The New York herald., 1922-01-03
Good Acting in
'LaWfuI larceny
New Shipman Play
Miss Margaret Lawrence and
Lowell Sherman i'm Ex-
cellent Company.

1t always is interesting to watch a
good actor perform such an energizing
operation on a play that he might be
entitled to be called its saving grace.
Such an operation last night was ef-
fected by Lowell Sherman as one of
the three stars of Lawful Larceny"
Samuel Shipmans latest play. with
which A. II. Woods competed for at
tention with the weather at the Re-
public.
1t is so rare 20 feel an actor can actu-
ally contribute 10 part or a play mate
rally that when such an achievement
challenges the attention one is willing to
fight with the mobs through the new
turnstiles 10 see II. Sferman's art was
the emollient that not only made his
own characterization supple but soft
ened the recurrent melodramatics of the
piece until the brandishing of a pistol
did not seem to jar against the prin-
ciple of the limitation of ornaments.
OF course the dramatist gave him the
makings in his character. Sherman's
role as the suave man Of the world with
a touch OF the crook in his makeup
fitted him as easily as his clothes, which
were an advertisement for his tailor. He
has played the villain so long that when
he gets a part that approXimates the
human that combines saint and sinner
he can play it gracefully-he Is a splen-
did combination actor. 1t was his ever
glowing sense of humor. never forced
and always affable, that gave the best
lustre of reality to the play, that hu-
manized Guy Tdrioio and made 1t seem
quite possible a man could make a pro-
fession out of being a Nemesis toward
the feminine birds of prey, one of whom
had disillusioned him while he was still
warm from college.
On the distaff side Miss Margaret
Lawrence was at times at disadvan-
tage, because she frequently upbraided
the husband who turned to another
woman during her brief absence in the
West, when the poor fellow said he only
did 1t because he pined for her and had
the courage to give her the inside in
formation on his infidelity himself. More
over Miss Lawrence spent much of her
time struggling gamely with tears. Au-
diences have come to look for the
sparkle of a comedienne from Miss
Lawrence, to regard a handkerchief in
her hands as a weapon of offense rather
than defense.
But. these things aside, Miss Lawrence
succeeded in infusing much of her GUS
tomary spirit into her performance as
the wronged wife who took a position as
private secretary with the woman who
had stolen her husband and his money
away from her. and in her we'll modu-
lated fashion cloaked with naturalness
the occasional unreality of the situation,
particularly when she suggested and her
husband agreed amiably to consort fur
ther with the woman who wanted to ruin
him. 1t seems imperative that certain
moments must be CLOSED over in order
that two and two may make a plot.
Miss Lawrence was rich In unobtrusive
dynamics and Miss Fay BANTER at her
most piquant could not outpique her
face.
Allan Dinehart, third in the trinity of
stars. was compelled by the course OF
the story to be little more than clay in
the fingers of circumstance. and to con-
fine himself largely to protesting at
regular intervals. But he protested with
right good will. The rest of the cast
were generally well mated to their parts.
though Gail Kane, despite a well
balanced performance gave a touch OF
hardness TO Vfvidn Hepburn, the other
woman, that made her scarcely more
than q conventional vamp. for all her
gilded home. gilded garb. gilded
sophistries OF conversation and long
cigarette holders Besides. in the most
dramatic parts of the play she wore a
scarlet robe. though 1t was empha
in her apartment over which the scandal
sheets could prattle,
As for the play. Mr.. Shipman has
contrived it with we'll sustained con-
tinuity OF interest. comparatively free
from sterile spots. though for society
some of the personages seem inclined to
discuss their love affairs too freely at
parties where at least the servants
might note the breach OF etiquette.
At the finish Mrs. AndreU DorSey
INDUCES in a diatribe against laws that
have no punishment for the scarlet
woman's crime that virtually heralds
the approaching session of the legis-
lature. But the piece Is very well
mounted and staged. and with touches
of mystery and effective curtains. Ship
man, in his first solo playwriting ef-
fort. has swung back toward the credit
column again.