New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-09-15
IMPROVING THE STAGE.

When that honest actor, Nr. Crummles parts
from Nicholas Hicklt By, he displays 80 much nat
ural emotion that, as We are informed, had he
put it into bis public performances, ne would
have ceased TO be po)r and obscure, and become
rich and eminent. This supoosititIous anecdote
is full of meaning and value TO members OF the
dram attic profession. IL may we'll suggest that
the presence in this City of the most dis
tippuisbed actress Of the age aud of a COM
papy of artists trained in the most refined and
ex;geapt school of Europe should not be allowed
to pass uninproyed by those who here direct
and occupy the tbeater.
1t is an interesting question why actors speak
ing the nglish language are as general thing 30
wide OF simplicity aud nature, and why in an
Equally cOnpreheDsiye view, French actors are
natural, true, and free from exaggeraton. We
are aware that there is such an entity accredited
A. French nature in c0ntrsdistnction to human
nature-but that particular article is not current
on the French stage; the universal thing, QUE
common nature, being alone tolerated In that quar-
ter The traveller in France must ever be struck
not Only with the marvellous cleyerness bat the
maryelously good taste and fine culture OF the per-
sonations Of the stage. Statistics set down thirty
thousand people in France as deriving their daily
bread from theatrical connections and is it any
wonder that so many live BY it, when they so we'll
deserve TO flourish We remember once being
beriphted in little French town-hardly bigger
than vlIaee-and in desperation az to how to pass
the tedious evening we went to theater. The
approaches to it were through grove of trees,
and with such rural anteceden.s we looked for
the equivalents of modern thespans-strOllers
of the poorest sort. But to our surprise
We found theater miniature of those
Of Paris There was the stage-box and the
fue lady With the graceful arm and toilet but
slightly provincial. And when the actors came
on the scene they were all dressed to the life.
The rlsy was laid in the West indies. There
WIS the bad heavy msn who did the overseer;
AID the girl who did the q1adroon; aud live
lover ard dead hater; and every one cenyers-
ant with his part, and an audience quick to catch
the least touch Of excellence. THIS truth OF the
provinces is still more vivid in Paris. Even in
the little stadents theater of the Latin quar-
ter, all is good. In the thick cluster OF cheap
tbeaters Cd the Boulevard there is simply va
riety Of artistic merit, while in the Theater
Frsrcsis everything is absolutely superior.
There is there, for example, a man who plays a
notary. he generally says nothing, but he does
it better than anybody e!se. There ia n,n
who does Aings. You think he ia a Bourbon or
Pltptaaenet. another docs priests, always In a
manner that reminds you Of G4rrick's answer 10
the ,Igyman who asked why It was that he,
Chrrick. had 20 much more eject on his audi
.nce with make believe than he, the clergym N.
bad Nth rem truth-to which tho actor answered
nat b. acted yfctcnso m II be- believed It, nui
,tht tho c,orsy nan acted belief ea IL Il ~aH pre-.
ttuar.
BIt Nhotl 90 tha superiority OF Ffonoh acting
pioes..a iion a greater natural genlus inr tho
rfofe .on or from a mnfo studious aud thought
iui culture of ia requirements. II wouli oct
taipy bu public misfortune II tho ,emsthsblr
sp.eimsns OF iafisisn hisi,ionia e,ssllenoo nus
In THE .il, ,Lauii not e,eiulse thsif duo india
enae !, ,,inine aud disepiiuins pus oun stase
puits sps,t f,pn the ssve'uiT intellectual VA
tue sf Mils Haahsls own imps sspnasinns
vLi.h psy be 'ues,ioa 90 tps naok v",h pi
et.iu. ," r,urrt .. u-,.iati"n. ro'r u.s'ui loo
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