The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-13

realizing what NJ Edmond About once
STYLED ''Le Theatre Impossible" by mount
ing a series Of plays, the productions of
known or unknown authors who had failed
10 secure hearing on the regular stage
lola Edmond dc Goncourt, Count de
Tilliers de pIsle-Adam. Henry Greville,
Theodore de Banville, Francois Coppee,
Catulle Mendez and Emile Bergerat-
iban'' OF The Fig2ro-agreed to contribute
TO the repertOry, which was also to include
Enacted works by Victor Hugo and Jules
Wales.
The undertaking, it will be seen, was Of
n new sort. It was financed by a hundred
subscribers Of 500 each, who, as foundation
members, had the right Of entry, not only
TO performances, but at reheGrsals The
amount thus collected was only $1,000, but
the man at the head of the business, NJ.
Antoine, was an ardent believer in his new
scheme
At first the representations were strictly
private. none but the founders and a few
guests invited by the infringement being
present at each of the eight annual per-
formances, which took place in a small
theatre in the Passage des Beaux Arts,
near the Place PIgalle, at MOntmartre.
This little stage. which was rented by NJ.
Antoine, is the place where for many years
past impressaTi usually rehearse the plays
set down on their programme before start
ing on starring tours through the French
provinces. Most of our great Paris artistes
have trod its we'll known boards
In November, 1887, the management
transferred its company to a larger stage,
1T a house formerly known as the Theatre
Montparnasse. Here among the best pre-
miereS given were a one act comedy In
verse by Theodore de Banville, entitled
'The Kiss" which has since been taken up
AT the Coincide Franchise, and a tragico-
Durlesque play, the ''Wife of Tabariu,
by CatUlle Nendes. Subsequent perform
anccs included a one act drama adapted
from Zola's "Capitaine Burle" by NJ.
Henri Ceard, entitled "All for Honor"
Esther Brandes," by M Leon HenniQue,
and a three act play by N Jean Julien,
entitled ''The Scrcnade." Pubhc'attention
was soon aroused by the production of 50
many good things which managers of the
larger theatres had returned to their
authors as unfit for bringing out on their
boards, and NJ. Antoines venture proved a
decided success.
About this time Marie Laurent the re-
nowned coTnedienne, created at thetFheatre
I-ibre the chief part in powerful drama
bv Leo Toistoi, 1.-The Power of Darkness"
which had been translated into French by
q Russian. This plc.y, like most of those
which preceded it, Belongs to the realistic,
naturalist school But the crudeness of
the Language put into the mouths of the
personages is in this instance perhaps
more startling than on any provions ocUa
sion The picture of Russian life is doubt
less as accurate Us Zola's account of coun-
try life in France, and Just as sickening.
But this YES the first time that the textual
reproduction of such locution had been
Ventured or in public
And herein hes more especially the nov
city Of II. AntOiae's enterprise. The stage
of rde Theatre LiiCe is a modern one in ev-
cry sense Of the term. The actors and act
roses dernean themselves with a natural
ness Of manner that is rSrety, indeed, mot
with in a regular theatre. There is no
striving after elect among them, and the
result achieved is all che greater on that
3lccOr1t There are no coBveutionalities
10 be observed either IN word or gesture.
The oorlpEuy Is trained TO act aDd speak as
people speak or act, o. IL they are supposed
so TO do in real life. 4 spade IL spade
throughout, and if ysu don't like to hear
things called by their names you have
your own SELF TO blame for going 10 aplace
where bluptness Is ths prevailing rule.
Nor caG = g SGS5 -.2::c tlcre IS any dis
play Of luxury in she stags nlOuntings. 1t
looks in fact. much as play might do in
some amateur performance got up hastily
in a private house, with good light OF