The New York herald., 1922-04-09

appearance. She Is indeed quite as
lacking in acuteness as the two young
ladies OF Venice are in Da Ponte's
text. She ought to have been su-
perior to them after quarter Of a
century in which to improve. She
remains, however, just the same,
which is an observation that may
truthfully be made of the useful dra.
matte legends at all times.
Samuel Shipman has made Lawful
Larceny which seems to keep the
Republic Theater constantly filled. a
potent factor in such happy mana
cerial result by alternating comedy
ana serious emotion with unfailing
effectiveness. One example of the
method which keeps the public alter
nately engrossed and amused is pro-
vided by the conflict between Miss
Gail Kane and Miss Margaret Law
renee. Miss Lawrence Is in the play
a deserted wife who obtains employ
ment in the home of Miss Kane,
~ore or less unconventional resident
Of Park avenue--dramatists have for
saken Riverside drive as the lair OF
the vamp--in order to revenge her
self on the destroyer of her happi-
ness. She begins by gaining the affec-
ton OF Lowell Sherman. He Is, for
the purposes of the playwright,
lover of Miss Kane. She is at the
billiard table with one of her numer-
Gus informal visitors to the house
when Miss Lawrence summons her
10 learn that she is about to marry
the one man of her heart. Her other
conquests are by way Of business.
Miss Kane enters to learn the rea-
son why she has been called away
from the game by her secretary, VINO
stands rcsolutely in the center of the
stage. She carries billiard cue when
she comes into the room. She is
flutching it firmly. Mr.. Sherman
Clances at it and shivers apprehen-
sively. He is fearful of Miss Law
rence's fate. So adroitly slips up to
the puzzled Amazon, apologeticaiiy
takes the cue from her hand and leans
II in a corner. Miss Lawrence Is safe.
The spectators know 1t. They burst
into laughter, and the mood or the
scene Is for minute altogether comic.
Next to these ingenious alterations
Of comedy and more serious moods
there As nothing SO absorbing in Law
fuI Larceny" as the time schedule.
The plav seems to begin in the late
afternoon. Two or three of the char
! acters withdraw for dinner. Then
there Is an incessant action which
must last until the early morning.
There is nothing perhaps improbable
IN the continual Ua-et-Uient Of the
household. Men come and go at all
hours, but then 1t is that sort OF
household. Existence there must be
destructive to beauty, however, as the
chatelaine is also up all night. She is
much upset by the discovery OF her
lovers disloyaity. She goes to. her
room escorted by one OF the indis-
pensable men friends. She will not
however, be comforted. After an in
terval he reappears to say that he
cannot calm ner and must take her
out for a drive. BY every plausible
calculation IL must then Se 4 or 5 In
the morning. What the scientists call
Internal evidence OF this fact is pro-
vided by the incidents OF the following
act.
Miss Lawrence, having accomplished
her purpose, Is again, to the relief OF
her husband, at home. She has un-
deniably had what would be called a
hard night. SO her request for coffee
is natural. Just how much she must
have needed IL is proved in the final
lines OF the play. When II is ready
she invites her husband to share her
breakfast. SO Il Is presumably the
hour for that meal. Since he has pre-
sumably been up all night the audi
once sympathlzes with their hearty
appetite. Nothing would be more in
tercsting 10 admirers OF the play than
an official time schedule OF Lawful
Larceny" 1t would make the play alb
sor'bing, as II Is now vastiy more val
uable as a human document. Future
generations would be cnaoied to draw
interesting conclusions as to the night
life OF Park avenue in this era.
Much as he may upset the conven-
tlonai view of the purpose of the
sleeping hours Mr.. ShIpman is almost