+ − N Y Times 25:321 Je 20 ’20 450w + Springf’d Republican p11a Ag 22 ’20 180w
MOELLER, PHILIP. Sophie. *$1.75 Knopf 812
20–13983
Sophie Arnould, famous Parisian singer, actor and wit of the eighteenth century, is the heroine of this comedy in three acts for which Carl Van Vechten writes a prologue giving the historical background of the play with a brief sketch of the life of Sophie Arnould. Although it is based on history, says Mr Van Vechten, the historical facts of the play are negligible while the author has “lighted up the atmosphere and the period, and re-created character. Sophie lives in this comedy, lives as she must have lived at the height of her career.” We see her as a triumphant lover, get glimpses of her as the superb artist, as the kind-hearted woman, but chiefly as the resourceful wit who cleverly outflanks her enemies.
“Philip Moeller, the creator of ‘Madame Sand’ and of ‘Moliere,’ has developed in ‘Sophie’ more searchingly his gift of satire and sparkling repartee. The lines of his play are closely interwoven in thought, and their significance is often multiple. In the repartee and in the rapid interplay of ideas lies the individuality of Mr Moeller.”
+ Springf’d Republican p13a Ap 25 ’20 450w
“The play fails not because its plot is unreal, its ‘morality’ frankly unmoral, its characters exaggerated. All this is true of many of those great comedies ‘which are in the best traditions of the English stage.’ It fails because it is not good of its kind.”
− Theatre Arts Magazine 4:258 Jl ’20 200w
MONASH, SIR JOHN. Australian victories in France in 1918. il *$8 Dutton 940.394