Morning journal and courier., 1884-11-12

estinG, Wonderful. and GorgeOu
 Performances - A Triumph of Inge
 nuity and SpIendor.
 PARIS, Oct. 3. l To the Editor of the JOURNAL. AND COURIER ) do not remember having seen descrir | tion of frst-class Parisian spectacular pla
 for good while, and perhaps none at al
 that was shorn of inc technical illumination
 of our infallible critics. Having had an op
 portunity to see the perfection of this line o
 amusement in Paris it has occurred t.
 me to tell, in the homely language that ad
 dresses itself to the masses of readers, wha
 1t was that I saw. 1 am not familiar witt
 the best work of the Kiralfy Brothers, but
 am sure that it is, in the nature of things
 impossible for them to more than equal thi
 French ''spectacular."
 I read the billboard that '"Poule au1
 oeufs dor" was having long run at tn,
 Theater du Chatelet. I did not stop to lear1
 what the title meant, or get any synopsis o
 the piece in English. ''Oeufs" meant eggs
 I knew that, and would trust to my eyes tc interpret the rest. Of course, in the first place, could not really get the run of the
 islander thread of fairy plot, and of course ir
 the second place, can only single out few | of the more striking features of the perfor-
 nance now from the chaotic throng of mem | ories which it has left with me. If inter pret amiss, the critics may indulge in superior i smiles without seriously interfering as l trust, with the interest of those common 1 place readers who have a curiosity to know what they would have seen had they gone to | the Chatelet just as I, a helpless stranger
 did.
 1 The bills further announced that there were three acts, a prologue, grand diver l tisement, two apotheoses, and 2S tableaux The Theater du Chatelet is the home of French spectacular drama. It is altogether the largest theater in Paris, seating between 5, 900 and 3, 300 persons--estimates differ. There are only four galleries, but they are very ca pacious, and the lower one has liberal border-balcony in the front of it. As seeing is more than hearing, the galleries have been good view of the stage, and there are no pri- vate boxes. The stage is almost if not quite as vast as the theater itself. Inside and out the electric light is used, although gas is em- ployed to some extent also.
 Although the piece had been running for several weeks, the great theater was packed from top to bottom. The first scene or two were tame, introducing four or five jolly peasant boys to the audience. Then came the scene representing 8 monster black hen setting in a basket, with other baskets of eggs around her-one for each of the peasants lar bonanzas, for they had but to be thrown upon the floor, and the greatest miracles would take place. The peasant youths found the eggs and began experimenting One threw an egg to the floor, and suddenly his entire suit of clothes was gone, and he was gloriously arrayed prince. At the same instant band of singing fairies appeared to escort him from the stage Another tried his luck The transformation was equally com plete and train of Indian coolies appeared with gorgeous sedan chair, in which he was borne away. A third was no less successful, and rode from the stage on an elephants back amidst an oriental pageant.
 Each egg was loaded with mild torpedo, so that it's destruction was attended by slight explosion. By careful watching was able to discover that the peasant clothes were removed and pulled down through the 6Gor, even long stockings being thus re- moved; but it was all accomplished in about the time consumed by ordinary wink, and I could not detect tita opening of the floor. The act contained some pretty music, especially after the old hen got off her nest and began stretching herself. Then the hen marched off from the stage, followed by a long procession of chicks, (very small boys) just emerging from gilded eggs.
 The barn-yard scenery now folded itself out from sight, displaying the full stage mag nifcently set as court scene, with peacock throne and all the gorgeous paraphernalia of Indian royality. All the lights in the audi torium were turned off, and the whole stage was made intolerably brilliant by means of electric lights. Six powerful focus lamps from the footlight row, and scores of hidden electric headlights above and on all sides of the stage concentrated their dazzling illumin- ation upon the scene. The prince and prin- cess took their seats, magnifcently robed and escorted by an immense retinue of royal ladies and noblemen in full dress. Bands of music lent melody to the occasion, and scores of superbly dressed supernumererles fianked the stage on all sides Then the transformed peasants came in successfully with their splendid retinues and sued in song for the hand of the princess-as I took it. The lat ter was very susceptible and wanted to ac- cept all, but the fussy old prince to whom she was tied seriously disapproved the pro ceedings. Her goneness, his eccentricity, and the overtUres of the rival lovers were taken advantage of for the introduction of some very coInical though highly impos- sible situations
 But the climax of the scene was the en- trance of long procession of animals, which were successively introduced in song by the leader. There were representatives of almost every prominent geological branch that is found in well-equipped menagerie. There were choruses in which all these animals joined at the same time dancing in their various places. There were white polar bears, crocodiIes, kangaroos, long tailed blackbirds, tigers, lions, deers, whales, sharks, swans, doves, large fish, frogs, lizards, etc., ad infnitum. The movement of the various jaws, peaks. shouts, and probocises in the choral parts was excruciatingly funny.
 At length the curtain fell, and the vast aggregation of glitter and glamor disap- peared. A moment later and the curtain rose, showing palatial apartment. One of the transformed peasants entered and seated himself on one handsome sofa at one side of the stage. No. entered, and called for seat as he threw down an egg, and the sofa slipped out from No. 1, to glide over behind him. No then threw down an egg, and the sofa divided, half remaining where it was and half coming to him. No. entered, threw dawn an egg, and then seated him self on the two halves of the sofa. which had at once gravitated to the middle and united behind him. Then arose an absurd emulation and controversy among the three, simply as an excuse to introduce some marvellous scenic changes. One threw down an egg, and dozen sections of the room walls reYolved instantaneously, com pletely changing the appearance of things. Another was dissatisfied, tossed down his egg, and an equally radical change took place. The third wanted something still different and accomplished a similar remarkable change. In quick succession boudoirs, illu- minated palaces, woodland scenes and ele- gant salons followed, illustrating the perfec- tion to which stage machinery may be car ried.
 Only once did a single small section delay in the matter of revolving, and then but for a minute. Finally each appeared to be satis- fed, and then in came the princess, having eluded her old fogy companion. More egg breaking followed by way of competition for the fair ones hand, and more strange things occurred, of which I cannot remember the half now. Once mass of golden balls en- tered by one door, wandered across the stage and passed out at another door, escaping from the actors who had at once pursued it. Then the princess tried her hand at the egg experiment and instantly all her fnery van ished. She was now merely frowsy cham bermaid with duster at her waist, and the aforesaid old fogy ife-partner scarcely recog- nized her when he appeared on the scene.
 The act closed with a grand transforma- ton, again showing an illinlitable stage set with tropic glories of architecture and vege- tation. In the extreme background was grand double staircase, down which there presently came a rush of green and red tights and costumes of every imaginable variety. The males were in red with bat-like wings