New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-11
THEATRICAL.

Miss N. de Bouholier, the leading lady Of Mr..
Jugnet's corps. She Grst appeared % Madame Des
Aubies, in Madame lie Girzlrdins comedy La Joie
fat Peur," one u the most exquisite dramatic works
Of any country or any age. Her representation was
thoroughly artistic and elegant, suffering little by
comparison with rccollectons Of its usual Represent
htves at tho first of French theaters the Coincide
FRANCHISE. The audience wa, deeply moved BY the
double effect Of tho beauty of the drama and the
sympathetic and touching peuonation Of the prnci'
pal character. The general performance was also
excellent. Mis Hamburg, in the role Of Blanche,
renewed her successes Of the opening night, aud
Miss Nathalie Dumas, ~ Matbilde, appeared to
better advantage than before. Mr. Albert Mary
also improved upon himself, Notwithstanding tho
nestness and brightness Of his first performances.
Niss dc Bouhesrs second part, that Of the coquet'
fish wife, in Croqus Poule," WAS an equal success,
though 10 different and far less important direction
10 that Of her Madame Des Aubers.
We sincerely congratulate Mr.. Juignet upon his
success in gathering together clever company. In
view of circumstances to which we have before al
luded-ths insecurity of public interest, and the
general indifference 10 any regular and sustained
enterprise Of this charsctor-we lad expectation
limited in numbers, his company 10 sufficient for the
thorough production Of many OF the most admirable
and delightful modern French dramas. A success
sion Of performances ike that Of La joe fat Peur,
for example, would DO of serious value 70 theatrical
art in New-York. Our own actors, as well as our
own public, could hardly fail 10 receive many favor
able impressions from them. The best Characters.
ties OF the French school OF acting ars precisely
what American players need 70 become familiar
with, 70 make the American stage more nearly what
! IL should be. We have no idea Of counseng imita-
ton of the French theatrical methods in every
pect, since there many among them In which We
put no faith but in certain essentials Of tass and
deoacy and refinement, they are so manifesty su-
peor 10 those Of any other stage that j. would only
seem 10 require q fair acquaintance with them 70
make them promptly and universally adopted. The
basis Of sill French acting is the and peculiar
art which presents 70 the mind Of the spectator the
actual semLlapee OF nature. 1t 10 by no means
literal nature itself, any moro than 1t 70 IN
natural artiicc. The oscillation 10 10 deli
cately wrought that the processes by which IL Is
attained are forgotten, or lost sight Of. On own
stage from a variety of cAusss-stsr-systems and
o,hers-tbe effects aimed ct arc Nc rule, coarser
I
instead Of eoncaiing. nature. They mostly appeal
70 the public sense Of the marvellous the horrible
or tho msudln. Or, sometimes, they sweep 10 tho
other extreme, and, pungipg too deeply into nature
come up mois: and unpleasant from tho muddy bot
tom. The jus,e miieu is seldom toucbcd, and !! is
this fact that shows most plainly the Deficiencies OF
American dramatic education. There arc notable
exceptons-too few no, TO be recognized withou,
desgpstion-but the rule is only the more !orcibly
established by these. II, with the genuine force and
oarnes,pe.s and hearty humor which the American
stage po.sesses-and which the FreDch stage lacks
the moro refined Its Of the latter could DO min
eled, there would be Little cleo u with FOR.
j. i, diflcult to give examples Of the advantages
q. which we speak in the French school, since when
&c paralsly viewed. they are APT " sosm tsains.
But il may be ssid without exaggorAuon thst in a
due and conscientious regard to tho iriaes Of the
s.ase lies one great tecrs, Of dramatic eject Why
10 !, that, 1t the rising II the curtain at French
thss,er the spectator suddenly lrds himself at home
or, il not a, home, in the comfortable society Of
very agreeable and congeniai party Tnsrs are
chairs and tables and p cures, ind bipeds in much
tho Same proportion 1T other theaisu, under s.m
lar circumstances. But observe tho differences.
There 10 an cay harmony in every detail Of the
arrangement Of SIC room. The chau are not stuck
awk wsrdly about at geometrical intervals. The
tables arc not naked There is not the appear
ance Of recent fixing" aud putting to right. The
gentlemen and ladies posc themselves without an
eular contortion Their oonvenaton 10 conversation,
not a series Of harangues Private interviews be-
tween persons conducted on reasonable prin-
cples not herslded by the solemn enticemen, Of two
chairs from tho dim background TO the footgb,s, the
Simultaneous depofiling Of two human frames there
in and an exorGirm moro ike q Germon than cosy
interchange OF confidence. We venture 10 s4y that
sueh a thing "a @ scene between three persons one
occnp, ing the middle Of the stage and the others
seeking the protection of the Opposite wings. and all
three spoutng alternately to the galleries, is never
witnessed on the French STAGE and yet what
American thes,er 10 wholly uutIaD,ueled by such
land worse) absurditiesi
Two or three good sound seasons Of frst-claGs
French drama would undoubtedly produce effects
upon American audiences which, in fair time, would
Ds reflected in other directions. Tie best Of our
own thssiers, and there some in which perform
ances arc almost unexcep,onahe, even when tested
by the highest standard, might appropriate q few
hints which would carry them nearer to perfection
those lheaters In which vugarity and vicious taste
are the guiding instincts, would lind in the growing
disfsvor Of the better part Of the public the ssy
for absolute reformations. AZ for hr. Juign.ts
company, we do not pretend to say that 1t lie sui
fcienty strong well established 70 exert any such
influence; but We can at leasI declare that the
prospect of series OF such clever performances as
that Of last Tuesday night is exceedingly welcome,
us aiordius promise Of new models and illustrations
q ~. i.l.o 10 achnoI