The Washington herald., 1915-11-14

discovery, attired In this feminine gar
ment. provides the acme of fun In the
piece from which the rest may be Judged
i may be that Mr.. Irving played the
role In some way to convey the humor or
satire to English audiences. As Mr.. Daily
did II, when he was not declaiming long
and witless speeches he was either sniv-
cling or whining lines that could not be
heard. The better part of the audience
hung on TO the very end hoping, but
hoping In vain, that some justification
might be found for the play and NJ.
Days acting. Those who did not stay
II oUk were the more fortunate ones The
excellent acting OF George Giddens as the
old baronet was the only enjoyable feat
ure Of the performance except its end.
Arnold DAILY has at considerable ex-
pense made q remarkable discovery in
horticulture and commerce. He now
knows that England produces and ex-
ports lemons.
After Seventeen Years.
Although Grace George has in her pro-
duction Of THE New York Idea" a
strong drawing attraction. she Is sum-
GENTLY true to her announced plan of
making the Playhouse under her man
agement a repertory theater to interrupt
Its successful run for the purpose of
making a second venture. This is Henry
Arthur Jones' THE Liars" which was
first done at the Empire in 1895. with
John Drew as the star and q brilliant
company including Isabel Irving. Annie
Irish. Elizabeth Tyree, Harry Harwood.
Arthur Byron and Orrin johnson.
In the present cast Ernest Lawford has
John Drew's part and Grace George that
assumed by Isabel Irving Others In the
present company are Conway Tearle.
Lumsden Hare, Mary Nash and Norah
Lamison.
The comedy has not suffered by age
and is still very able to supply an even
tng's intelligent enjoyment. Its polite at
mosphere and witty lines are agreeable
contrast to the rougher material that
occupies most of our stages. II Mr.. Jones |
were writing the piece now he might |
change it slightly to make II more up to |
the moment and would probably quicken
the action of the final scene. II gives |
Grace George nothing like the oppor-
tunities that 'The New York Idea" does |
for her incisive methods, and 1t Is to her |
credit that she would sacrifice the more |
strongly emphasized role in the other |
piece to produce this one. On the other |
hand, 1t gives Mr.. Lawford increased op-
portunity and in a more serious line |
than he has yet attempted. As the titled |
colonel, who Is a man OF the world, he |
lacks the snap and brusqueness that
John Drew brought to the part, but his
more subdued self-possession and less
abrupt way of asserting himself goes
with a conception of the part that Is
quite as credible as that of his predeces-
'or. Mr.. Conway plays well the lover
whose misdirected affections drag all the
characters into the wretched and bung-
ling complication of lies that make the
plot. Mary Nash, as the conhdante Of
the indiscreet heroine, is not so happily
cast as usual and gets out of this pic
ture by adopting the extreme Of the pres
emit fashion m clothes and a too pro-
nounced exaggeration of her natural col
oring. Some of the minor roles are very
important to the story and would stand
Strengthening.
This production of THE Liars' suffers
by comparison with its brilliantly staged
predecessor. Grace Georges company Is
IN the main American like herself, and
t Is perhaps only natural that the Or
yanization should fare better when deal
ng with American characters and Amer
can surroundings. In spite OF evident
and effort, notably in the elab-
rate marquee on the bank Of the |.
Thames, the settings and atmosphere
we're rather faint in their English quail
ty. There was also a suggestion of top
in the cast Grace George ]
knows as well as any one else
hat the prime virtue of a repertory CON-
,any is uniform excellence rather than
Individual brilliancy. In a new organiza-
ion this is one of the hardest things to
lttain and one whose Importance is most
likely to be overlooked. Her eventual
md lasting success as a resident mana
,er depends upon II and she cannot af-
0r6 IN IQrrN q, 81
{ is, is enjoyable as a play and In per-
.