The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-11-27

ETC., and how far they have succeeded may
be judged from the criticism of Molchorde
Vogue. the best connoisseur of Russian
customs and manners in France: For
the first time on the French stage we have
seen costumes, scenery and accessories
which have been taken from the real every
day life of the Russian people without the
IGise and tasteless embellishments of the
comic operasn
With Ibsen, however. they were less sue
cessful; the critics could only praise
Antoine's Oswald in the Ghosts and
! found the rest something to be pitied.
Nevertheless the Theatre Libre has be-
every way to be compared to the conserva-
toire. In the Rue Bergere the dramatic
students learn delssrte and recitation In
the conventional way and enjoy personal
intercourse with Got, Delaunay, Msubant
and Worms, perhaps only ten hours a
year. In the Rue Blanche on the con-
trary, Antoine's pupils come into con tinlal
contact with him; they learn to represent
real human beings who walk, talk and
stand naturally.
Nothing will explain the difference be-
tween the two schools better than a simple
example of their respective methods. Sup
posing a letter has to be carried in by SER
want on the contents of which the public is
aware the denoument OF the play depends.
The young actor at the Coincide Franchise,
if be would simply come in gracefully and
offer the letter in an of-hand manner,
would be afterwards criticised by the stage
manager for neglecting 70 concentrate the
the attention Of the public at this critical
momeDtr while Antoine would encourage
his actor TO avoid any diversion from the
most natural behavior, and Antoine has
created a sensation before the most spoiled
audience of first-nighters and theatrical
rrr,r,r-r ( -.alr
This reminds one of Stendhal, who, when
he was asked If he ever saw a satisfactory
performance Of one of his plays, answered:
''Yes, once in Italy, by mediocre actors in
barn.
M. Antoine has studied the Meiningen
company carefully and with the most re-
fined appreciation of its merits; he has not
failed TO recognize their fsults. but also I'M
0erstands that they owe their great success
TO their disciplined ensemb bic. Such an en-
semble, where no virJuoso-liKe rendering
of part will ever be allowed, is one of the
principal aims of Antoine's company. An
tones actors do not paint or snake up"
they always use worn costumes, except
when new one is in place, as with a
dude" They endeavor 60 talk as in ordi-
nary conversation, negligent, even inde-
stinct, and continually interrupting each
others sentences. They keep up CONVEX
sations with the back turned to the
audience. Some OF their produce
tions Of modern plays have also
revealed peculiarity IN stage
managing, in representing rooms in their
original size, while the Others generally
make them OF colossal dimensions, that
never exist in reality. Then again, in pro-
ducing farm yard, for instance, they only
give one corner of it, very similar TO the
pictures of the impressionists. Nor are
their light effects less curious; they have
no footlights and IN represeL ting room at
evening lamp is placed ON the table shin
ing on the actors seated around while the
rest Of the room is left in shadow.
While a Theatre Libre is being success
fully organized in Berlin and in London
and in Copenhagen, the plans for the new
house on the boulevard have been finished.
It has been designed by Henri Grandpierre
and commended by EiffeL 1t will be con-
structed entirely of iron, with 900 seats,
about 80 per cent. cheaper than in the other
theatres. Following the Bsyreuth system
there will be no side seats, only orchestra
stalls, an amphithestre and a row Of boxes,
every seat commanding complete view of
the stage. Space will be allowed under
every seat TO stow away ones overcoas and
hat. At the beginning of every act the
doors will be closed automatically and the