The New York herald., 1922-02-01
DORIS KEANE HAS STRIKING
NEW ROLE IN THE CZARINA'
Catherine the Great Portrayed
in Drama From the. Hun
garian.
by LAWRENCE REAM:ER.

There was something new at the En-
pirc Theater last night than tho actress.
who was Miss Doris Keane and the
play, which was called "The Czarina."
Gilbert Miller. the new director OF
Charles Frohman. Inc. made what was
in effect his first appearance before the
New York publie. It is true that there
have been new works at the EnlplIc
This season yet it Mas only last night
that Mr.. Miller could assume the re-
sponsibiiity for the direction OF the the
ater's program. SO his success vas a
part OF the happy event of the evening.
Perhaps il was in a. way more signih-
cant FOR the future than the fate OF
either the actress or the play. IL is
inevitable that they should disappear
sooner or later. II is the other hand.
rcassuring to find that this more or less
historic playhouse is in the capable
hands that directed the play last night.
The Hungarian playwrights, Melchior
Lengyek and LaJos Bro wrote The
Czarlna' which has for its heroime no
less famous a rules than The grea:
Catherine. who also inspired Bernard
Shaw TO put her on he stage. There
is somewhat more a.luring view of
that great lady nevealed in the three
acts cf tie new drama. She is seer OF
course az the powerful severe ign. She
is also shown as the woman in her
hours OF ease who seeks the diversion
cicnt contrast to the men OF affairs
about her She is quite capable of sap
FlyiDg the force and strength in such q
partner ship. The chEin and eatertfvn-
mcnt ere the duty OF the lover.
Yet not all OF them are willing to
stand In this light even toward the mas
terful ruler of Russia. Certainly the
young nephew of her Chancellor. whom
she was by way OF covering with every
honor. so irresistibly. did he appeal to
her. rebelled. He even rebelled so in
judiciously as to be arrested as her
enemy. But there we're substitutes.
Her Ministers were adept in performing
the duty Of finding them. The youth
9ul Ambassador from France was soon
q candidate for the difficult post His
sauvity and finesse were so successful
that the end of the play found the lady
evidently satisfied--at least for a while
Mr.. Miller in his capacity as director
was able to make this play picturesque,
full of color and of all the action which
could be supplied by any but the
authors. NM. Lengyel and BRO are
true to the tenets Of their theater. The
Hungarian play Is likely to move Ian
guidly. So "The Czerina" often adj
vanced with a slow step. This peculiar
| ity of It's making was nowhere so
marked as In the opening scene The
exposition preliminary to the appear
ance OF the royal heroine was without
| end. But that crucifixlon came so early
in the play that 1t was mercifully for
! gotten. There is, of course. inexcusable
weakness in the motive of the coddled
lover who suddenly becomes a. conspira-
tor against the woman he has loved SO
warmly. IL for SO short period. But
these defects were forgotten in the gen.
| eral beauty and novelty OF the three acts
| Miss Keane In her curtain speech
after the second act explained that the
excellent English version had been made
by Edward Sheldon, the dramatist who
has been prevented by illness from any
more serious work than adaptation dur.
l ing recent years. On her shoulders the
burden OF the play falls heaviest. She
I is the famous queen OF history.
| 1t was as n woman, however. tha
she appealed most to the audience. She