New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-24
THE PRODIGAL son =

The pantomimc, The Prodgal Son." which began
an engagement at Days Theatre on Monday night.
would attract attention unique theatrical pro-
ducton. If for other reason. But it is also "A
work of positive and great artistic merit IA charm
ing entertainment, series of touching pictures of
joys and sorrows Of the heart, and lesson in the
possibilities of dramatic methods. For thousand
years. less, the character. or perhaps more
properly the figure OF Pierrot has been seen upon
the stage. 1t has been modified developed, i'm
proved. traduced. but has always kept thread of
traditional likeness. and in the end the position Of
Pierrot is as firm and undisputed that of Mac
beth. In England and America PierTot has been
best known the clown of the Christmas panto-
mime. Now he is presented as the hero Of a serious
drama; but he and his associates retain their old
habit of absolute silence
No better Illustration than this play could be
found of the monotonously repeated, but not al
ways appreciated assertion that drama means ac-
ton Here there is nothing and can be nothing
but action. The actor cannot have one word to
help him tell the audience what he means. The
music helps him little indeed much, and for the
rest he tell all with his face, his hands. his
eyes. his FORM When this necessity is made abso-
lutte. and the actors ready and clever in accept
ing the situation. it is wonderful how much they
do The lines of the face the wave OF the
hand, the play of the fingers. the shrinking OF the
shoulders, the hurry of the feet, tell the story.
Pleasure annoyance surprise. grief. love- indiifer-
ence. memory, hope disappointment. sympathy
speculation. resolution. all the emotions OF HE
all the experiences of a heart, are expressed by
these means, and conveyed to the audience with
as much force and certainty as they could be by
lines of poetry. Such pantomimic acting might in
deed be named the poetry of motion, had not dane
ing long ago appropriated that title.
All the actors in the play are French. They are
bv habit and training pantomimists. and they know
Pierrot and his friends and his enemies better than
any other people. Mile. Pillar NORM assumes the
central place as Pierrot. She has wonderfully
mobile and expressive face. and it might be said
that her form is as expressive as her features.
The hestancy the shrinking. the dread, the uhc.r-
tainty of the erring young man AS he roDs ms
parents while they sleep in their chairs would le
apparent If the actress kept her back to the audi
ence The grief of the father and mother for their
lost son is not in their faces alone. profound
studies as those are it is clear in the droop of the
forms. the lstlessness of the movements the heavi-
ness OF the limbs. the touch of the hands. These
parts are admirably acted by NJ. Courtes and Nine.
Eugene Babe. VI. Dallen gives an excellent piece
OF comic acting as tho wicked baron, and the other
parts are PLAYED by Mile. Refine Roy and NJ. BUCK
land The music is skillfully arranged to aid the
Interpretation of the story, and much of II falls to
the pianist. Anne Lachaume, who is a thoroughly
capable performer.