New-York tribune., 1914-03-30

Nine Olga Petrova, talented Russian
lady with a certain serpentine charm and
an infinite capacity for emotion bios
somed out at the Booth Theatre Satur-
day night as a full 1edged actress. I'm
I'll "Panthea" appeared Nine. Petrova
had been known TO the public chiefly for
her work in vaudeville, but when the
final curtain descended upon that re-
markable drama OF Monckton Hoffe's.
and the heroine, who had loved and slain
her way with such vigor through all four
acts, made her bow. the general opinion
appeared TO be that Nine. Petrova had
arrived.
Her energetic portrayal of the heroine
and the admirable work of George Nash
as the repulsive old roue will. i'm all
probability, keep the play at the Booth
for some time. At any rate, these two
factors Of the production are well worth
seeing and 90 a long way toward gloss
ing over the extravaganza of its theme,
and help one to ignore the rather trite
and obvious methods in constructing
some of It's melodramatic scenes and incl
dents.
The story of "Panthea" suggests rather
the theme of an opera than a play. a
ship is wrecked upon the coast of North
umberland and beautiful Russian refu-
gee seeks shelter in the home of some
English gentlefolk. That is. they are
supposed to be gentlefolk. but we sincere
" trust that the genuine article has
better manners than the distressing crew
of relatives that surround poor Gerald
Mordaunt.
! Gerald is composer and wants his
opera produced. He also has a snippy,
unsympathetic wife. Panthea has hardly
removed her wet cloak and gulped some
/ broth when her soul leaps out and twnes
with the harassed soul of Gerald. You
can't see this soul business. OF course.
hut YOU know it, for inside OF another
minute hey fly to Paris and leave the
whole pack of uncomfortable relatives TO
: shift for themselves.
We find them next In a charming apart
me,pt. but there's an aura OF discomfort
and ut1happiness surrounding Gerald The
pair are quite sympGtca and all that,
but Gerald is failing in health because
his opera is unproduced. A doctor pre-
scribes a month in the country-alone-
for Gerald True love and the higher
uselhshness whisper 10 Panthea that
here is her opportunity TO give Gerald his
hearts desire.
Enter the Baron de Duisitort. a gen
tleman with unlimited influence In oper-
attic circles. but personally a soulless
and rather disgusting old roue. Panthea
arranges with her conscience and the
baron that Gerald shall have his opera
produced, and pays the price oy living
with the baron for n month. Her soul
belongs TO Gerald so what matter where
ones earthly envelope may be?
The opera IS produced and Gerald is
lauded 20 the skies. lie IS deliriousiy
happy for a few hours till some meddler
hints at the cause OF his operate debut.
QUESTIONS, Evasions' Scenes Broken
wineglasses and flying candelabre Ger
aid crushed and broken. gees out into
the night, while Panthea sobs and the
baron chuckles.
I The baron. however chucklcd one TOO
many. for Panthea ceases sobbing just
long enough 20 ease table knife into
his jugular and he dies wfithing among
the litter Of the feast She nies to Ger
aid and finds him packing. She explains
her deed and all the details of her sac
rlGcc Their souls twine again and all
Is forgiven. Enter gendarmes and "A
Russian secret service man. Siberia
waits for Panthea. VIII Gerald let her
20 and be separated from him for lfe?
Never. And as the curtain descends YOU
are quite sure that they viii be married
and go 10 Siberia together.
Nine. Petroya gives an interesting in
depreciation Of the exotic Panthoa and
earned al the applause showercd upon
her by the enthusiastic audience She
hag deal of nognctisnl and played tho
eKacting role with considerable SKIN and
finish. George Nash mskcs the rolo Of
tie baron one OF the best Of his carecr