New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-16


bumptiously tells the amazed Catherine
that she will never know true happi,
ness until she is contentedly married
and has group of little ones TO SIT
at her knees before the open fre. Then
he departs. A courtier suggests tna
he be boiled In oil. but Catherine CON
tinues to lament her lost Englishman,
exclaiming. "0h, II l could only keep
himl"
what" cries the prime minister
FOR a lover7''
NO." answer, tho queen. "for my
museum!"
The production OF this play by Miss
Kingston and her company 10 by far
the best thing on the bill at the little
Neighborhood Playhouse, In Grand
Street. Miss Kingston Is superb
Catherine and Leslie Austen plays the
young Englishman with charm and
spirit. Most Of the low comedy OPP
portunities fall 70 Walter Bingham a.
Patiomkin, and he proved that he can
reel with the best Of them.
The Neighborhood bill is interesting
in that II presents an opportunity 70
study Shaw at his best and worst. Al
though "The Inca Of Jerusalem" rs set
down as by "a Fellow Of the Royal
Society OF Literature there is reason
to believe that Shaw wrote II. lie has
done nothing worse. The play is some.
what scant in wit and II is barren OF
acting opportunities. An author may
easily drag a company down with him.
and Miss Kingston and her company
who appear to such advantage IN
Great Catherine" seem most ordinary
players when handling this undramatic
material.
1t may not even be said that the
play is the medium for the expression
Of any arrestingly advanced thought
There may be courage as well as nov
city in suggesting to an English audi
ence that the Kaiser was not person
ally responsible for the great war; out
there is no danger in advancing such
a view here. The play serves to sa-
tirize in not unkindly fashion the En-
peror OF Germany by allowing him TO
elucidate his opinions on this and that
10 an English maid who is posing as
princess.
Naturally, the bit is not an entire
loss. There ia the confession OF the
incompetent waiter that he was fash :
ionable physician until the war ruined
his practice. He explains that his
patients were obliged to give up lux
uries and accordingly cut out their
visits 10 the doctor. There is also
sage and sound speech By the En-
peror. in which he points out that the
chief reason for the existence OF war
is it's popularity with the masses.
"You talk of death as an unpopular
thing" says the Inca from Perusalem
or Potsdam. "You are wrong; for
years | gave them art, literature. sci
ence, prosperity, that they might live
more abundantly; and they hated me.
ridiculed me, caricatured me. NOW
that give them death in its fright
fullest forms they are devoted TO me-
If you doubt me, ask those VINO lot
years have begged our taxpayers III
vain for few paltry thousands 70
spend on Life; on the bodies and minds
of the nations children. on the beauty
and healthfulness Of its cities, on the
honor and comfort Of its WORKOUT
workers. They refused; and because
thew refused, death is let loose on
them. They grudged few hundred a
year for their salvation; they now pay
millions a day for their own destruc-
ton and damnation." .u,,
So much for the Inca, and on to The
Queens Enemies" They are regal
lot who walk in Grand Street these
DAVIS. and none more so than the
queen of Lord Dunsany's little thriller.
The play affords opportunities Tor
novel setting and lighting. Howard
Kretz and Warren Dahler designed the
scene for "The Queens Enemies" ana
the costumes are by Aline Bernstein
and Ruth Deike. Dennis Sullivan de-
yised the striking lighting effects. =.
The Queen Of Egypt iaments that
she has enemies. In fact, the thouRht
Of the existence of persons who hate
her will not allow her to sleep. And
so she invites her enemies to feast
in an underground temple, soothes
them with words, warns them with
wine and browns them in Nile water.
As the Queen passes out Of the room
the gate clangs and in comes the water
Then there is darkness and the cries
and gurgling. OF the drowning FOLK.
With silence light falls uf-n the STAIR
way. and we see the Queen thanking
the gods that she may sleep again.
since she no longer has enemies.
The play is effective, but lacks the
bioh noetical imagination of such Dun
sany plays as 1.-The Glittering Gate =,
"a Night at an Inn" or THE Gods OF
the Mountain" The performance IS
adequate. but there is wanting tne
proper feline touch In the work Oh
Alice Lewisohn as the Queen.
It's a long evening at the Neignbor-
hood PLAYHOUSE, but nobody's time Is
-.L n. ynuch "a "Great Catherine"