Word: lawford
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Heat Wave is another play about the tropics where white women are careless of their virtue, white men foolish with their drink and only the natives retain a stealthy dignity. Handsome Basil Rathbone (The Command to Love) is the dissolute Nordic who is pursued by Irene March (Betty Lawford) but who really loves Irene's married sister-in-law Philippa (Selena Royle). For all his tippling and reputed wenching the Nordic is a brave lonely man, fighting fever and the opposition of public opinion in the district. This general resentment culminates in Philippa's husband taking a shot...
...Ames has simplified his task by employing players that are for the most part widely unknown. All of them are good and some of them are extraordinary. Ernest Lawford, the only one of whom most people have heard, is conspicuously excellent as the susceptible Lord Chancellor with the pleasant occupation?...
...shake their heads a trifle sadly and note that, although ideas, mechanisms, money have done much for our stage, they cannot replace John Drew. Laurette Taylor's startling genius gave the breath and brilliancy of life to the name role. William Courtleigh, O. P. Heggie, Violet Heming, Ernest Lawford contented themselves with perfecting the background of small parts. Sir Arthur Wing Pinero's cordial comedy of life behind the scenes of a small English playhouse never was better played. All in all a rare week. Spooks is a mystery play. Borrowing a descriptive bit from Ring Lardner...
...whether or no Sardou and Barrie walking arm-in-arm make for harmony is quite a different story. The first part of Miss George's present bill is frothy, laughable--an in retrospect rather silly. Its pleasure lies almost wholly in the delightful acting of the star and Mr. Lawford. The Barrie portion of the program is concentrated power and emotion of a sadly scarce variety. Here the material with which the actors work is of far finer filre, and, perhaps as a natural result of this, the quality and tone of the acting is richer and more satisfying...
Miss George is admirable in both plays. Her comedy--for it is only she and Mr. Lawford that lift "Divorcons" into really high comedy--is a delight; and her tragedy in the playlet is simple and absolutely convincing. She is charming to watch--delicate of color and fragilely beautiful--and wonderful to hear--in laugher or tears Mr. Lawford is the perfection of case, distinction, and effectiveness--in him is a touch of the whimsy that pervades Barrie's writings. Mr. Herbert as the well drawn husband is powerful and real in every detail of voice and manner. The surrounding...