The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-29
SCENERY FEATURES
GREATEST NATION"
Nine, YOrska Scores Individ-
nal Success in New Offer
ing at the Booth.
STORY HAS WAR FLAVOR
STORY HAS WAR FLAVOR

william Elliott doomed large in the
proceedings at the Booth Theatre last
night. He was put down on the pro-
sranme as part author with Marian
Creighton of The Greatest Nation"
which was acted there for the first tiine
Then ne was mentioned a. tho producer
u rhe play and he acted the principal
r,e. So Il was rather Mr.. Ellictt's eve
Sing II his activity in the play was 10
h decisive. The Greatest Nation
eappened to 10 one OF those coun-
cries more or less allied with Ruri'ania.
Sn Uher words, IL was ma ginary. There
~ss even an Imaginary Kingdom adjoin-
ins II.
One OF those imaginary domains was
called Thor and the other bore the name
~ Adlon. which II has in COMMON with
> famous hotel In Berlin. Since one cs
obese countries is Jealous Of the other,
&lnere is no surprise when the death of
che monarch Of Thor by assassination
near the borders of Adlon is attributed
Go the act of the king who had feared
ti,at his neighbor was preparing great
fortresses in view OF a war by which
BE might enrich his territory at the ex-
pense Of his neighbor. But his efforts
had all been In the direction of peace
although war was the inevitable result.
There WAS a brief prologue 10 shov
the inheritance of a small Kingdom b,
the hero. and the succeeding scene o'
the three acts were a garden in thu
ucmAin OF the peaceful prince. a hall Il
the palace Of he rival king and, after
another view OF the garden. a return
10 the kings palace. Joseph Urban hsc
designed the scenery and he kept II ap
propriately out of the region Of all pos
sibility. The garden Of the prince wa
supplied with a background OF blu'
hills. In the foreground there was :
circular pool Of . SIN deeper blue
Over this all hung foliage which, 30 fal
as the uniformed could judge. consisted
Of rather pale green timed peas. Will
dashes Of pimentos scattered amons
them. OF course to poetic minds-anc
among these must be included Mr.. tr
han-the ~shrubbery IN the princes gar
den may have suggested something else
Rut to the majority of the audience a
the Booth Theatre last night, i wa
Impossible TO think of anything else bu
Nh explosion in q vegetable Timing fac
tory so long as the domain Of the prince
were on view.
Urba ms Trademark seen.
But the palace of the rival king va.
beautifully dignifed. Thu long draperies
half painted and half real. hung II
graceful and majestic folds. The view
Of the distant country through the win
dows had the effect of space and tn
background was Il vista OF beauty. -
course, there had to be some trace or tn
modern Viennese secessionist style, els'
the work could not have been three stat
Urban. So about the windows there wa!
the inevitable geometrical ornamentatioi
which has come 10 be like the TRADEMARK
Of this stage artists work. Perhaps /
vas a bit more In place than 1t has beef
o. other occasions. But Mr.. Urban die
rrovide in the palace room. apart from
this detail, a most picturesque and beau
tl'ul scene.
What happened in front of thss'
a.enes seemed II possible "A little less i'm
rortAnt thai they usually do, even II
view OF the Urban capacity for absorbing
the eve TO the expense of whatever els'
NAV happen. "The Greatest Nation
has some scenes of real feeling. Tn
struggle OF the princess WIN her td'he'
tn be allowed to marry the man sn'
loved had In its writing real heart ,
vas composed with sincerity. That !
seemed like the writing OF n woman i
only another way Of saying that II wa
devised with genuine feeling. II was i'm
possible to depart from this mood so l
happened that Mr.. Forde-the programm'
still called him Hal. in spite of his pro
motion to serious drama-Oive Wynd
Ram and Nine. Yorska. who is SO char!
about revealing her first name, impaired
~ the play all that II contained OF rea
sincerity in this episode.
The rest Of THE Greatest Nation wa
amateur!sh. The audience saw the tutors
Of the young prince to whom his inotne
lad entrusted him. then they saw TN
prince himself and when war seemed
Inevitable in spite Of all his pacific Ut
terances there was nothing to stir IN
Hood. 1t was all rather hopeless iron
me frst and Miss Creighton's faculty 10
'nparting genuineness to her character
seemed 70 be exhausted In the discuss'ol
~ the duty OF royalty to follow expedl
ency rather than principle-the prlnclpi
~ the heart.
EIIiott Not Up to standard.
Mr. Ell!ott's varied responsibilities /