Evening star., 1922-01-24
NATIONAL-Doris Keane in "The
Czariua."

No character in the nebulous maze
OF history. perhaps. offers greater or
portunities for the playwright or
modern dramatic tendencies than
Catherine II Of Russia. the unhappy
lady who afforded the inspiration
that produced '-rhe Czarina." q play
in three acts by Melchior Lengyel and
Lajos Biro. which reintroduced the
brilliant Miss Doris Keane to large
and representative audience at the
National Theater last evening.
How we'll the playwrights have util-
lied their subject in providing inter-
esting and popular drama must pc
left to the judgment of those who Will
be. attracted to see the work by the
reputation of its gifted star. Last
nights audience manifested the deep
est interest and at times much pleas
ure in the polished art, exquisite In a
measure. of Miss Doris Keane. 1t ap-
plauded her work insistently and the
most casual observer could not over
look the fact that it was greatly en-.
tertained by her finished artistry. II
would scarcely follow, however. that
the same approval was given the play,
which does not seem to bear the test
of close analysis-not that 1t does not
Its supreme moments are the anna
tory conquests, first. of one Count
Alexis Cserny, a young CosSack noole'
apparently devoted to his sovereign,
who had ridden. in mad haste ana
without permission of his official su-
periors, to inform her majesty in per-
son that the mobiles were plotting her
overthrow, and second. of the poiisheo
French ambassador. young and hano-
some. who had been hastily sum
moned by her chancellor. ostensiply
to negotiate treaty which he deem
ed necessary to the welfare of the
state. The young ambassador is made
to serve as a heart salve to the
czarina at a time when Cserny mas
proved weakling and plottea
against her.
There are other moments Of in
comedy and near-tragedy, of course;
but they do not stand out as do
those two in which the weakness
Of the sensual woman Is clothed
in the most exquisite art of the
actress. One looks in vain for the
flash of imperial majesty and power
that made the real Catherine one OF
the greatest governing machines In
history. There is but little trace OF
her wonderful wisdom in statecraft.
ocre spectacle of woman. whose
age Is beginning to weaken her pas
sion. and charms. struggling to hold
as her own plaything the weakling
upon whom she has, for the moment.
set her heart. and who pules about
sharing the responsibility of govern
ing the empire with her. Even in
this there arises the feeling that
Mr.. Basil Rathbone, who storms in
at the outset like a wild barbarian
and who peters out like lollypop,
falls short of his opportunities as
Cserny..
A dominant character of the pkg
the chancellor-is provided by the
discreet and finished portrayal o. Mr.
Frederick Kerr. and Miss Lois Sere-
dith, as Annie Jaschikova. a lady in
waiting, almost shares the tAhors
with Miss keane in real charm and
the sincerity of her work. MI Ian
Keith gives a fine impersonation of
the French ambassador-to use a
trite but often misused phrase, leaV-
ing nothing more to be desired.
The audience, let It be understood.
was~large and certainly representa-.
tive Of Washington.s intelligence and
culture, and 1t was most cordial In
it's recognition Of Miss Keanes splen-
did art. VIII L.