New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-01-03
THE THEATRES OF PARIS.

CURSED WITH POOR PLAYS AND SHALLOW
PLAYERS.
IRON TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF rng rRrRUygl
PARIS December II.
What in tho worl, would become OF stars OF the
Paris stage were it not Tor American While Sarah
Bernhard,, fheo Judic, and ether notable dramatic
artists were filing crooks with gold the other
side OF the Atlantic, the theatres here were drift
ing toward bankruptcy Whyf Because man
ayers only mnistered to the lust of the eye aud tho
pride Of life. and after temporary success wem
taught he Wholesome lesson that the Devil is q
hard taskmastcr and scurvy fellow when he is
asked TO pay his tempting promises. However. mono
o. them like to confess that they went on a wrong
tack. iai5 week there has been sJleMln manage
rial meeting, at which most of the playhouses
from the Francois down were represented. Not ono
of those present said his mea culpd. The billet de
iarcur CT tree pass the scapcgolt chosen 20 bear
the sins Of managers into the Wilderness. One
might conclude from tue reports Of the proceedings
Which have reached me that theatres IN Paris are
ONLY run by men really as gpod-natured and philan-
thrOyIc as moneyendcrs of the cont per cent class
sc up to be- They are hablraaly beset by influeD-
tai and other people tho first of whom are eager
TO witness every premiere representation, end the
last to spend their evenings IN theatres
without. however, paying ont OF then
pnrse. for doing So How refue such beggars for
spectacular amusementsi Deputies Senator'S. Cab-
net Ministers, presidents of great clubs, diStTn-
guished clublncn, and the wives OF all these
pcrsonages Tor il may be their mistressesl would
resent not being placed the frclst Of the upper
class theatrcs. Wheu they 10 noS use the tickets
sent them they give them away first repre-
sanitation Is simply u meeting of fashionable and
no cv0rty people, and 50 far as the ladies who at
tend Il co. q clothes show. Tho interest is
not in tho play. but in seeing who Is
in the boxes and, between ths acts,
in the gossip of the crush-ioom. ILero
is some truth in this. But nobody
not even Fronch theatrical manager nor dramatic
! author can advertise for nothing. And II Is an
advertisement 20 declare TO the world tat scent
magnatcs. who have a wide range OF pleasures at
their disposal, spent whole evening in seeing
play launched As to the passe'. they arc very few
when n piece takes" If hey did not exist maD-
ayers would havo to invent them. Actors and
| actre,;es cannot play to empty houses They wei
come nor-paying public when the paying Pablo
| kocps away
What the danger Of bankruptcy arises from is in
the frs; instance Tie system OF puhery INTO w1ch
! managers have fallen. THIS system has placed
| thcm at the mercy Of the "puiIsts"
! wno have formed syndicate to mn
| pose their own plays and ther IavOrte actors
| and actresses on the different non-subYentloned
! theatres. I he su5voUhoued ones we're the FRAN
| cais O icon and Chateet, which last Is the poop
erty of the City of Paris. The second great cause
! is the rage FOR magnificent scenic decorations 40
! harnonize wilh the sumptuarv spicndor Of tho
| aetr,sses The belongings Of these ladies cost the
manager hardly anything Thoy ara the proc'ci
| Of The sao at beauty to plutocra;lc hca i'lfc3.
Nobody WAS wOtSa sinner thdD the rae VI. F1rdu
of the Francas in condemring Beauty
| 20 the embraces of the Beast, as the
| sad theatrical career OF Jnia Fcyghpe
nrnvad Gambetta said 10 me afer no
had oeon about eighteen months at the Petit Hodr-
hon, "Thares nothing tila; il 80 soon exhausted ~
! capacity :or any sort OF material cnJ)FHeit.
have got 80 tounnghly 10 this rs 10 N'n oc how
a1y airy rich nan can want To be a miihooaire.
The pleasures arising from the hear, aud Gicliectao
infinite and tho more yon taste them the no'c your
capacity TO caj1y them Increases' We'll, there has
| been Iit;lc iuiccctual pleasure 0no.tei ut any
| Paris piayhensc for number of years. nave
long come 10 tho lclusion that. unless when very
| exceptional dramas are brought ouj, IN "NeTihs
| soeat IN A Paris theatre rs an evening thrown
AWAY When n great literary work IS brcught upon
the stage the actors and actresses are bic 10 90
i; Justice. Their Intellectual capacity mas been
! .rIttercd away in rendering hnIsy and often
worthless pieces imposed on the Boulevard theatres
| by the "pufist@" and on the FrancA' by the taste
4,
fornances never saw a worse failure than that
| gran,llosc work of Victor Hugo, lie Roi Amuse"
| Yet the PERFECTION of scenic art was attained by
the stuge decorator. But the capacity 10 enter INTO
the uoets brain wanting ~ all the performers
| save the ore who Tepr, scntcd tie come > F@'"":
IL cost Il mint Oh money 10 produce the tioieahS OK
| old Parls and Notrc Dame and the tGnu'!eratorn
and binding ram IN tie tJurtn ACT We're itI.'uV III
their realism. Yet tho masterpiece to WuIIn .hey
| SeIyoi rs accessories was source oi HtdNF ioSs:
The abuse OF costly dresses aud'O 'Scor@ttOns
to harmonic with them has had the Greet OF
keeping UP the prices of admission. QUO H'1sl 10
Te.IIv we'll of TO 20 often 10 n theatre in Paris,
and one must have tine health 10 stand the p2I
| ventilation and tie rapid changes from no. ana
close temperature u a chilling one. The Only
WAY 10 prevent suiOcatIon WHOM tho house ~
crowded is to opcn the doors; Cold ar ttsn
without disturbing about score OF persons.
Oarruses poster ySu TO taSe Posse'S woaden
foostooIs under the feet OF ladies' ih1ir Services
aremereonaIy and II theN are rejected lheHr "plnen
become insoent. he morality OF me st'gs DoInS
low there u no reason why il should be prsieIrsd
TO the cafe concert, whore there Is oiten capl'al
singing. aud always low comedy Oh aslorisp.'tuins
kind Theresa Is n oafe-Goncert diva ahd ," was
Judic in the ear phase of her career r'ineinper
seelng ncr Ut the Edorado attIred az Calaorlan
Sbepherd and SINGING pastoral song 10 the acco,i
panitnent OF a flute and pandean pipes The Gale
concert pic.9 are low. IL IS Impossible iot 'hoaie'
run existing lines TO compete WIN tncn, .,is
| D'Epnery ~ one Of the few who understand tnls.
His nIavs are rot of the highest KIND oi dramatic
Literature Bat they are sensational IN COOL way
aud appeal 10 honest and tender hearts Nor does
il cost nlucb TO mount them. TIC scenery OF Les
iIan1 oruLsl,nesn ONLY absorbed few hundred
francs 10 draw wealthy people to tie dearest
| uaces the star system has been resortca TO- b,tc
# is nearly worn out. Sarah Bernhard, at the
| Porte St. Martin, no longer PAYS. II she had not
galvanized her reputation abroad she Won d now
DO nowhere. Mile. Brands sad few evenings aSo
"a not oniy playing 10 Paris, but to London aad
| New-York Jane Hading does likewise. 10 u !
matter of regret that French dramatic authors ana
| artists have England aad America 20 IAN Dac! k
upon Ii they had not they would reform tnois
ways, and payhouscs would De ran on oGSan ,rs
/ nu1c,nles. What managers say aoout the ccsIa
bty OF aboishlnq press tickets - arrant nonse1se,
For my part would rather pay for nv place IN .no
pit than be forced 10 run after s,asJ nhears,i