makes 1.-THE Garden of Lies
a drama of possibilities. Every little
situation was taken advantage of to
the fullest by all the players in the
third act
1t rather seems poor dramatic form
to announce early in the fourth act
that Dennis has not been killed and
then to extol him to the skies. Would
it not be more convincing, more thrill
ing to have him dead until after he is
euIoeized? Then he would be idealized
as a real hero and man in every fiber
of his being. Announcement that he
has not ben killed in battle would lend
dramatic value and effect. The man
ner in which the final act Is now con-
structed makes the denouement exceed
ingly long and theatric. The final pic
ture is too apparent.
Characters Well Assumed
AS Dennis, Lewis stone is convinc-
ing. He plays the part with quiet re-
serve, but makes the sollier of fortune