Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-25

select companies. The stranger, see.
ing that these few theaters in Paris
give finer and fuller performances Of
comedy than any theater in London
or New York, not unnaturally infers
that the whole stage of France is Just
so much better than the whole
stage of England or America.
Electrically speaking, Paris is France;
but New York is not the United
States. | doubt whether there
are better actors in France than in
the United States, although Paris
presents many mere than New York.
| doubt whether there are any actors
in France who, in their respective
lines, are more richly gifted or better
trained than Mr.. Joseph Jefferson, or
Mr. Lester Wallack, or Mr.. John
Mccullough, or Mr.. John Gilbert ;
although, on the other hand, we have
no NJ Got, no NJ. Coquelin, no NJ.
Delaunay. But NJ. Got and NJ.
Coquelin and NJ. Delaunay are all in
one theater, and at times are cast in
one play, and have for years been in
the habit of playing together; while
Mr.. Mccullough and Mr.. Jefferson
and Nh. Wallack often play a thous-
and miles apart. The French are not
cursed with the " star system they
will not tolerate a single planet set in
a fading cloud or star-dust. And thus
Capitalization and the habit of having
stock companies, combine to help
Paris to good playing, while the broad
extent and well-difused wealth of our
land unite with the star system to
prevent good players from massing
together here in New York. This is
the reason why We have here no thea
ter equal to the Gymnase or the
Vaudeville, not to mention the Come
die Rrancaise. This is the reason.
and not the lack of good actors.
II would doubtless be difficult. even
if possessed of a~utOcratie power. 10
gather from all the United States a
company better than the Comedie-
Franclise-better, that is. than the
male half Of that admirable assem-
blage Of picked comedians: the female
half, in spite Of several personalities
Of strange and pungent favor, is not
at all on the same artistic level. 1t
would certainly be impossible. in the
United States, to compose, Of-hand
and at once. a company which should
Immediately begin to work together as
smoothly as the traditions and re-
straints Of 200 years Of existence en-
able the comedians Of the Theater-
Francois TO work. But from the
theaters Of New York, from out of the
stock companies Of this one city. could
readily be chosen a company which,
after it should have time to get into
working order, would compare not
u%nfayorably with the 0deon the
junior Theater- Franeais-or with any
OF the better of the court theaters Of
the smaller German States.
Custom has created, in comedy and
drama, certain recognized classes of
character. An actor who devotes
himself to one line Of parts expects to
receive all the parts Of that line. In
a very full company there would be a
pair of leading men, a light come
dian" an "old man" a couple of "low
comedians, an actor of character. " or
eccentric parts, a heavy man, the
villain OF the piece-and a walking
gentleman There would be a pair
of leading ladies' a Juvenile lead"
an %"lngenue, a "chamber-maid. an
old woman, perhaps two. These
are the most important people which a
full and hrst-rate company would re-
quire. The Theater- Francois. Il NAV
be noted, has twenty-five associates.
each sharing in the profits aud PLAYING
the best parts in his or her line.
This classification is not right. Ii
often happens that, owing TO special
circumstances the "low comedian"
takes the part Of an old man or the
character actor is cast for a heavy
part No hard aud fast rules can be
laid down. All precedent yield before
the diversity Of talent exhibited by
the different actors holding tecbni.
cally the same rank and the same line
OF parts. in the Theatre Francais
NJ. Coquelin Is enc Of the low come.
dams but in the Etrangere of NJ
Dumas fills, NJ. Coquelin created the
part OF the Duke of Septmonts" the
aristocratic villain of the piece; anG
when the play was adapted to The
American stage the same rasoally
Duke" was played here by Mr.
Coghlan, the 'leading man of the
theater. And again, in the Fourch.
ambault Of M. Emile Angler, The
greatest success of the Exposition
year and an honest and hardy play
the two strongly contrasted and piv.
otal parts Of the piece are played By
NJ Got and NJ. Coquelin. Now. M,
tot and NJ. Coquelin are both techni.
cally low comedians :" they both act
or have acted, the intriguing serving.
men OF Moliere's comedians tbc
Wallets de Moliere, as the parts arc
called; and these were The mart,
Moliere wrote for himself. and ~ nlaI
them in Moliere's own house IL M
small homer. Indeed, one we'll known
French actor is said to have refused
an engagement at the Theatre Fran
Gals, because he did not wish 10 ente,
a fhauvn uhapo Tho ,,oIoA