Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-10-28
What he Thinks OF the Actors in
France and England.

Paris cor. Philadelphia Telegraph
Mr.. and Mrs. Edwin Booth and
Miss Booth have left Paris for Lon
don, where they have engaged rooms
at the Sc. James hotel, on piccadilly.
A day or two after their departure
they went out to see the annual fair at
st. Cloud, which is now in progress.
Mr.. Booth was greatly interested in
all hal be saw, and was particularly
amused with the temporary theaters.
with the actors Iarading in front 10
their stage costumes, while the clown
beats a big drum TO attract the public.
He hailed the strolling players as his
colleagues, aud declared that be was
charmed to have thus witnessed
a scene Of which he had SO often read.
and which illustrated so strikingly the
early days Of the drama. The day be
fore Mr.. Booth left Paris he met the
elder Coquelin by appointment in my
drawiDg-room, for, as Booth can speak
but little French, and COquelin but
little English, it was necessary for
s)me one to be on hand to act as in.
,erpreter. Mr.. Booth was SO very en-
thusiastic over the acting OF Coquelin
in "L'Ayenturiere" that he could not
bear to leave Paris without being pre-.
sented to him. On the other hand.
Coquelin was equally anxious TO meet
the most distinguished Of American
actors, and 30 the matter was easily ar
ranged. The interview was exceed
ingly interesting, not oaly to the par
Elephants, but to myselfas a bystander.
The two great actors might have sat
for a personifcation of tragedy and
comedy-Coquelin, bland, close shay
en-, with close-crOpped brown hair.
twinkling eyes, eocked-up nose, and
round, jolly.looking face, and
Booth, dark, grave, Spanish
looking, with his wonderful
melancholy eyes, finely cut
features, and jet-biack hair, lust
touched with gray. Ny office as In.
terpreter was well-nigh a s%inecure. as
the two eked out their scanty words
with such expressive gestures and
swift changes Of facial expression that
language seemed almost s~uperhuous.
Booth pleased Coquelin grealy by *.
pressing a strong desire to act with
him as he formerly did with Bopu
mil, Dawson and Janauschek. the
foreign artists, Of course, playing in
their own language. On refer
ence being made Ia "Othello.p
Coquelin declared that he did not
much admire the character of the
Moor, Che was too bete, he said. but
that he desired above all things TO
play lago. "0thello is a foo" he re-
marked, where's Iago is the very
incarnation Of intellect" "Then,"
replied Booth, "if ever you come TO
America, NJ. Coquelin, | will play
9th llo to your lago with all the
pleasure in the world" To this prop
osition the great French actor assent
ed warmly. SO it is not impossible
that in a few years time the playgoing
public Of New York will be afforded
this novel dramatic treat. Coduelin
tells me that he has definitely relin-
quished all idea Of playing Triboulet
in lie Rois Amuse.' "The public. "
he said, have gotten into their heads
so exalted an idea Of the character
and OF the manner in which il should
be personated that the genius Of the
greatest actor that ever breathcd
would not suffice TO Gil out their ideal.
Moreover, the strain upon the per-
former is too terrible. In the last