The New York herald., 1922-02-12
49, he Stage an9 It's Attractions. 8
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Henry Miller
Talks of Plays
Here and abroad
American Manager, Back From
London, Has Second PrOduc-
ton Here in THE Czarina.'

The presentation of "The CzariIa" at
the Empire Theater not only has rein
troduced Miss Doris Keane in a brand
new part, 1t has also served to bring
into focus new producer. Gilbert Mil
Ter. Mr.. Miller IS not a stranger in
New York, but for several years he has
been principally active in the British
capital, managing theaters and making
various productions. Just now the St
James and the Savoy are London
theaters under his lease. The Czarina"
is not in reality the first production Mr..
Miller has made on this side of the At
lantic. Monsieur Beaucaire," put
forward two seasons ago at the New
Amsterdam Theater. came from him, but
he staged it first In London.
In this connection Mr.. Miller's ideas
on producing have special interest just
now.
II feel a bit as James Fenimore Cooper
must have felt" he said few days ago
When Cooper was In Europe. you may
recall every one thought that because
he was an American he must be anti
European. Over here, on the other hand
the fact that he had lived abroad so
much made every one conclude he must
be anti-American. Truth TO tell, I am
not anti-anything. simply believe the
art of the theater Is International. even
as are music, painting and dancing.
1.-THE play OF intrinsic merit has no
special headquarters-it belongs In every
part of the civilized world. II II has
vogue in Hungary or in France or in
England. there is no reason why that
vogue should not attend II In the United
States, providing always, OF course, in
each instance the matter of scenery and
costumes and lighting and casting and
various other component parts OF cor
rect stage presentation are not neglected.
Exception for Genre Plays.
cot course, we must make an excep-
tion for genre plays. AS rule they are
so deeply concerned with the petty GUS
! toms Of one particular locality and one
group of people that they are not Of
universal interest. However. even some
genre plays appeal to audiences all over
! the world. Hindle Wakes is an ex-
ample. Coming from England 1t was
very well received in New York because
1t had phenomenal quality that lifted
1t out of the narrow confines OF the
! typical genre piece. ! think The First
Year, now In New York and one of the
best OF genre plays, has an appeal as
general as that Of 'Hindle Wakes The
First Year though replete with Amerl-
canism. is so superlatively clever that It
should find prosperity in other coun-
tries. 'Bunty Pulls the Strings really a
character comedy. perhaps. is in many
ways a genre play, and of course 1t too
1 had a universal appeal.
Some plays. curiously enough. prove
to be most popular in foreign countries
where the author and the people he Is
writing about are both strangers. The
Naughty Wife which I did in London,
Is an interesting example. 1t was I
| good American play, but for some
reason II did not succeed In the United
GN.f. T.. y Ia g.
year and half. with a profit OF
| 100000"
There are some persons in London"
continued Mr.. Miller. "who believe
can see nothing worth while in any play
that doesn't come frome America. l
have just taken The Bat over there
and that strengthens their opinion.
| There are just as many persons here.
possibly. who believe can see no good
in play that doesn't come from Europe.
They point to my selection OF The
Czarina, a Hungarian comedy-by first
! production at the Empire - as their
| proof. My answer to this is ] hope II
produce many American plays at the
Empire. but first of all j must find them!
So far all the attractive American plays
l have found have been discovered al
ready by somebody else. SO I've done
the next best thing and transported them
to London.
The Modern Theatcr.
Mr.. Miller is not a great believer In
the so-called modern" theater.
There may be a place for Strsvin-
| sky I'm music or a Pieasso in painting"
he says. but there is not a place for
a similar artist in the theater. This IL
| because the art of the theater has a
greater human appeal than has any
other OF the arts. Accordingly. the play
wright should endeavor to make all his
work generally significant.
"A publisher may issue a book for n
limited number OF readers and cover
expenses and satisfy his Instincts but
| a play in order TO come out at least
! even. In a peruriarv sense, cannot ap-
peal TO f. nag limited set of theater-
goers.
"f .hen there Is the so-called mod
| ern scenery l have an antagonism TO
II based upon the fact that It's exponents
apply IL Unfortunately. While I was
in London just before Christmas one %
the most beautiful spectacles I've ever
seen on the stage was the Bakst settings
for The Sleeping Beauty the new Rus
sian ballet so brilliantly successful
| there. The settings suit the production
| TO a nicely and also they are lovely
| but the Ralst enthusiast seems 10 be-
iieve that the same kind of fantastic
scenery Is quite as beautiful when used
in connection with a simple little comedy
OF home life. In that latter case. see
no beauty at all A stage setting. IL
seems TO me. should be Just as true 10
nature as Characterization should be
70 life. Let the setting be as colorful
as you please-thc more colorful tho
better-but let us not sacrifice all sense
OF fitness only 20 secure a medley OF