The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-21

THE authorship Of the original French play
"Robert Macaire," from which the English
melodrama nnd noYel wero taken, is shrouded In
mystery. The play, although an excellent one,
would probably never hhd created tho sensation
Il did had II not been for the remarkable act
ing of Frederic Lomaitre and viEantini. who
appeared In the original production. Lemaitre
was OF course Robert Macaire, while Vizantini
gave magnificent performance of Jacques
Strop. Lemsitre was In his day the greatest
nctor in France, ana his conception Of the part
Of the sleek rascal and cold biooded though al
ways interesting villain who seemed TO regard
the members ofthc human family as his legiti-
mate prey added greatly TO his fame. Lemai-
tres first entrance was effected at the back OF
the stage. He was clad in costume that APP
peared to bo of the beet material and most COR
rect lt, but when hc walked down toward the
footlights the audience could see that his dress
was one mass OF patches deftly fitted to each
other. pizantinfwas of course less carefully
c0stumed. The phenomenally successful COM
&c opera "Erminic" was adapted from the
play OF Robert Macaire," but the names OF
the conspirators were changed, and they were
made pure low comedy characters, whereas
they were in reality cold blooded murderersas
well as unconscionsble thieves. In the English
translation Of the play, which was made about
the year ls4o by Charles Sclhy, the celebrated
comedian, Germenil is murdered, and Robert
Macaire is killed, but the cxigencies OF comic
ing episodes. Therefore most Americans re-
gard the story Of Robert Macaire" as trifling
bit OF sillabub, fer the reason that but few OF
the present generation are familiar with either
the play or the novel, having derived their
ideas of both FROM that NUMEROUS but nonsensi-
cal hodge podge, "Hrminie." Robert Macaire"
was produced for the first time in England at
the Covent Garden theater, London, in ls43,
with III. Wallack in the title roles and Mr.. Vale
as Jacques Strop. IL was not seen in America
runtil two years later. when 1t was brought out
at tho Old Bowery theater, New York. with
lMessrs. Stevens and Chapman in the principal
characters. During the same year at the Chest
nut Street theatsr in Philadelphia Mr.. J.
Browne enacted tho role of Robert Macaire,
in which he made the hit OF his life. IL was
generally conceded by the best critics OF the
time that he was Lemnitres only rival and
possible equal in the part The Jacques Strop
OF this production was Burton, whe was at that
aime perhaps tho best comedian in America.
"A few years Ago-fn 1888 or lsce-Henry Irving
revived Robert Macaire" In an elaborate man.
ner, and whilS the production as a whole was
regarded as an artistic success the great actors
conception Of the character Of the diabolical
but easy mAnnered Macairs was such q radical
departure from tho popular idca that IL ELECTED
much adverse criticism. The novel "Robert
Macaire" Is much moro interesting than tho
play. In fact, tho descriptions are 30 graphic,
the character driving SO perfect and the work.
ing up 10 the clifnaxcs 50 skillful that the work
il entitled to take rank as one of the best types
of what might DO called the 'cxciting" litera-
ture of the day. The teader's interest never
flags from Beginning to end, for there is not q
single paragraph in the novel which could be
advantageously left ont. The picturesque type
of life, too, with which II deals should mako ID
exceptionally popular with American readers.l