New-York tribune., 1917-12-02
NO HOLIDAY PAUSE IN PLAY PRODUCING
Opportunity, But Not Art
The New Play at the Knckerbocker Theatre Compounded
of Good Intentions
By Ralph Block

THE case Of At and Opportunity" small but mad
denne class in which good and the performance
n moor Yon NAV observe now at the Knikerbockr Theatre that
rcre of producer sufficient regard for the ncees OF dialogue
- rre~en+ PLAYWRIGHT who writes cultivated English however
nch may have pushed out the Vitality; lady, on er
w toward becoing an actress shine the starhung
heavens intelligence than in the nOdds poppy heds OF sense
playwright his imagination of stage perspective and te
OF the theatre but ordinarily endowed with sense OF e
cpposions that make the human comedy ie tsei " Is @ rue
Art and Opportunity" long enough to receive Its aVof
n mt roqber snh excellent intentions The future Art and
Cnortr" be graced future, viii marx only their results Du
wen enough to concede something to the senue' % In, @ pa m
pat record these purposes so singular Oh % ~ "
Broadway stage
nd yc verdict of Time with which We az, nsehe nv
"A intentions ought to interrupt that .eIac r
on ARE 50 much impoverished to fan short OF Winning our
admiration respect Harold Chaplin who wrote AT ano opp
ny and who his LIE TO great cause !S 80 e. L. 60 ash
gesture in that cau would have n INC ~
Hw rrnrh attention playwright TO the stass 0re' w
Is not easy m his play diOses an una'aIeneSs O
unlenrned that his characters are novea about IKE p
on chrsSbDard singular style wherein it was so common
% rTpsrnt pnDu dramatic few But
and intensive mechanism OF the ss ~ go,
which appears the tn. voiiOn Of the char,
sc dramatic ignorance is the admirable simplicity
and zualncss which porvade their speech
WHAT is best about Opportunity the conception Of the sua
w ton intended 10 inform the play ee s h % % OF Dljety
catches titled English youth her net throws him back to SWIM ane
~ morn for the SAKE Of young secretary enough to get something
and promising enough in the matter OF Dia 70
in the rae potential this Hc to be sure but some
% beegn the playwright Painter who takes the
i5o @ most Of is dropped limited his heroine to
just Of Ofense He her rh coat OF pf0ee
put dramatic chameleon another weapon
ds her opponents opponents 10 her
@ projected declaring her adventures and
tEn dsArming them by hfr sInplcS- enc 80 "a eonmon
bit natural enough method no Doubt and common
ara sube-as hides its head But as method 1t
& instead of subtle and By no means easy swallow
tho and to force
heroine actually woman of amazing
, b corresponding bseon audience lacking We have the
young all by accepting their bribes " quit the game ana
the role Of nsuted honor by returning the h IN Dis ana
runruain blance Of sufty the most amazing and most dis
tracing syo OF Carrying on l m t % u S d room Which serves as
the only background playwright shifts his superhuous char
popping in garden far its obvious mechanics
ceIned i has all evidences Of popular farce
nke comedy the stage and distant farce may
n viewpoint Harold Chn to have possessed
situation Of Art and oPpoTnni is really situation for farce, Those
mart cannot coneede thin And its thin
ness is in the lack of enough it
in life shameful as the fact may light
morality i've it is fact that four men WI" not Whit
unless her cos vivid than either Harold
Chaplin disposed paint the heroine of Art and oppOr
ny7 playwright this possibility lightly in one OF the
where the father Of the young man is discovered on the stairway
mildly with the supposedly fascinating lady But suen irritation as
extended opportunities and the suggestion Of feminine methods
5 followed to its conclusion
Logically with the divine HlOgic Of Clare Hummer
AT and Opportunity" sailed with heavier ballast but
directly Of comedy In its present form am tempted to
call 1t tame feeble rather than subtle
Painter she the part little than an insenue her
only good that expects her to look upon Art
and Opportunity the road toward knowledge Her
lovely leave any doubt as " her ability to master another
art, bent TO IL
IRoM week that has gwen niue iOr real emerge
OF these the acting of
"The Rogues Scapn" the Theatre
vivid. that is marked by
pcy and unity individual brnce
might
He doubtless add
ryed the rosues part another kind
sides all methods but somewhat cooler style;
manager with dfused
intelligence andthc 5 warmly creative
add these Impressions the of the melOdOus and
charming "Tte
in Th Girl; flashing Doore
Land
the ehnest n