New Play In Manhattan

Dark Eyes (by Elena Miramova and Eugenie Leontovich; produced by Jed Harris). Russian-American Actresses Miramova and Leontovich have scribbled a farce about Russian-American actresses and handed themselves the two gaudiest roles. They have banged away at the Slavic artistic temperament as if it were a set of bowling pins. Their game is good and rackety, their score not too high.

With a third Russian actress (Ludmilla Toretska) they descend uninvited upon a flabbergasted Long Island family. One of the Slavs is soulful, one is sexy, one is earthy; all are broke and ebullient. When not badgering their host to angel a play, they jabber about the beauty of silence, emote about love and art and nothing at all, quite happily drink poison. The poison turns out to be peach brandy.

Miramova's and Leontovich's skillful acting helps to hide their wobbly playwriting, and Jed Harris' expert direction helps further. But a whole evening of temperament, even when it is spoofed, is pretty monotonous. When it is Russian temperament to boot, it becomes downright exhausting.

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