The Express.
London, England, 1868-07-11 00:00:00

'THE RIVAL GRAND DUCHESSES.

THE simultaneous performance of the French
original and an English translation of the Grande
Thulium de Gerolstein enables us to mark the con-
trast between French and English acting. Without
enteOng into dctails which might prove repulsive,we

At the St. James's the actors show that
they have carefully studied their parts ; at
the Olympic it. is painfully evident that they
have striven to turn everything into buffoonery.
Of the chief parts, it is enough to say that Mrs.
HOWARD PAM. makes nearly as good a Grand
Duchess as Mdlle. &Heel iota ; yet the latter has
crested her part, whereas the former is but
a very clever and secomplished imitator. McWo.
SCIININDER is the greater actress ; Mrs. HOWARD
PAUL is the better singer. Contrary to
expectation, the acting of the English lady in
some of the more critical parts is more emphatic
than that of her French rival. The fault bore lies
with the audience. The occupants of the gallery
at the Olympic would not bo affected by the
inuendo or the gesture which would appear almost
too clear and suggestive to the occupant of the
stalls at the St. Jaime's. An English company
generally plays to the gallery, while a French ono
courts the applause of the pit and the boxes. The
Fritz of M. Duel.sr4 is a finished piece of acting.
Ile is the stolid, ignorant, German soldier who is
at a loss to understand why the Grand Duchess
should confer so many honours on him, yet is
dimly conscious that he deserves all the marks of
her favour. His love for WANDA, the peasant
girl, is evidently sincere. His passion for her is
so absorbing as to render it impossible that he
should be moved by the endeavours of the Grand
Duchess to win his affection. At the Olympic,
Mr. WILFORD MORGAN thinks it his duty to bur-
lesque a burlesque. Ho addresses the Grand
Duchess in a coarser style than he would em-
ploy towards the peasant he loves. When pro-
moted from the position of private to the rank of
general, ho thinks it good taste to be so overcome
us to stagger like a drunken man. He translates
into action the metaphorical language about the
intoxication of power. Very different and per-
fectly artistic is the smiling gratification mani-
fested under the same circumstances by his French
rival. The part of Prince PAUL is interpreted in
an opposite way by M. MICUEL and Mr. J. D.
STOYLE. Both versions are good. The Frenchman
makes the Prince a feeble personage both intel-
lectually and physically ; the Englishman convoys
tho impression that the Prince is not so foolish as
he appears. There is an utter absence of power
in the one case, and an indication in the other
that there is power in reserve. When the curtain
falls at the St. James's, we feel satisfied that the
Grand Duchess has chosen a husband who
is a cypher. At the Olympic, we fancy she
will discover, to her surprise, that she has
met with her match. A more minute analysis
would supply fresh evidence confirmatory of
our general opinion in favour of the superiority
of the French over the English com-
pany. One word, and that an even more un-
flattering one, in conclusion. It was feared that
decency would be outraged when the " Cancan"
was danced by Mdlle. &Elmo= at the St.
James's. Some were gratified and others dis-
appointed when it was discovered that the im-
proper dance was not prominent among the
attractions of the piece. At the Olympic, how-
ever, the " Cancan" is danced with great spirit
by the whole strength of the company. A
French actress is specially engaged to display
her skill, as well as several English male dancers,
who are proficients in this exercise. The audience,
instead of remonstrating, rapturously applaud the
performance, encoring it thrice.