New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-16
MRS. M'AULEY IN "FRANCILLON"

The return Of Mrs Rachel McAuley to the New
York stage may perhaps be public boon; but, as
accomplished yesterday afternoon at Pamers Theatre
in Mr. Alexandra Dumass nasty play Of Francillon,'
IL had all the seeming of public disgrace. Mrs
Rachel McAuley formerly Miss Rachel john
son. and she is remembered as having been a good
leading lady in a stock company. That indeed was
some time ago. Mrs. McAuey, however remains
now what she was then-an actress Of ordinary and
usual faculties and of conventional equipment This
she could not help, and this is wholly inofensive
Nobody will blame Mrs. McAuley for not being
genius That disability is almost universal in her
much over praised profession But Mrs McAuley has
arrived at years of discretion She was at liberty to
choose. And at least she might have afforded to her
friends twho very numerous yesterday In Paners
Theatre and very liberal Of senseless paudits anG
untmey bouquets) opportunity Of admiring her
talents and praisng her endeavors In decent play
She deliberately elected to bring forward Of the
most rancid and obnoxious pieces that have ever dis
graced the stage. For that proceeding Mrs McAuley
can expect nothing but and is quite within
tho limit of possibility that this is all she did
pect, and that this has been relied upon TO float the
enterprise. The acting of Mrs. McAuley, at any
rate would never suffice to float this enterprise any
other
Few words are better than many in speaking of
this unpleasant subject. The proposition that is
advanced In this salubrfous drama concerns itself
with adultery. "Francillon" means If it means any
thing that wife who convinced that her husband
is unfaithfui to her should thereupon seek
amour. and be unfathful 10 him. Clarlsse as en-
acted by Mrs McAuley, announces this doctrine In
act first states that she has pactised it in act sec
ond and IS duped into a denial of her own infamy
in act third and this doctrine is freely discussed by
herself husband her relatives and her friends, in
every division Of the piece. 1t Is needless. and 1t
would he offensive, TO so into details The truth can
be told without the dissection Of oarrion. FTanclon
is not only obnoxious to good taste, but it Is an
nHe against Oubc morals and public decency.
The stage has no right TO obtrude such topic upon
public attention. In every point OF view the In
Gnence Of the piece-and Of all such pieces-is I'M
wholesome. The statement that because husband
sins it is therefore justice that wife should sin is
the most monsrous sophstry that could possibly be
invented The inquity, in both cases Of wrong
doing, is the and IL is great; but
the conditions not the same-because women
bear children and men do not; and the entire
fabric the sanctty Of life to say nothing OF that OF
society," rests on the virtue Of women. 1t is equally
false and foolish, furthermore, to assume. as Mr..
Dumas assumes In this play that any considerable
number OF men assert the right Of incotnenoe in
the married state justify themselves In their
evil when they do it, Such plays as Francillon' &C
oomplsh nothing beyond the specious exhibiuon OF
fraudulent doctrines tending to confuse moral per-
eeption and unsettle moral principles in weak minds
In Mrs McAuley's version-whch is a botched and
mangled translation-the whole thing is turned into
rdicule at the by declaration that both husband
and wife are entirely innocent and that all the fuss has
been ahout nothing In other words audience IS IN
yited 10 assemble and consider Of the hltfiest
subjects that could suggested merely that they NAV
AK themselves what Ii would be right 10 do In given
set of Indecent circumstances Inc enect Oh inc pei
formanoe was that of nausea. Mrs. McAuley, as tle
wife exerted her respectable talents In business Ike
vay and indicated the resources Of an old stager Inc
hard bitter yndctve sarcastic mood OF Clarlsse was
VEL on sed by her-much better expressed than the
redeeminc idea Of sweet, good woman driven into
mad debsuchery by injustice and neglect woman
who would choose TO produce such d piece, however,
would naturally excel In presenting the harsher aspect
Of such a character; because she would MINK ~
s-on and would be attracted To IL by this notion OF
an OPPORTUNITY for strong expression. To the fright
ful tempest Of feeling into which woman woula
her own differentiation as a prostitute she proved
wholly uncqual-as also did MI. Plympton, VINO re-
maine6 as cold as a clam. But TO the credit OF thls
fne actor let il be said that he kept the husband
gentleman and sustained air OF refinement Lrou8h
All The foulness OF the most oathsome piece that has
ever been inflicted upon q patient community.