The Washington times., 1920-11-02

!.
Svhye i...' ''''''''''''''''''Nio violet Hsming
rhhe clheo '''''''''''''''''''y kryssf
rhs Court Physician .Bi.iiiiy aoSni%sS
Supernciaily. ''sonya" might he mis-
taken for a dramatixation OF q story
OF "The Goose Girl" sort OF fiction,
but In reality the Polish author.
dabryeia zapoiska has both a story
to tell and a moral to point. and does
equally well with each. The story
is u romantic one. OF an up-to-date
cophetua who loved a beggar maid.
except that the maid. In q nns spirit
OF renunciation. sets the kingiy feet
In the right path and bids him be.
gone.
The moral points to the helpless.
ness OF the individual In the struygl,
with the forces OF environment. he.
fedity and tradition. three factors
represented by the author In the per
sons OF the minister of state. the
car and the grand duke. Against
shese forces prince and dancing IAr,
wage q courageous but losing night
and the finale was forecast In the
Iirst act In the words OF the gran,
luke. Sacrifice nothing for women
'acrifice is for them."
Edith Ellis. who adapted the pla
or the English speaking stage. has
.arefully preserved the atmosphere O
.he East. its kingly traditions, des
Sotisms. intrigued The epithots AZ
'iied to women are harsh. the church
Q lightly spoken OF. and tho peopl
igure but as q confused murmur oil
.oices without the palace walls. bu,
so II may truthfully be In far-on
ountry In Eastern Europe"
For two acts "SonyA" II pure ro
lance. the romance that comes but
nee in tho lives of q man and /:
!oman. whether prince or peasant
ihen comes . finale OF the tensest sort
II love. Inhabited by the yonthfL
Jrince and his dancing-giri swee
cart is rudsly invaded by the forces
II kingly tradition and duty to state
The minister Of state 10 the deus
* machine. hrst a crafty. schemirg
detternich ngure. seeking to provid
A suitable consort for the primo
against his accession to the thron'
IT a country conveniently located /
Eastern Europe then q Mephisto-
,heles throwing temptation In the path
way Of the heir-apparent to the end that
lie might lose his fear and hatred OF
y
and for the chosen princess: hnali.
he suave diplomat, who makes
uccessful plea to the dancer to re
ounce her princely lover in the In
crests of state and people.
While he is the figure employed
~ the author to delineate the power
oehind the throne. the grand duke
- the role OF the cynical aphorist.
who shows the place women occupy
in the Eastern monarchical system.
and how the state Is founded on thu
aristocracy. the clergy, the army. an,
the people.
Sonya, the dancing girl. provides
the link between the people. kept at
distance BY walls and bayonets, and
the prince, immured from Intercourse
! with his subjects by the dignity
which doth hedge a king. eager for
knowledge Of the great world with
out the palace. fed on falsehood, lied
| to. spied upon. Alas for Sonya- In
interesting the prince with stories Of
! his subjects and his lands. she pro-
! vides the prime minister with q po-
, tent weapon to use against her when
her presence in the palace threatens
| the succession to the throne. An ap-
peal to her. couched In terms of love
of country and Of people, Is success
| move her.
Violet Heming, as Sonya. dancing
| girl. sold into theatrical troupe in
infancy, and auctioned to the highest
! bidder in beautiful girlhood. is the
tragic figure Of the play. In her
lighter moments Of Turing the prince
from his melancholy, awakening him
to an interest in the life about hi n.
she Is the elfn sprite a dancing girl
should be. In the hour OF renuncia-
tion she is superbly tragic, a con-
vincing actress at all times In q diff
ficult and exacting role.
Otto Kruger. the prince. gives an
air Of realism to a part which In
, less skilled hands could easily de-
, generate into maudlin melodrama.
As prince. lover, and Czar his work is
, at all times Of the highest merit.
Paul McAllister. a grand duke, who
resembles somewhat the late Gear of