The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-30
GLE CExTEyAIRE,, AT THE UNION SQUARE
THEATRE.

The play OF "Le Centenaire,n anqlice zone Hun
dred Years DID," produced last evening at the
Union Square Theatre, belongs to a class of dramas
as familiar to the stage the footlights or the
drop curtain. The villain works his measure OF
evil and is finally sent to the devil while suffering
innocence and unrequted chivalry are in the long
run triumphant and recompensed. This drama
has been adapted from the French OF NM.
D'Ennery and Plouvier by Mr.. Hart Jackson.
He might have contrlved to preserve for us in the
translation more OF the brilliancy OF dialogue and
quantness OF humor in the original and saved us at
least from hearing the most vulgar OF common
place hypocrisies in American forms of greeting,
$50 glad TO see yOu," with extravagant emphasis
on 49," As for the construction OF the plot, while
0szdrre and strained in various situations
and conceptions it shows an uncommon de-
gree OF skill, but all that is truly original
In making the characters OF the drama refer in
turn to a central figure who is advanced to the
rare standard Of longevity, hundred years. This
old chap, from beginning to end, is subject of
curious interest to the audience. They went to see
how one who has reached so far past the ordinary
limits Of age bears himself through the ordeal he Is
forced to pass by singular combination of circum-
stances well calculated To test the mettle Of any
centenarian
Jaques Fauvel MARK SMITH, the head of tho
Fauve family celebrates, In the first act his Tooth
birthday. the village children and ma1dens, sing
old man and make o sweet picture Of love and
reverence for old age. There Is also assembled
Juhette Miss Mary Grlswold) whose husbands at
sea, and Camille mrs. Clara Jennings), unmarried,
who Is idozed by the old man; his son, Georges
the father of the girls, and Richard (Mr. MontgOm-
eryl, q friend OF the family and young doctor, who
lawyer, In order to humOr the grandfather's
within OF studied aversion to medicine and
its professors. The birthday is the occasion
tion with the Fauvel family of Rene
dAlly Gr. Claude Burroughs), secretly in love with
Camille, and the introduction of Max de Maugard
(Mr. George Parkes), notwithstanding ana
sarcastic man OF the world, who has saved Camiles
serious interest Of the play commences with an in
tervlew between the married and unmarried Sis
tiers. The extreme melancholy and depression of
Jullette have to be explained to her sister Camille
and the story profoundly sad Juliette during her
husbands absence at sea, has yielded in an unguard
moment to the advances of Max de Maigard,
who is no other than the new arrival at
the house, and also the passionate adorer OF
Camille, whose life he has saved. The situation is
Fauvel, and to whom that life is most precious;
and 1t Is all the more overwhelming since
child will soon be born, and Juliettes husband is
on the point Of returning home. jacques Fauvel,
who prides himself on his reading OF character by
the face, has taken sudden and violent hatred to
Max and when the latter proposes for Camille 10
the head OF the family his Offer is Indignantly re-
jecte6. The determined Max has heard that the
slightest excitement will kill the old gentleman,
so he proceeds with relentless cruelty from cring-
ing Difference to vulgar threats For moment
the old man Is taken OF his guard and worked up
true character OF Max, he detects his intention,
changes h from violence to supreme calm declares
that he will not die such base death as is planned
orders Max de ,Maugard out Of the house.
In this scene Mr.. Mark Smith drew down
round of well deserved applause; but the trouble
with his acting last evening was that he started
out with too much voice and vigor Tor an old man
OF century, and consequently when he came 10
where tour de force was expected In person OF
such advanced age he had already disspated the
less The child Is born and something must be
done to conceal her shame. Camille deter
own shoulders and save her sister. Acting
on sudden Impulse, she leaves her
lover Rene, to whom she is to be married shortly.
Camille Is absent many days and on her return Is
silent the subject OF her absence. She Will tell
nothing, say nothing, own nothing; and she Is the
more obstinate In her determination since
OF old Jacques Fauvel this compromising absence
is in part forgiven; but At last the secret OF the
child is discovered to Camiles father, and Camille,
before the whole family, declares that she is the
mother. While Camille has been suspected all
along Jacques Fauvel has protested the in
nOcence OF his darling. When oil have been
to comfort the child with grandfather's kiss. But
now the sorrow Is almost greater than he can
bear, so he declares that his time has come at last
Not only to- the grandfather but to the whole
family Camille's innocence is soon confirmed,
and the play ends with happy denouement.
Mrs. Clara Jennings, as Camille, acted with
showed somewhat OF q lack OF stage training; but
she has all the voice, presence and spirit Tor
great actress. Miss lmogene Fowler suffers
drawback in her elocuti0p. Messrs. Parkes,
Mackay, Montgomery and Burroughs sustained the
reputation OF this stock company for ability to
render the higher class OF plays and II Mark Smith
would only consider himself one hundred years Old
In place of thirty or forty he might carry this drama
along successfully for some time.