Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-12-21

From the Boston POST
The Partisan actresses are in state
of mutiny, and on subject near the
heart not only of actresses in particular,
but of the gentler sex in general 1t is
not that they are striking tor higher sal
aries, though to such a contamination
they are doubtless not indifferent; it is
not that they are jealous, but too
prevailing weakness of their craft; nor is
it because of the parts in which the IN
exorable manager casts them are made
ouate to their genius, or inferior to their
fair but detested rivals. 1t is upon the
mighty subject of dress that they have
excited themselves to the pitch of shrill
rebellion, and strange to say, it is rather
to protest against the excess of dress
than to bewail the want of it. Here is
Mile Fargeuil, long a favorite of the
Parisian boards, who used to play with
Fechter before be migrated, and whose
fame rested mainly on the splendor OF
her toilets and the various magpi6 cence
OF her attire, and who now pleads that
the stage is becoming a show win
dow for the fashions, instead of mirror
held ND to nature, and vigorously pro-
tests. with an army of 0phelias, Cam
lilies and Belle Helens at her back,
against,a degradation of the imitatorI art
10 exhibitions of Ean de Nil, Ladies Cor
don, and Marie de Mediois tabliers. Yet
the time was not long ago when Mile
Fargeuil dressed so sumptuously, that IT
what she spent on one evenings toilette
were prudently invested, ii would have
provided her with cosy income for the
rest of her days; when the lace about
her graceful person at single perform
apee cost over two thousand dollars.
Mile Fargepil is evidently tired Of being
a model upon whom to hang milliners
draperies, and to display the last extrav-
agance from Worth's; and SO boldly de-
ciares against the despotism of fashion,
and for a return to tinsel and cotton vel
vet. The habit of excessive dress on the
Parisian stage, where the " Cleopatras 4
must wear real crowns, mock pearls are
sternly tabooed, and spangles are con-
temptnously banished, has done much,
saw the fair rebels, to demoralize and de-
grade the stage; but Paris has not en-
joyed monopoly of this extravagance.
Stories quite as large as that OF NJ lie
Fargeuil are told of famous actresses in
London and New York. The world has
heard of " first ladies whose gloves and
boots exhausted their salaries; of stars"
who became bankrupt by the magnitude
of their milliner's bill; even of soubrettes
who half starved themselves for the sake
Of dainty but costly petticoats, and
iaunty. rninous head cOifures.
The ladies of the Paris stage are in
clined to seize this advantage which the
Republic gives them. The custom Of
gorgeous dresses arose under the lavish
and ostentatious Empire, when the act
resses of the Theater Francais and the
Vaudeville were wont to act at Com
piegne and Vichy, before Napoleon and
his dazzling Court; when the Chamber
lain summarily banished actresses who
dared 10 appear in imitation pearls, and
the sleek courtier used to invade the
greenrooms and distribute bon.bons
and whisper pretty compliments. Now,
however, all this is changed. The sim
plieity of the drama should return with
the simplicity Of the Republic. There
is no Chamberlain TO wave a wand OF
there are no conrtiers to scan
the figure, or turn up their noses at
spangles and brass coronets. Akin 70
the extravagance in dress which dis
the drama under the
Empire was the rage for scenic SEN
sations and sulphurous stage effects; this,
too, is assailed by the courageous danes
of the green room revolt; They appeal
to the beauties of Moliere,
the romance Of Dumas, the thrilling
melodrama of Hugo, the photographic
portrayals Of society u Dumas the
Younger and Sardou; why should the
stage become a showcase for jeweler
and modiste, when it possesses such
gems as these 10 display Such a re
volt as this cannot be regarded with
for our own stage is senH-
tive 70 that os the worlds metropolis OF
fashion, and IL the decree goes forth to
escheW the concentration Of a fortune
upon the back and head, and return
boldly TO the pasteboard and glass jew
elry which Siddons did not disdain, in
which Forrest thundered, Rachel raved
and Gsrrick laughed, the revolution
would soon sweep over American thea
ters az =;.h tidal wave.