The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-01-29

ing aesthetic weakness for more years than he
remember. So the luncheon was alto
Eether his idea.
Gilbert Miller. Of course is the producer Of
The CZarina," the ambitious, but weGk-Er1ined.
stage portrait Of Catherine II of Russia that
brought Doris Keane back to washinEtop In a
role last week He IL also the producer Of
that exquisite but l-Iortuned operate or
TSrkington's Monsieur BeaUcsire." which achieved
positive distinction by its retention Of profound
dramatic strength under operate treatment in
all. Gilbert Miller Is enough Of q producer and
enough OF artist warrant Mr.. MorSss
enthusiasm.
This luncheon was to serve a tvo-fold pur-
pose. II intended. FIRST vindicsts Morses
oft-repested statement that Gilbert Miller was =
true artist. a sound scholar and a thorouEb-EoinE
gentleman, and. second 1t was TO AFFORD
opportunity hear from Mr. Miller q statement
OF his theatrical aims and purposes with particular
reference his latest play. The CEarina." il
was inferred that Mr. Miller would probably pay
the check, such being outside the critical provinces
Mr. Miller himself must have known
Well, as you doubtless suspect the luncheon
OF. Possibly Messrs- Morse and
Miller did lot OF mad, noon-time telephoninE
while ye scribe lay abed. Perhaps Mr. Msrse for
all his assumption OF financial punctilIo. is still
critic in his sleeping habits. Possibly, alone OF
the trio. Mr. Morse brsved the matutinEl chill and
failed to arouse Mr.. Miller himself. At all events
there luncheon.
Under sEch circumsonccs O rul oAI COM
otns GWott favorable time onS
tide Without such explanations
merely conjecture his AVID rhai
conclusions hdRd.
-HERE are probably not more than a
dozen plays season that draw untO
themselves the Importance in the public
L eye Of The CzarinG-" The opening OF the
play at the National last Monday night was
accompanied by a great outpOurinE OF the cog
noscenti and the curtain rose under the Gauoest
possible auspices Mr. Miller-s presentation. the
previous year, OF 'Beaucaire" has unquestionRblY
endeared him the more discerning element
Of the populace though it was Doris keshes
appearance in a play that formed the chief
magnet.
disappointment Miss Kesne, inEratistinE and
poised artistic in Edward Sheldon'G "Rc-
nance" found herself utterly at loss in
ualizing the stolid force and the hot rsEes OF
Catherine II-Catherine, the German-whoSe ro-
mantle weaknesses were subordinate TO her
political strengths and who. by stretch OF the
Imagination. be accepted the ingenue
OF IS that Doris Keane tried 70 make her.
The real obstacle to Miss Keane's pressntnent
OF Catherine is, in all probability. the Shaw
tradition. Shaw. in his Great Catherine"
frankly satirIed GATHERINGS court, GATHERINGS
subjects and GATHERINGS temperSmentHl twists and
turns, but Shaw did not satiriEe Catherine her
self, whom he presented woman Of high
humor. easily -ignted Teutonic rage and q most
advantage before Europe.
Mss Eeores "cdthsr+ns" u MtIs rors
hun the dtra IN "Rononoe" lifted bodily trto
Russian court setting ond investsd nth the
Muscortte crotOn jeoeIs. Mos Ksonss "coth-
crime" Is n passionate creature, olmost totally
deficient ia humor aud far too beautiful ava
rornamtic ond seruol TO convey the tdso Of
Her Imperial and Scored RESso-GeTmuHto
HicLncsS
-HE classic instance badly violated in
The Czarna does not follow. how
ever. that The Czarina" is to be
l. thrown out that count. The CzsrimT'
loses ground simply because its dramatic back
ground is poorly propOrtioned and because 1t IL
simply impossible believe in the Catherine that
Miss Kcane shows the play These draw
backs would remain had there never been q Shaw
The really important element in the produo-
ton OF The Czarins,; however, is the fact that
it gives the stage another glimpse at Gilbert
Mlers hsndwork, beautifully and delight
fully manifested in certain details OF the produc-
ton. The costumes and the settings in par
ticular were superb The French ambassador for
instance. a sartorial marvel In four dill
ferent appearances he each time outshone hts last
There Unmstskable ear-marks through
out the production that denoted and study
and forethOught and the thing as whole was
endowed with a lyrical style" that lulled one
constantly into silence, even at the worst OF Miss
Keane's Interpretation.
This ability TO incorporate "styIe"-whHt
MenclSen would call the clang -tint"-is the thing
that is more precious than rubies and the thing
that hAll-marks the artist in Miller. No
produce "Beaucaire" like Miller did and expect
be ignored The shortcomings OF The
Czarina" unfortunate but Miller has con-
trived, nevertheless. to make them captivatinE
Additionally, he shows a for novelty, for
innovation, for enterprise and for daring that
sets him apart a person Of moment in the
theater.
In short, Gilbert Miller must be added to that
list Of fortnight and self possessed producers
whom the thcater must look for it's best products
have already dilated largely upon Brock Penn
berton upon Dillingham;, upon ZeEfeid, upoa
Hopkins upon Belasco and certain others not
mentioned here.
In the language OF The cEarina," give you
Gilbert Miller!