New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-05-30
THE LONDON STAGE.
AFRENCH COMPANY ENGAGED.

PEAR IN TRAGEDY.
iFRoN THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE rRrBuSEl
LONDON. May 15.-In little more than q fortnight
the company of the Coincide Francaise opens its
London season at the Galety Theatre The event
has long since been announced The contract be-
tween Mr.. HollIngshead, the manager of the
Gaiety and NJ. Perrin. the director of the Fran
Gals, was signed months ago. The subscription for
the season. advertised at tho beginning of the year.
was so far complete in February that the enterprise
had ceased to be "a speculative one. For some weeks
past the papers have been Tiled with official state
ments to the effect that only few places renamed
to be disposed of. Yet down to this day the mani
fold distractions to such an undertaking nave not
been quite vanquished. 1t may be said OF II, rs NJ.
Gambetta said of the French Republic after the
Senatorial elections of last January, that the era OF
dangers has ended and the of difficulties has
begun. The English, and still more, perhaps, the
Americans, are in the habit of looking on the
theatre as q matter of such light importance that
it NAV be difficult for them to realize the solemnity
of the occasion from French point of view.
shall touch or two points only; adulhg
Illustrations from the incidents of the current week
in PARIS.
Most Americans who have been in Paris have
been sruck with the fact that the theatre there IL
an affair of State. The Francais and not the
Francois only receives a regular yearly subvention
from the public treasury and undergoes certain
control in return The players were styled OF old
the comedians in ordinary To the King. over the
centre of the great arch which spans the pros
cenium. living playgoers have seen IN succession
the insignia of two hostile monarchies, OF RepuD-
lie of an Empire, and now again or RepuDnc;
the latter consisting merely of the two letters H. T.
The theatre has no politics. The players are the
Obedlent servants of whatever rulers have posses
sion Of France for the time being. The theatre Is
bound 70 produce q specified number OF new pieces
each year and obeys an infinite number OF regula-
lions prescribed by the central authority. olhiI
all details. 1t is not necessary Tor the pur-
poses of this letter to do more than point out
one leading fact wiz that the consent OF the proper
functionary had to be obtained before the company
could quit Paris Once only, think, has such per-
mission been given. That was in 1871. when the
Commune had possession of Paris and the tumult OF
civil war made texpedient TO close the doors OF the
Maison de Moere. This year repairs and redecora-
ton have been resolved on of so extensive KIM
that the performances must, IN any case, be IN
terrupted for some two months. No other stage
being available to this company, the Minister OF
Fine Arts has graciOusy given hls consent to their
proposed Journey to England. 1t was not wrung
from him. hear without many negotiations nor
without conditions. But, in fine, II was
obtained. and upon its official notihca-
ton the agreement between Mr.. Holiings-
head and NJ. Perrin became binding Ihat
the actors and actresses themselves made plenty OF
difficulties viii be understood without much ex-
planatlon. The company consists of soe6laires,
pensonuares and hired performers. each having
SEPARATE interests and being subject to different
laws II was no slight matter to reconcile all then
conflicting claims. The more famous actors had
many proposals for separate engagements The less
famous might have liked vacation during which
their salaries would have on. But trey did, IN
the end. all come 10 terms. Mr.. HOlling5head nm
dertook TO provide a theatre and part OF the
scenery, and to pay 81 900 q night to the company
for a Fixed number of representations in London.
NJ. Perm undertook in return that the whole COM
pany should be transferred bodily 10 England and
appear IN the plays agreed on.
So much settled. it might be supposed that Mr..
Holingshead's diplomatic troubles were at an end,
and that he had nothing more to do than get IN ms
subscriptions That very far from being the case.
COMPLICATIONS have sprung up almost weekly-sOme
trivial some grave. / will mention two only. IL
was arranged that the should open with The
Mlsauthrope and another piece OF Moliere, IN
neither of which does Mile. Sarah BernhaTdt ap-
pear. 1t Is Mile. Croizette, her rival, who plays
Ceimeae. and who thus seemed to acquire kind Of
nrecedence over Mile. Bernhardt. This was bad
enougb IN the view of the latter, but when it fur
Their appeared that Mile BernhaTdt was to make
her first appearance before an English pub
lie as Mrs. Cidrks0a in Dumas fills q" LEtran-
gere" she rebelled outright That was Ia role
which she had assumed out of good
trre tn make the cast Of NJ. Dumas's piece
peIfect 1t is by no means one which
gives fui display to her wonderful powers,
and she insisted that she ought not to be
asked to submit her reputation to English
Judgment in the acting of such part Last week
The dispute had reached such height that 1t was
even said that Nile Bernhardt had offered her
ignatlon as sOcI6taire, and that she would not
come to London at all. This week it is init
mated that some compromise has been effected.
What this admirable artist wishes is, TO appear first
in one OF those tragic parts which, alone since
Rachel she has made her own-ln Phefre, for
example. But she offered to play i'll anything
which should present her in her true character as
traaeiienne She has carried her point, as she
usually does being a lady not more remarkable for
dramatic genius than for force-her enemies say
wiltuness-Of character. 1t may be worth
while III passing to warn Americans against
Judging Bernhardt by what they may
read of her in the Figaro. That journal
has for years past applied itself TO the task OF be-
lifting Nile. BernhardPs talent, and OF presenting
her to the public of Paris In great variety OF
absurd attitudes One of its fav0rIte jeSts at her
expense turns upon her physical appearance When
she exhibited her first piece of portrait sculpture
the Salon a dialogue of this sort was published:
"Haye YOU seen Mile. Bernhardts bust ~ Mats.
mon ami, II ny a pas de quok" That years
ago but only yesterday you may read in the same
paper fragment of conversation as follows: " An
can pty carriage stops and who is it who steps out
Sarah Bernhardt." Pleasantries of this sort are
matters of taste but unjust judgments of artists
genius belong TO a different category
The second point touches money matters. The
nl,,i.i..rnti,o cnnncn of the CoIn6die Erancaisa