The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-16

BALzAo's CoMEDY.-Balzac's comedy, 1fercadet
has at length been brought out at the Theatre
Francals. Its reception was favorable, but the
revival has attracted, on the whole, less notice
than its importance seems to merit. Bad luck
has attended all BalZac's dramatic efforts. The
first piece he produced, Vdutrin, was, like the
dramas of the greatest OF his friends, Hugo,
suppressed. 1t was only performed once. Les
Resources de Qotinol0, noble If most unman-
ageable drama, was damned. Mercddet was
offered by Balzac to almost every manager in
Paris, and was refused by all. 1t was not
produced until few months after the death
OF its author. when it had been more than ten
years in existence. 1t was prepared for the
stage by NJ. Dennery, and was acted at the Gym
pase. 1t is brimful of wit an ingenuity. "Mer-
cadet" its hero, resembles none of the many
types which Balzac has given us in the Coincide
scarcely wilder than those which Balzac himself
seriously entertained. What, indeed, can be too
wild or the man who knocked at the door OF
Laurent Jan at 2 O'clock on winters morning
insisting upon his getting up to start with him
at once for the Mogul empire to gain countless
wealth, and demonstrating seriously with the
sleepy man because his delay must already
have cost them a million? BaZac refused
many times to make the alterations in MerCddet
which were judged by theatrical managers ne
Cessary prelimnaries to its production
alterations which he said would convert it from
a COMEDY into a melo drama. He was very
anxious, IN case 1t was performed at any OF the
theatres on the Boulevards, TO have for the prn-
cipal representatives Frederic Lemaitre, Fechter,
CJdreDCe anu OOlDIuUs w ueu uTSb pTOuuCeu,
Mercddet was successful. Geofroy PLAYED
"MeIcadet." In the character of "Pere Vio-
lette," the lachrymose creditor OF Mercadet,
Lesueur obtained one OF the most noteworthy
of his many triumphs in comedy. At the
Theatre Francois, Got was "Mercadet;" Z. Pro-
vost JUSTIN "Masset Mipard;' Barre, EYER
delin," Prudhon, "Mericourt;' Kline, "Violette;"
Madame Guyon, Madame Mercadet;" and
Mad'lIe Roger, Julie" The house was crowded,
and the performance was successful in all
respects.
--1ntrese Humbert, a three act comedy by
NJ. tDurantin, produced at the Gymnase, Paris,
recalls the HeIOise PdrdnqteL of the same
author, both pieces dealing with the peculiar
difficulties which in France attend the mar
riage of minor. "Therese," the daughter OF a
Prussian doctor, marries the young Count of
Colinance." The marriage, unknown to the
bride, has been contracted in opposition to
the wishes of her mother-in-law. When
''Thereser and her Child arrive accord
ingly in Paris, the "Oountess of COllinance"
appeals to the laws and the marriage is de-
clared invalid. 'Therese," refusing to accept
her position, is about to retire to her fathers,
when the child sotteTs the grandmother's heart,
and brings about reconciliation. The drama
obtained a moderate success. Sazdnne Ell les
deuD Vieldrds, IA one-act comedy, written by NJ.
Henri Meilhac, without the assistance OF his
colleague, M. Halevy, has nothing to do with
the well-known legend of the Apocrypha. 1t is
q story bling the famous episode on the
''Orlando Furioso,n which La Fontane included
In his "COntes,n. and for translating which Sir
John Harrington incurred the censure of Queen
Elizabeth. 1t shows how q young girl proved
far too clever for two old gentlemen who wished
to marry her, and succeeded in obtaining the
man OF her choice.
The saints of the stage have their little
caprices, like commoner folk. Some of them
have gone into converts or monasteries but not
all have stayed there Last year, two were
added 10 the list. Mad'lle Mouravief the Rus
sian dancer, OF the Grad Opera, became Car
melite nun, and the outer world hears no more
OF her. After her, Mad'lle Thuilier, the pretty
and clever actress of the OdeOn over Whel med
by tender domestic aftliction, withdrew from
the stage preparatory to entering the Carmelte
convent at Blois. But the young lady ha'
changed her mind, and has returned to the
stage. In Paul Meurice's dramatic adaptation
OF George Sands CGdio. at the Porte st. Mar
tin. Mad'lle Thuillier plays the impassloned Iii
KorigaDe." In the deep emotion, the terrible
agony, and the mute despair OF the character
she has produced great effect, and young ant
old amateurs rejoice that the actress is not a
Blois.
lie Sdcri1ege. the new clay at the Ambigu-
Comique, by NM. Theodore Barriere and Leol
Beauvallet, is a melodrama of an old-fashi sue
class. A young and unprotected girl Is lei
heiIess to large property. Among the man,
disappointed candidates for the estate she ma
obtained are some Infamous characters. Ihes
persecute her in such fashion that they orln
about her supposed death. While they ar
uuarTelling about the division OF the spoil,
Young lover opens her tomb to take last are
well, and finds her still living, This Is IN
sacrileee which gives its name to the drama.
--Arnal has returned 10 the Vaudeville, Pari
making his temperance III Les Fennaes a. Nm
prunt of MN. Varin and DesVergers. A ne
one.act comedy bV NM. Eugene Hugot ana
Brupger. Les Afdires AUdm Tout, has bee
Droduced at this house. 1t treats OF the pul
isbmont by their wives, and the ultimate reio
nation, oftwo unprncpled bourgeois VINO nay
made business a cloak for pleasure ana dlsslP
THE conclusion of Mr.. H. j. Byron's dram
of ELo,o for BlO,D now performing at the do