The New York herald., 1921-03-01
MISS DORIS KEANE REVIVES
EDWARD SHELDON'S ROMANCE
Eight Year Old Play Absorb
ing as Ever With Popular
Star in Original Role.

Opera singers OF to-day, besides many
other persons. will probably flock to the
Playhouse to view Romance" which
Miss Doris Keane revived last night. for
it renews memories of the brave days Of
half century ago, when a prina donna
was town parsonage and was drawn
through the streets on her departure by
franticaIiy cheering young men in a
torchlight parade. Any diva VIII tell
you that was the day FOR singers. when
their conlings and soings meant some-
thing to the city's peace OF mind.
After presenting this play by Edward
Sheldon In England. where 1t had quite
vogue for four years, Miss Keane
brings ii back. again under Lee Shu-
bert's management. as the real operntic
season Is drawing to a close, perhaps
with thought that It may keep alive
the Impressions OF opera until the sea-
son recoinmences. This is q distinct
possibility. for It takes a very bad ac-
treas TO kill public interest in pro.es-
sional people--especially prima donnas-
on stage, ard Miss Ke8nes performance
last night was UP to the 100 per cent
standard in maintaining that curiosity.
Since It was first produced ct Maxine
Elliott's Theatre eight years ago some
may have forgotten the story, though
IT was broken TO them gently short
time ago in the movies by Miss Keanc
I. starts with an aged Bishop who. to
cure his young grandsons desires to
marry an actress. tells of the bygone
days when. az rector Of st. Giles he
fell nadly In love with Nine. Margarita
Cavallini. though there were tattiers
who drew in their lips tightly over her
reputation. The Bishops story looms
up through the darkness with living
characters as he tells it. moving tale
OF how 1t fs the great Cavallini for all
his aspersionE on her in his jealous rage
saves him from himself when he would
give way to his passion and sends him
about hts clerical business.
1t was In the great moment of the
third act, when the diva's longing to
live In hts memory as a good woman
triumphs over the clergyman's sudden
weakness. that Miss Keane rose to fine
heights of acting, so that when finally
saluted with cheers by the house one
almost expected cries of "Encore" Be-
fore that her portrayal Of the charming
nightingale, with her bursts of stormy
temperament and sunny affection. her
periods OF gaycry and Of sadness that
seemed to have tasted every misery in
the world. was a varied display of ar
tistry In superlative degree, in which
she played on her voice more admirably
than she did on the piano-for that
seemed TO be done by p.anola off
stage. She was all that the part de-
nanded. living the Italian character so
Wvidly that when she made curtain
speech She would do It in broken English.
And at the start OF her Thanksgiving
address she fulfilled that expectation.
Basil Sidney. who did the part of the
rector abroad. repeated the role here
and showed himself a sterling young
actor. with as sensitive Judge of
tempo in delivering his speeches al
though re were an orchestra leader.
In fact. all the players seemed to get
in concert pitch for the evening for A..
4. Anson in his original role OF Van
Tuyl seemed like an excellent basso
providing the harmonic background.
Reginald Sheffield, Lynn Pratt, Miss
Marian Swayne. Miss Isabelle West and
Miss Florence Short were others who
not only played we'll but in agreeable
costumes actually set off the quaint
mounting OF the piece.