New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-06-07
MILE. DESCLEE IN ENGLAND.


MILE. DESCLEE IN ENGLAND.
HER HIGH PLACE ON THE FRENCH sTAGE-HER AP-
PEARANCE BEFORE A LONDON AUDIENCE-sUC-
CEssFUL PERFORMANCE.
lFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEl
LONDON, May 16.-NOt many events in the
London theatrical world comparable In Importance
to the appearance this week, Of Mile Aimee Desclee.
Americans who have anything Of Paris during late
years know that Mile. Desclee has taken very high
place on the French stage-a place unlike that OF any
other actress and with elements Of popularity and
distinction TO which neither Favart ON the one hand,
nor Fargue on the other, could lay claim Her history
has been singular one. When hardly more than q
child, she in Paris at the old Vaudeville about
1885, If remember rightly. Tradition does not say
what the piece is it OF the least consequence.
for she proved complete failure Theater going Paris
voted her bore, and petite f6te, and no use. She
Quilted the city in disgust but by in despair,
conscious perhaps, that 1t her. and sure 1t would
out some day. She led a rowing life for many
years, playing first in Italy. then in Brussels, in ST.
Petersburg, and many another capital. and then back
again to Brussels, which to have been sort Of
headquarters for her. AT any rate, she much liked
there Paris alone she did not revisit In 1867 there
about Dumas fills, being in Brussels (Which is to many
Frenchmen only outlying suburb of Pars), be-
thought himself of going to the theater, and asked
friend where he had best 90. "Go to see Desclee
your own pieces" what that little fool" retorted
Dumas, yet went, and between the acts sought MILE
Desclee in the greenroOm and said TO her, "Ah,
MademOiselle, you in Paris little girl, find you
in Brussels great actress" Like other play writer's
Dumas the lookout for some one capable of re-
azng his ideal and making audiences realize it in her
own person. He urged Descee to 90 to Paris One ac
count says she at first refused having never forgiven
the Parisans her first i'll Another represents
her-more naturally since Paris is all the world to
Freuchwoman, and to French actress above alias
telling Dumas TO prove his compliment something more
than fattery by getting her an engagement there
Whichever it is certain that Dumas did try, and
for some time in vain. The Paris managers would have
Of her. long memory had they OF her old
failure. They swere convinced 1t final. At last
prevailed MontiGny, the Director Of the Gym
nase to engage her. 1t is averred that her salary
at first fixed at 100 francs month-s20-nOr Is that or
any other story incredible in Paris. She came out in
Dumas's "Demi-monde" and other pieces, but Paris
slow then to believe in her. At last, in 1862
she appeared in Frou Frou, and from that moment
became the rage. She has since been the lead
ing actress of the Gymnase and in the Viste
de Noces," the "Princesse Georges" and the
" Femme de Claude" earned for Dumas
success which would have been without her. to say the
least, problematical Not even Desc6es genius could
give to the lastnamed performance more hana doubt
full popularity. The "Femme de Claude is, in plain
words great rubbish but Descee created in Cesarine
character of which the skeleton only can be found in
Dumas's text Spite ofs responsiveness and spite OF the
wearsOmeness and absurdity OF the piece as WHOLE
know Of no play better worth seeing provided
you can Descee in it, Neither in the "Princesse
Georges" nor III "Frou-Frou" has the actress shown
equal power.
Dumas has twice undertaken to express his apprecia
ton Nile Desclee The first time after the long
run of the visite de Noces" which was due 10
Desc6e and which put 5000 not into her pocket.
but into He her thereupon the photographs OF
two of his children being whathe had most precious
in the world After the Priucesso Georges he pre-
sented her with bound copy of the printed play with
this inscription: "a ME. Aimee DcSci(e Ia Plus grQlide
comednne de temps. ct la Plus honnete femme de son
monde" The impertnence of the latter clause though
certainly unconscious had better be left untransated
Nor did Mile. Desc6e its brutality. She did not
look beyond the compliment on the surface, and showed
the book inscription and ALL to the friend who tells me
the story with deli ght and pride
London is slow in importing French notions, and it
not till this year that arrangements were made for
Mile Descee appearance Oh an English stage. French
plays we have had at intervals during the past few
years. generally during the fashionable season. when
alone it was supposed such enterprise could prove
profitable since ii thought ii must depend largely
on the support Of Society where the speaking OF French
is assumed to be a common accomplishment But last
year little theater in Deanst Solo, was opened in
the Autumn and kept open through the Winter, and this
Spring the managers OF 1t moved to the Prncesss in
Oxfordst, larger and better house. and have brought
Plessy from the Francas Laurent from the 0deon,
and Desclec.
The latter opened Monday in Frou-Frou by no
means think the part most likely 10 win the favor OF
an English audience SO we'll had she become known
by reputation that it was thought safe TO double the
prices Seats went off a week in advance, and some
days before the debut the managers announced that
more were to he had. Nor this announcement q
device 10 stimulate public curiosity. tried Monday
to place. sending TO every agency III London, but
not seat any kind for sale at any price, At the
last moment stall which had been returned fell into
my hands The prices are those of the opera. little
over S. for an orchestra STALL and seat to be had
for less than S. Desc6e. 1t is true divides the interest
OF fashionable talk with Patti and Nilsson.
had twice in Paris seen Desclee play Giberte in
"Frou-Frou" But it is one thing to play to a French
audience and another to play to an English one thing
play with the support of good company another to
play with but single good actors help NJ Rayel, who
plays Brigand in London in Paris Is the only actor
whose presence the stage OF the Prncess's can be
anything but hinderance and evaporation to Mile.
Desclee AS for the audience. it was. after its kind
critical laxative during two acts. and cap
lions between the two. OminOus remarks about Des-
cl6es being overratcd celebrity began to circulate.
The riding habit which she first appears not APP
proved She talked too rapidly She acted too rapidly,
without doubt, for English audience seeing her for
the first time; tDat is, dctihs
complete too subtle, too finely shaded to be appreciated
all at once Even the inmltabe OF the second
act between Gbere and her amusngly dissoute father
and the rehearsal Of the private thearicals failed to
conciate the house completely. People were looking
for something more for passion not less than delicate
grace In the third act it and when the curtain
fell ON the tremendous the two sisters
which Glbere prOclams her jealousy and her love for
vaeas there was longer question of la Dcsclee's
success. But it is mark OF the difference between
Paris London that 1t precisely the first two acts
Ia which Dcsclee was most admired IN Paris. The