New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-15
SARDOC'S FORBIDDEN PLAY.
THE CONTROVERSY OVER "THERMIDoR'-
ANALYSIS OF THE DRAMA.
Paris. January 30.

NJ Sardou's interdicted play of "Ihermidof'
written Twenty-Five years ago, and then judged
too Revolutionary be licensed for the stage
is now the best advertised work of the KIND that
over was acted in Paris theatre. II was near
provoking riot and did provoke hentihe IN 'he
Froncais Theatre. where it was brought out' ana
in the purlieus of that playhouse YESTERDAY It's
Introduction was the cause of a debate III whlch
,be Ministry WAS threatened with function OF the
Opportunsts the Centre and the klgh' ana was
saved from defeat by VI. Clemenceau, who never
in the course Of his brilliant career as an orator
was more effective Seven out Of the eleven mem
hers Of the Cabinet went to the House OF deputies
to throw themselves into the breach.
All the members Of the Francois Company went
IN hear the debate.
NJ Clrmcnceau. who has been keeping silence
for eighteen months, did not mean 10 speak. But
finding that his Lieutenant NJ Pichon. in the
midst Of the clamor of Right and Opportunist
Noderates coud not obtain hearing. mounted
himself TO the tribune The French are always
moved by their artistic instinct to hear great
orator however dstasteful his views may be TO
them He brushed away the hypocritical cob
webs with which most Of the orators hostile 10
Introduction covered their intent to upset the
Ministry and form one less advanced IN ITS Re
nublicanism. He denied that the Revolution was
a thing to be taken peccmeal. Il had TO be taken
as a whole and looked upon the greatest move
mcnt of human liberation the world ever wit
messed. As 10 lie laws Of exception. they were
more than justified by the danger in which France
stood Of annihilation If "Thermidor' had
caused 50 much excitement. it was because the
great French Revolution is not ended. 1t still
goes on, and the Chamber Of Deputies is an actor
in it, lis servants find. sill face 10 face with
IL. hat tln o. of
present day Republicans wanted :heir sons still
demand. 40 party has changed the struggle for
being.
The Prime Minister. too had been braced up, as
by an electric current and lie claimed for the
Government the right 10 bc the depository of the
c0nqucSts of the Revolution. ard to I've determined
to defend them. \ great majority voted conf
dcncc in the Government. and the play is To
remain ntcrdicted, thus causing a loss of 100000
francs to the Francois, which looked forward to n
great run.
am not sure that the run would have been
longer than that Of Cleopatra" which, after IT
ceased 70 be a novelty. ceased to fetch the public
and was beginning to spell bankruptcy Their
midor" is poor play, with more narrative and
TRADES than action. Nor is W. Sardou equal TO
his old reputation a stage manager. The
GREAT attractive power for the RcactioniStS was
lis anti-Reyolutionary and pro-Catholic anmus
W. Sardou catches none Of the grandeur Of the
Revolutionary vices He only sees the cXccsscs
and he looks at them with tie magnifylns lens
of W. 1ainc
There Is no more moderate Republican than W.
Caruot one of his very near relatives told me
that he thought VI Sardou's play libel on the
-rondcst cpopcr in French history. and. in short,
abo!ninablc. He was for letting it hc played
lccausc ~ he said am for liberty IN every
form" Bat he would not 20 H. s." II acted
Tie plot in "Thcrmdor' will fit into nut
shell, if closely analyIcd. Martial linson'
soldier. who has become a raior in the wars.
come, back to present hag, taken from the enemy
10 the Convention. and profits hy the opportunity
10 seek ont a sweetheart Mic Fahricnnc lr Cou!
trcuN Ia convcnt-hrcd daughter of dciunct
Vcndcanl of whom lie has lost sight. lie meet"
| her lust rs she is on the eve OF being pursued
by the myrmidons Of Robespicrir, taken. and
sentenced 70 death He and his old friend
! Iabussicrr an cX-actOr at MnrcuIIs Theatre. IN
the Rae St Antoine. and present c.rrA OF the
! Committee Of Public Safety, Try to save hcT, but
| fail. While trying and falling. the Major loses
! his life. 50 that his spirit may hc supposed 10y
| the youne lady ian ardent Catholic 10 20 with
her as an invisible guardian angel 10 tie scaIoid
| On this himsy Groundwork there Is much varied
continuance amusing or interesting or exciting or
sturirs, or bctimcs, fiat and wcariNomc.
Marilal had seen on his way from FlcnruS
| T. the convention sitting at Tuilcri'S Palace, IN
| a barge laundry ON tho Seine, young laundrcss,
! who in the distance struck him rs being like
! Fabricrre He. therefore, comes next morning +"
the suburb OF Ivry where this barge Is moored.
! ON the river bank he cSPic, TWO anglers with has
l;ctS--a youn, Ican Coquen, the great Coquc-
! Inns son. and a midllr-agcd one tCoquein him
| 10 a. 81,
INTO the water rs bread is thrown to carps in fish
ponds They asc at first scared, but IAbusserc,
| the elder Of the two anglers, recognizes in the
Major an old friend. They talk about the events
Of which Paris has been the theatre, and the clerk
! Of the Committee Of Public Safety who is simply
getting rid Of political prisoners records, which
hc hrst reduced almost to pulp in his wash-hand
| basin, throws hidcouS sdc-liehls upon the Gov
| crnmcnt. Labussicrc is a thoroughly good fellow
hates carna.c spc.ns Of the Revolution directing
all its fury against charitable ladies, old noble
men Of 81, sanity priests, celestial nun, and in
noccnt servants attached to arisiocratic cy-masrcr,
and miStrcsscs. lie has had painful awalng
from his splendid dreams AZ the opening Of the
National Assembly 11s9 and the Tcic Of the
| Federation U762i; the streets are 50 saturated
with core that even the horses start back in horror
at It's stencil. Potatoes are planted in the Palace
| gardens, cabna2cS in the Champs EyScr,. which
are den Of hrigands Trade is al standstill
playhDuscS are IDLE, and wcm,nuercd peonlo
fayc 10 tall; and act like brut.>
Martial then tells about his search for his swcc,
heart She came from n diScStablishcI convent
early in 1913 10 Paris 10 look for relatives and
not finding Them was wandering about Lom les,
and forlorn when Martial made by chance her ac-
quaintanoe. lie took her 10 his aunt. became
engaged 10 her, but had 10 rush from her 10. with
other soldiers push back invaders The aunt
meanwhile died, her furniture was seized and sol1
hy creditors and Adricnnc mas disappeared. just
here girls voice. and the roughcr voices of coarse
elderly women, are heard screaming beiu,
whitcrohcd and in lime light. only wanting wing,
10 ne an angel, PUSHES ont of the laundry barge
with NlrlgccS At her heels calling, Death t. the
aTlstOc1t!" The terrified girl is Fabcnuc NIIio
Eartct, who, ! may say found out some of tbc
sisters of hc community which, hrnu,,i,. -.