The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-09-28

THE qathotship Of tho original French play
.RoberN Macaire," from which tho Enkl1sh
melodramA and novel were taken. is shroudedin
mystery. The play, although an excellent one.
would probably never had created the sensation
IT did had u not been for the remarkable aot-
ing Of Frederic Lemaitre and Vizantini, who
appeared u the original production. Lenaitre
was OF course Robert Macaire, while Vizantini
gave q magnificent performance Of Jacques
strop Lemaitre was in his day the greatest
actor 10 France, and his conception Of the part
'f the sleek rascal and cold bloOded though al
ways interesting villain who seemed to regard
The members of the human familysas 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 ap-
peared to be of the best material and most corr
rect ft, but when he walked down toward the
lOotlights the audience could see that his dress
was one mass of patches deftly fitted to each
pther. vizantini was of course less EreruIIy
costumed. The phenomcnally successful COM
ic OPERA "Erminie'' was adapted from the
play of Robert Macaire,'' but the names of
the conspdrat0rs were changed, and they were
made pure low comedy characters, whereas
they were in reality cold blooded murderersas
well as unconscionable thieves. In the English
translation of the play, which was made about
the year 1S4O by Charles Selby, the celebrated
comedian. Germenil is murdered, and Robert
Macaire is killed, but the exigencies of comic
opera prohibit the introduction Of such depress-
ing episodes. Therefore most Americans re-
gard the story Of Robert Macaire" as trifing
bit Of sillabub, for 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 humorous but nonsensi-
cal hodge podge, "Erminie." Robert Macaire''
was produced for the first time in England at
the COvent Garden theater, London, in 1843
with H. Wallack in the title roles and Mr.. Vale
as Jacques Strop. 1t was not seen in America
until two years later, when it was brought out
at the Old Eowery theater, New York. with
Messrs. Stevens and Chapman in the principal
characters. During the same year at the Chest
nut Street theater in Philadelphia Mr.. J.
Browne enacted the role of Robert Macaire,
in which he made the hit of his life. 1t was
generally conceded by the best critics of the
time that he was Lemaitre's only rival and
possible equal in the part. The Jacques Strop
of this production was Burton, who was at that
time perhaps the best comedian in America.
A few years ago-in 1888 or 1889-Henry Irving
revived Robert Macaire'' in an elaborate man
ner, and while the production as q whole was
regarded Is az artistic success the great actors
conception Of the character Of the diabolical
but easy hammered Macaire was such a radical
departure from the popular idea that it elected
much adverse criticism. The novel Robert
Macaire'' is much more interesting than the
play. In fact, the descriptions are so graphic,
the character drawing so perfect and the work.
ing up to the climaxes so skillful that the work
is entitled to take rank as one of the best types
ofwhat might be called the Exciting" Htera-
ture of the day. The readers interest never
flags from beginning to end, for there is not
single paragraph in the novel which could be
advantageously left out. The picturesque type
of life, too, with which it deals should make it
exceptionally popular with American readers.i