La Verdad Sospechosa (The Suspicious Truth)

In Juan Ruíz de Alarcón's 17th-century comedy "La Verdad Sospechosa" ("The Suspicious Truth"), a compulsive liar disrupts an entire community before he is reined in and order is restored. While the playwright—and presumably the audience—properly disapproves of the protagonist's anti-social actions, Alarcón also improperly delights in the character's rebelliousness of spirit and cleverness of mind. This complex dichotomy is as fascinating and confounding today as it must have been for 17th-century Spaniards. Credit Repertorio Español, which is producing the work in rep with three other plays, for reminding us that human nature transcends time and culture.

The play begins when Don García comes home to Madrid from college to live with his father. An admirable man in most ways, Don García is afflicted with the vice of lying, frequently and spectacularly. To win over a young woman he believes to be named Lucrecia, he invents a fantastic history for himself. To impress his new friend Don Juan, he invents a party at which he consorted with a beautiful young woman who fits Lucrecia's description. However, he has mistaken the beautiful Jacinta for Lucrecia—the same Jacinta loved by Don Juan, who challenges Don García to a duel for besmirching Jacinta's honor. Don García wiggles out of these lies, mainly by telling more of them, thereby getting himself deeper into trouble. After many merry machinations, all ends happily.

Jerry Soto smartly renders Don García as a man who lies ferociously not because he's a weakling or a foolish fop, but for the sheer joy of it. Alfredo Tauste as Don García's servant Tristán and Soraya Padrao as Jacinta also deliver standout performances.

Pedro Salazar's direction captures a sense of the play's formal era but never lets it distance us from the characters. In a similar manner, Robert Weber Federico's costumes provide just the right blend of period and modern touches.

"La Verdad Sospechosa" is acted in Spanish, with simultaneous translation over earphones provided to English speakers. While this is not the ideal way to watch a play, I followed the action without much trouble. Once or twice, I removed my earphones and allowed the actors to speak directly to me. Thanks to the strength of their characterizations, I didn't miss a thing.

Presented by Repertorio Español at the Gramercy Arts Theater, 138 E. 27th St., NYC. Oct. 6–Dec. 1. Schedule varies. (212) 225-9999 or www.repertorio.org.