New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-09
THE DRAMA.
PALMER'S THEATRE-COoUELIy

more but Palmers Theatre reigns In its stead, and
the duty Of the hour Is to welcome the new house
May It have noble career and a superb renoyn.
worthy OF It's traditions and commensurate with ths
aspiration and the augmented facilities OF tho agsi
With mr. Albert NJ Palmers labors and achievements
the American public IS entirely and gladly familiar lie
long ago gained their sympathy and respect HE
name has long been guarantee Of excellence In
theatrical enterprise. When the old order changes
as change II must-it is always we'll for the community
that an ancient and settled Institution should pass
into the Of experienced, prudent and Trustworthy
hands A great theatre Is not shop; It Is public
teacher and public guide. Mr. Palmer nhers grea,
trust aud everybody who appreciate the present
situation IN dramatic affairs should be glad to feel
that PaImers Theatre Is under the control OF
complished sagacous, and versatile leader. No one
can doubt that II will be made and maintained vins
Institution OF to-day representative OF the tastes and
feelings OF the passing hour, popular with all classes.
and yet harmonious with the intellectual drift Of
time Every friend Of the stage, accordingly, viii
re-echo this greeting 10 the new house. Prosperity
and honor be upon IT, pleasure within IT'S walls and
pure thought and gentle feeling In every influence
that its works NAV diGusel Upon the dead and gone
past let fall the laurel Of homage and the lilies o.
peace. For the new age let the red roses bloom
and the lights sparkle and the trumpet sound. Lons
live the Kingi
Palmer's Theatre opened last night under elf
Every seat In It was occupied every place Of pros
poet ihronged. finer audience, whether In quality
numbers, has seldom been assembled within is
limits. The mind, the wealth, the beauty, the fash
ion Of the city all represented in this eager and
kindly multitude. II is Characteristic of the Amer
lean community that is always wishes success to Q
new enterprise and always gives hearty and
cheerful welcome TO the stranger Many persons
attended to greet Mr.. Palmer and to wish him
Codspeed; many to greet Mr.. Coqueln and bis
associates Of the French stage and to assure them
that New-York is cosmopolitan city and that there
is prejudice or hostility here against foreign an
fists many to please their taste for French acting
and crafty their natural curiosity with reference 10
distinguished public man. The soft lights, the
rich dresses, the music the perfumed air, the joy.
Gus excitement OF the crowd and the pcrvading fes
tival tone Of this occasion made up scene Of I'M
common and delightful animation, much enjoyed
while It was passing and long 10 be remembered.
Mr. Coquein, upon his first entrance, was applauded
and checred with vociferous enthusiasm, and down to
the fall OF the last curtain he must have felt that
he was acting In the presence Of thoroughly appre-
ciave and sympathetic friends. Miss Hadng did MOI
appear, but from one Of the boxes she watched the
triumph OF her distinguished associate, and, no
doubt, reoIced In his talent and good fortune. The
subsidiary actors cooperating with Mr. Coquelin,
had their due share of the kindly public welcome
The stage was better lit and more tastefully en-
In all respects the night one Of pleasure, and
this inaugural must be recorded as exceptionally
pleasing and suspicious
Mr.. Pamer's first at the new house VIII
necessarily be devoted to the fulflment Of star
tracts that mostly were existent when he took tha
theatre. Mr.. CoQuelin, Miss FIading Miss Mary
Anderson Mrs. Potter, sgnor savini and other favo-
rite players are TO fill up the time for more than
year. Not till November 4, 1882 will Palmer's
Theatre be occupied by stock company 1t might
we'll be wished that this wise and able manager had
been able to begin IN accordance with his own vel
tried and thoroughly vindcaed policy, and TO pre-
figure at the outset the method of his projected en-
terprise. But Rome not built In a day. and
since for twelve months the public is TO see star
combinations 1t IS refreshing 10 observe that they
have been chosen from among the best In the world
comedy upon the French stage has been developed
and cultivated TO its utmost extent and comedy a.
by Mr. Coquelin and Miss Hadng may
well impress the public mind as matter not less
for serious thought than for cordial enjoyment
There Is deuson, however, long widely preva
ent on this subject. which ought to be discarded
the belief namely, that whatever is French In dra-
matte art is necessarily superior to everything elsc
a greater mistake could not be made, one tina.
indicates a more superficial view Of the fact France
has dramatic literature compared TO that Of Eng
and and the French stage has produced only two
lctors-Rachel and Frederick Lemaire-who can
justly be named any the peers of Garrfck,
Edmund Kcan, Mrs. Siddons, Henry Irving and Ed
win Booth. TIC French temperament is mercuraI
md exctable; the French mind Is exceedingly ingen
Gus, and French actors usually and naturally
succeed delightfully."- we'll in expressing ST.
perfcial aspects of character, feeling manners,
md everyday LIFE. But when the deep springs Of
emotion are to be stirred, when the foundations OF
pirtual being are broken up and the human soul
lows into the forms of artistic expression, the more
Of tba p1Il-
ace greatly exces and has indeed gained most of the
great victories recorded In the history of the stage.
such acting that Of AIr. Coqueln-who was seen
asst ght in Les Precieuses Rdicules" and " La
oie Fait eur,"-pleasng and most enjoyable ought
o teach a sautary lesson upon this theme, at least
o those observers who care for a sane view of the
lrama These plays are well known here, and they
equlre no present description. translation of the
ormer was offered last season at the Iyceum, and
he latter has been widely and sufficiently Interpreted
through the medium OF Mr.. Boucicaults piece called
kerry"-in which that metallic and aborous actor,
Notwithstanding his hard, souliess and unsympathetc
temperament, obtained a conspicuous success largely
ue to the power of the dramatic situation. Molieres
lay is sldt upon afectation, neither cogent in its
moral reproof pungent in its satire, but brisk and
Ieezy in spirit and expressed In a style of fecitous
vacity. The pivot Of La Joe Fait Peur' is tho
ero-comc pcrpexty of affect onate, eccentric old
ervant, who must break to grief stricken mother
he good but dangerous news mat her son Is living
,hom she supposes to be dead. In the first piece
IT. CoQuelin enacted Mascarille, the valet, attired
) a gentleman, who is imposed upon the society
two vaid girls, in order to Icbuke their folly and
um late their silly pride In the last piece he
ctcd Noel, the loving, tremulous, and
luch perurbed old servant. In both his mastery
( technical method was shown to DO
nat Of great talent and ripe experience
Mr. Coquen is representative French comedian.
nd wherever dramatic affairs studied his fame has
ng been established. But Mr.. CoQuein is not tho
rs of French actors, nor is there any reason why
fought should turn TO enthusiasm in the contempla-
on Of his works. lie IS not, for example, either
lie In nature, so various In capacity, noble In
resence, 80 high in art, or 80 intcrcng IN character
his cOmpeer, Mr. Got, while In Imagination,
plrualty and poetic senslbility his acting does not
ppoXimate to the standard represented by that of
r. Jefferson. This IS not said In the petty spirit
{ comparison always stupid and prodtless-bui with
sole and simple View TO definition Mr.. Coqnelins
rusc personality appears to be what In his own
lunlry would be dennmlnalnd hnurgen.s. Ills level