The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1902-03-26 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

COURT THEA.TRE.  " A. Woman of Impulse," a comedy drawn from the pen of Mr. Victor Whine wail produced for the first time on any stags at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, on Monday evening, and mat with • reception which was, on the whole, very flattering. The mateutak which are used in the Mori are by no maws new, the sitnations are quite clan, I motional, but the piece nevertheloes con. ' taine a 'thong element of dramatic power. , There are little crudities which will have to I be eoftenecl down, and one or two absurdities I which will have to be eliminated altogether. I So far " Woman of Impulse" is a good play !in the rough. Briefly told, the story if one lof political intrigue. Coal Navourao, the ! agent of • foreign jover, has succeeded in 1 ensnaring Colonel Cisa.llaoe a dimoluto old theoal, the father of lady i.angrord, whose husband. Sir George Langford, is a rising young statesman, Who has won the position: of Under Secretary in the Ihireign Office. I Challaoe, at Navourac's instigation, has , stolen from the Colonial Office the secret maps of en expedition and betrayed the interests of his country. Nannies reveals to Lady Langford her father's treachery, and threatens an exposure unless she writae at his dictation • letter otinfeseing her know- , ledge of the Colonel's wrong-doings. Ths de- ' mend is complied with, after some .how of 1 resistance, and than Homilies, with the let- 1 ter in his possession exercises commie ' trol over Lady Lan/lord, and compels her to , assist him in his po itical schemes The mid- 1 den arrest of a Continental regicide places Navourao in an awkward plight, and his own arraat in London, on an extradition I warrant issued eight leers previously. it immediately threatened. Not daring to return to his rooms at Weatminster, where be fears the polio, will first seek him, in his extremity he hands over tO Lady Langford 1 the keys of hi, rooms, and gives her . per- , mission to recover her own coinlitrculumnfi letter provided who will destroy emend ' documents which incriminate himself. Lady Langford tuidertakee the errand, and when elhe arrives at Navotinat's rooms is eiupri.sd by her husband, whose jealow immediately prompts him to enapsot his My's fidelity. A fine scene follows. Determined not to dia close her father's treachery, Lady Langford accepts the interpretation her husband puta 04 her presence. In the final scene Wesel Challace's confession restore* Lai Langford to her husband's confides:we r, an Newelrad'a convenient suicide removes the only other obstacle to their living happily together. The curtain Mogi amen an anticlimax, which is almost inevitable after such • powerful third act. There is but little comedy in the production, and whet there is ie week and disappointing. The opening some is • dead level of monotony, and will require to be altered beyond recognition before it can succeed in the real interest of an audience at all critical. At the conclusion of the performance, there were loud oalle for the author, .who acknowledged the friendly real= of file play in a modest little speech. Lily Hall Caine be. eject which is eminently fitted for ber in Lady Langford, and she makes the character thoroughly convincing. It is in dui third scene, of tonne, that her greet opportunity comes, and that she makes the very most of its possibilities it is hardly ne—ry to Mate. Mr. Edward Joao oats powerfeilTy in the role of Navcraroc, and Mr. Oscar A4e =an adequate representation of Sir Langford. The other characters are in competent hands, and the staging of the ;11000 111 admlzuble.