Republic of Cockayne ROMANOFF AND JULIET. By Peter Ustinov. (Piccadilly.)
DANTON once remarked of Saint-Just that what he wanted in France was a republic of Sparta, while what there should be was a 'republic of Cockayne.' Peter Ustinov's new play success- fully defends all republics of Cockayne against the devouring claims of our two modern Spartas : the United States and the USSR. It is a plea for eating, drinking and making love against the absurd demands of the State on the lives of individuals, The point is made
with great wit and gusto. Two young Pe.11: fall in love. Unfortunately they are respeeto the son and daughter of the Soviet and Atael!'d can ambassadors, and the reaction of families is much what might be exneet,e% 'deviationist,' on the one hand, and 'why we take her to a psychiatrist earlier?' on other. However, all comes right in the end w1.5 a good deal of assistance from Mr. Ustilleved Head of State, a good angel solidly disgaisv in his creator's form. From the vantage of this part Mr. Ustinov conducts his rdaY `1515, an orchestra, now giving the scenery a Pe now slyly pointing out that a joke has heei, made—in case we did not know. It is all enjoyable, but not,without its serious mornee't There is at least one moving speech in whicn Frederick Valk, playing the Soviet ambassae.°„ memorably recalls the days of the Revolutie;j I should like to think that old Bolsheviks °Jai feel like that, but I am afraid that the tic utterances of Bukharin are really more
thing. It is a pity. •hi
Still, this is Cockayne. And it is a good '11 play with serious undertones and not too facti5 satire. The verbal dexterity of its autherdf shown at its most cunning in the sertes„,i; transatlantic clichas in which the AMer:,7,5 ambassador and his wife converse. John Pli'L'ret and Jacqueline Lacey make a very comical out of these parts. Their opposite numbers, s'c, Valk and Marianne Deeming, are equallY cessfully Russian, though I have no idea b° Soviet diplomats behave. As the lovers IvItel°0 David and Katy Vail carry naïveté a little far, but this was in their parts. A certain ge°„f ness is, after all, in the best traditions Cockayne. See 13reughel. ANTHONY HARltv
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