The Washington herald., 1922-01-24
By EARLE DORSEY.

BY EARLE DORSEY.
surveying in retrospect The
Czarina," the Gilbert Miller stage
portrait of Catherine Of Russia
which brought Miss Doris Keane to
the National last night in a new
role, one readily concludes that here
Is stagecraft which, by its charm
and dizziness. overcomes the handi-
cap OF major weakness.
In other words, Miss Doris Keane
attempts to become Catherine Of
Russia - the astounding female
anomaly of history who ruled
Russia with masculine force. and
melted In the fire of her
own passions. To be frank. IL is a
role that Miss Keane has not mas
tered. Furthermore, IL Is doubtful
II Miss keane will ever master IL.
not because Miss Keane is not
capable actress, but simply because
she lacks the congenitsl equipment,
the artistic avoirdupois, the plain.
SO thoroughly into the character of
the great Muscovite ruler.
That is the major weakness, to
my mind, of The Czarina," but
The Czarina" is a play that cannot
be lightly dismissed, even though
burdened with such a malaise. 1t Is
to the peculiar credit of Gilbert
Miller. the producer Of Monsieur
Beaucaire." and now The Czarina,"
that his new play Is a play so thor
oughly. so skilfully and so charm
ingly produced that Miss Keane's
shortcomings Of Characterization are
clearly and Enthusiastically subordi-
mated to the inGratiating interest
and fascinating style" of the offer
ing as a whole.
1t is difficult TO produce stage
version of Catherine without bring
ing ones work into marked con-
trast with George Bernard Shaw's
Great Catherine II must be ad-
mitted that Mr.. Miller's play. by
Melchior Lengyel and Lajos Bro,
does not achieve the satirical force
of the Shaw work at any stage of
the game nor does IL display the
fc ibles of the Muscovite character
with the incisive precision that
Shaw has wrapped about the char
acter OF not only Catherine. but of
her prime minister. Patomkin and
tho n-waiting-was her name
Vsrenka?
Nevertheless. il is an exception
ally engrossinG portrait of the
great Russian ruler and her court
that the plsywrights have drawn in
the play at the National. Here we
have a Catherine as erratic as the
Shaw Catherine, but one who. in
her sudden and catastrophe likings
for the men OF her nobility and her
peasantry. never achieves the wan
ton hoydenism nor the imperious.
despotism of Shaw's Catherine
The Czarina." however, is a
finer play apd a better play than one
usually meets In the theater. II is a
play that will reward attendance
and a play that never relsxes its
interest from first curtain to last.
II includes. additionally. a Jewel of
a Characterization. which, while not
Russian at all. presents in the per-
son of Frederick Kerr q chancellor
who conceals beneath a BENJAMIN
Franklin exterior a craftiness and
an aptitude for statecraft that
smacks of Richelieu himself.
Miss Keane as Catherine occupies
herself with two notable lovers IN
the story. one an army lieutenant
from the South, and the other, the
French Ambassador. Between times,
she becomes queen and transacts
with naughty and whimsical dis
patch the business of the Muscovfte
Empire. furnishing those who love
her and forgiving those who hate
her. As Catherine, the woman, the
picture is almost acceptable; as
Catherine. the Czarina, the contrast
is decidedly blurred. In short, a
Catherine who plays at empire and
who is saved by the shrewdness of
a minister.
Mr.. Miller's production ability
centers itself in the direction. the
costuming. the settings and-with
the exceptio nof the star-in the
casting. Here is profound skill. sub
tic repression. enticing technique
that never relaxes in its strange in
terest. The costumes are rich and
colorful in the extreme. without
taking into account their anthem
ITCHY as haberdsshery. Ian Keith
must be commended for his por-
trayal OF the French Ambassador,
though Mr.. Kerr's INSTALLATION of
the chancellor was the supreme act
ing bit of the evening. Basil Rath-
bone, as GATHERINGS prior lover,
brought the force of good direction
TO his part. though the rest of the
cast was stereotyped.
In producing The Czarina." Gil
pert Miller has given the stage a
brilliant play. one that will make
It's mark. While Miss Keane's Cath
crime is not ideal, 1t is as good a
catherine as one WIN find in the
tneater and Mr.. Shaw's playlet
might suffer worse in production.
The producer Is to be congratulated
and so is Washington for the oppor-
tunity given it to see The Car