New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-03-14
THE FRENCH THEATER.

Tie Frerch stage z tee A uroe iro VICE VIC uV4l'e'
oct only o1I modern dramatic liters.r' but oar
cierr schco CT scpy of costume and scenic craft
II play Is performed critical research traces 1t
naturally to French origin, If q new actor pressnis
himself, he is judged by French standard. The
sctrsss is ADVISED u study costume snd department by
French models, and notbIg theatrical IS accepted tbs.
toes rot conform TO the French practice. uGder the
uf0ence Of this prestigs, the Frerch thss,er hiss
commenced bIillistt career in New-lork. Tie
audiences assembled there during tie frs.
represertstiors have been more or lees subjsc.
to tbs 'avoripg irfuepce ard our Own dssre to
this enterprise firmly established, hes induced US to
ercoursge rsthsr than 10 crticse performances thst
add 60 aterisy to cur Intellectual sad elegant aTr-
nlelts. But IT, AZ cave written, toe many excel
eDces Of the French theaer are brorght forward to
exhibit the backwsrr OF WI l-se perfect stage
IL our actors are called upou TO regs these perform
snces a. models wherest they msy dress their minds
ard bodies and improve their style; theo must the
truth be kindly sid ustly spoken ana it IS this; The
French troupe Low perornicg here, dcss no. attsin
TO that high excellence to which critics refer on sps'k
irg Of tie Parissn stage ii is not mp 20 that standard
Without irsttutrg invidious comparisons, there Is
more thsn ccmpsny in this city that in every de-
partment surpssses visitors in artistic value aud
perfection. Therefore, while all welcome and cherish
these s.s,s let not DO to the dispMsgAment of
our own; for truly they msy learn as much and more
iron ours than ours can learn from them.
On Saturday everipg the coueiy Les PremerD
k,pes de Richei.eu introduced Nile, Sen to public.
Tbs charming piece the svorits ch,ral DO 6a'd'He
OF that imp Of Thalis, D:jszet Nile. Sen IL ar
nour cei as Soubre.,e De azet SIZE is not so. The
Soubrette-D D., set is the Singing Chambermsit of
he English stsgc. Such wss MIS-. Way lett, Ma lame
Yesuis and Mrs. Fnz william; and on our American
stsge suoa is Miss Agnes RooeItscn. The artist who
ful6ls this peculiar iuncton mast have strong power
of cenes;ing eccentric characters, CT indiyiduslzDg
clearly and correctly, with sharpness OF outlGe aud
rohpess Of cooripg; che must possess good voice
for ballad and vaudeville mu;ic. Thee Qualities
sse ret smcug the charms with which Nile.
Sen /, gifted. She is empty soa6rate-or, moro
distinctly, che might be called q son5rette tpgead'.
Ia the character Of Rcheieu where elasticity and the
sprpgy grace of extreme youth were eIacted By the
scene ale was rather heavy in her department Tee
county gestures and redundant potencs Of the period,
20 marked by Dtazst 10 her performance of this char
scter, were not attempted by Mile Sen, who per-
formed the part like somewhat stiff young gentleman
Of our own less polished generation. The transitions
from archress to petulenoe, from Maynard annoyance
shades which distinguish toe touch Of the fine artist
were not here but she spoke the authors words With
discretion and introduced the audience to the character
which ste should have been
This our opinion was BOT that Of the ority Of the
aucierce. The performance throughout gave CREST
delight 10 a see,hipg crowd, and the debutsn,e met
with genuine success. Mile Sn Is undoubtedly su
excellent aciress and will prove it more iocontesby
in some other comedy better suited to those fine aoi-
ties which the character she performed Saturday
night occasionally betrayed, but did not fayoraby
develop.
TIE gentleman who performed the Chevaier looked
and moved like q valet; he lacked distinction, ele
gance and brskness This character should hsye been
sustained by III. Psul Labs. The Duchess and the
Baroness were well embodied by their respective
representatives, and the Baron was mildly washed
in by TIE oomique Of the troupe, correct but
inofensive. We would sueges! that tie Regtssesr
stsge msnager should b. visible in the " bust
pess" Of the soere 1t lie hs peculiar function TO ia
shuct the actor, how to into sch others hands,
where to move with reference to each other and TO
marx the points and trad ions of the piece In the
quick and delicate Interchange of loOk gestures sud
movements lies hsf the effect Of the play. All tlis IS
imagined by the author, bat csnLOt be written DOVE;
in the e rt production of drama the author a.
tends ard n,tructs the sctors, and their perform
ace, therefore, becomes the most perfect picture Of
tho work, and dictates stage tradition L. is the bust
ness Of the Re gseur to know and recall these point,
70 the recollection Of the actors to teach them they
are unknown. lie might, aso, without undue exercise
Of his authority, keep the costumes within reasonable
limit round and about the period of the play. We can
ret preume that the glsrrg incorgruities assembled
upon the stage last Saturday were the result Of gnor
ance his part but rather due to confiDg reliance
on the ignorance Of the audience in these matters.
II We thus use the critical spur 10 prick the side, Of
this enterprise do 30 IN the earnest desire thai it
should excel and win. For the actor 10 Like the
horse be requires to be cckeyed by the critic to his
fame and ud cous use Of the whip, spur or rein may
oorfrm triumph where a CARRIERS sncour asement
VIC ulj lead TO ds'ea'. q. D.