The New York herald., 1922-07-10
Moscow Manager
Sees Invasion of
Russian Drama
VisarOff, Director of the Kan
erny Theater, Promises
Many Plays.

Success of Morris Gest's production OF
Nikila Balieffs "Chaave Souris" has
opened the eyes of the Russian theatri-
cal world to the possibilities of profit
IN this country. and present indications
are that .here will be no fewer thar
three companies of Russian artists pre-
senting plays here the coming season.
The most recent arrival Of the adj
vance guard OF Moscow directors Is
Michael Visaroff. who arrived on the
George Washington on Saturday to ar
range for Broadway presentation OF q
dozen plays in the repertoire of Alex
ander Tiaroff. actor and director OF the
Kamerny Theater in Moscow.
The great difficulty of bringing
Russian companies to this country has
been in securing the consent of the
Russian Government Mr.. Visaroff said
yesterday. but judging from the present
state of negotiations this handicap will
eventually be overcome. A great
domestic demand for drama has grown
up. the director said, and could be
traced directly to the efforts OF the
Bolsheviki to foster a taste for the
theater among the proletariat on the
theory that his discomfort might be
somewhat Modified through a liberal
The keen desire of the Soviet leaders
to Keep their artists at home and the
intense interest that has developed In
the Russian drama in foreign countries
has resulted In tug OF war between
the Commissar of Education under
whose Jurisdiction all theatrical enter
tainnents are produced, and the foreign
managers who are seeking to lure the
companies abroad in the hope they will
duplicate the success that attended the
pioneer exiles.
Moscow Mnnagers' Mecca.
Moscow, said Mr.. Visaroff, has be-
come the Mecca of American managers
and Russian companies are now scat
tered through practically every CAPT
tai of the civilized world. He explained
his presence by saying that Tiarof
found it cheaper TO send a representative
to this country than to transact bust
ness by cable and answer the innum
cradle offers being sent over the wires.
What American managers are nego
! tlating for the company was not dis
closed, nor would Mr.. Visaroff intima Il
whether or not Morris Gest is ready tt
take another fiier in Moscow preferred
Chicago. he said, is just as anxious t.
have the Tiaroff troupe as New York
and arrangements might be made fol
a trip there after the run here is com
! pleted
Mr.. visaroff Is arranging to bring hi.
company here in October for the pro
duction of twelve plays, to run one weel
apiece The repertoire includes botf
modern and classical plays and severa
sensations are promised, among then
being the presentation of Shakespeare
plays accompanied by music and singing
! In common with other Russian art cen
| ters. he Kamerny Thcater has developed
and perfected the futurist method o.
presentation, and judging from the
photographs which Mr.. Visaroff showed
yes erday Broadway may have in pros
pect an exceedingly exotic season.
! The arrival of the Kamerny compan,
will not interfere with the much her
aid I'd visit of Stanisovskys Moscow Ar
Theater, but an effort will be made no
to have the two Russian productions ap
pear simultaneously. II the Balieff com
pany carries over until the fall seasol
there will be little doubt about the Slavi
invasion of Broadway.
May Produce "snIome.o
Among the works which the Namern,
players will produce will be "Phedra
by Racine; Oscar Wilde's 'Salome." un
less the censor interferes: Synge's 'Trisl
| Era" Calderon's La Vie Est I'm Reve,
"A Fan by Galdone lie Mar
iage de Figaro" by Beaumarchais
I 'Life's Carnival by st. George d.
Bouallier; Two Worlds" by the Swed
ish playwright Tor Hedberg. and severa
Shakespearean plays. The compan,
numbers thirty-hve and is headed b,
Alica Koonen. leading actress of Rus
sa. and Nicola Tzeretelli.
Mr. Visaro% expressed the opinio,
that the withdrawal of the subsid,
granted by the Bolshevfki to the thea
ters during the first part of the regim
had greatly aided in the development
OF the Russian theatrical art as for
/ time the theaters were held in tn
| clutch of the Soviet influence and tn,
directors fearing to risk their lives O
| their fortunes catered to the whims o
| the Commissars. Most of the play
during that period, he said, dealt Will
the dire effects of the capitalist,
/ system.
BY a typograp phical error in head
! line which made here" read held" I
! was incorrectly suggested YESTERDAY
that Mr.. Visaroff was detained at Eli,
Island. whereas he was admitted with
his family without the slightest diff
Guilty. He expressed himself as de
lighted with his reception In America
and is looking forward to viewing som,
| of the American productions during tn,