The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-30
MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC,
"The saucy Homecoming, at the Chesnut.


lie MQlade In,aginaire was the last of Molieres
works. He was in very feeble health when he COM
pleted It, but in spite Of the solicitations OF his wife,
his physicians and his friends he insisted playing
the leading role in order to ensure the of the
comedy On tne tnra ne was 1 scarcely
nance Concluded he was seized with an apoplectc tit,
from which he died the next day. This piece therefore,
is the browning effort Of the great comic genius who
maintains his place on the French stage, in spite Of
the lapse Of time and the mutations OF taste, with
surer hold than does Shakespeare on the boards of
England and America for Moliere is always appre-
ciated and Shakespeare often is not. Racine, Cor
written under the inspiration of perverted taste for
the classics and weak as all mere limitations must be,
never had healthy life upon the stage. A great
actress like Rachel might possibly give them ticti
tious vitality by infusing into them some OF her own
magnetic energy; but when Rachel died French
classic tragedy died with her, and the works OF the
writers mentioned have passed away from the
theatre and are only interesting to students.
MOere, on the contrary, studied human nature.
His characters are drawn from the various phases OF
life by which he was surrounded, and in spite OF
some conyentiSnaes MS comedies les are as bright TO-
does not change essentially, and true wit and hum0r
are always fresh and entertaining. A piece like L.
Maade If.aginaire will appear forced and unnatural
in some OF its features to an English or American
audience. 1t is more farcical in style and spirit than
membered that 1t belongs t2 different school OF
art and that Its in60ngrdities are not greater in
reality than those OF our own standard comic pieces
fidelity in the version OF lie Maldde Inaginaire pro-
duced last evening at the Chestnut under the absurd
title OF Ihe Sancy Ho"Seaam & tta IN 1ransa,Gg
to be retained and in this instance the change is the
less excusable, as the name adopted does not at
al represent the character of the play. The Saucy
Hotseraaid, however, is so brlmful OF real wit and
humor, so vivacous and thoroughly entertaining,
that we can afford to forgive minor sins OF omis-
comedy cannot fau TO keep an audience in roar Of
laughter from beginning to end. 1t to be regretted
that the Chestnut street company fell very far short
of doing justice to their subject last evening.
The performance was exceedingly inartstic,
scarcely any OF the actors being perfect
In their parts, and some of the most amusing
situations were badly spoiled by the confusion
that was caused by the insufficient rehearsal OF the
play. Mr.. Jack mistook entirely the character OF
araYng maniac INSTEAD of querdlous, testy, and
selfish old man. In the early scenes Mr.. JACK was
so violent that he completely exhausted himself,
and he was as much too tame towards the conclusion
as he was too furious in the beginning Miss Keenes
sar0inette" was more easy and natural than some OF
her perHonations but she failed to represent the part
with the vivacity that belongs to it, and 1t did not
make the favorable impression that 1t should Some
OF the other characters were tolerably well per-
performance that it would be useless for US to un
dertake a detailed criticism OF them.
nThe advertisements pro nlsed that this comedy
should be placed upon the stage with new scenery,
This promise was not kept; but 1t would have been
matter OF less consequence II the scenery used mad
been appropriate. The apartment where the action
Is supposed to take place is in the house OF private
citizen OF the time OF Louis XIV, and for this the
gorgeous drawing-room scene that does duty OF
nearly every occasion at the Chesnut when an inte
It Is by attention and good taste in matters o.
ths kind m that the cnrspp1t reputation can OF ~
made quite as much by good acting and it is Ger
tainly worth while to take little pains to have
such play as The Sattcy Housentatd well mounted
This comedy is amusing in itself that 1t AFFORDED
good entertainment last evening, Ill spite OF tn
detects OF which we have spoken; and 1t Is to b.
hoptd that some clre will be taken in the future u
remedy the inequalities and TO bring the perform
ance up TO a reasonable standard OF excellence.