The morning call., 1893-11-07
ART SHOWN AT THE GRAND
BARLEY Campbell's "Fairfax
at StoCkwells.
SECOND WEEK OF CLEOPATRA"
At the California to See Peter Dali
ley" The Bells" at the AlCa-
Ear" Pepita."

The elite of the French colony gathered
in force at the Grand Opera-house last
evening. The occasion may be called the
real commencement of the French dra-
matte company; the performance on Satur-
day and Sunday evening preceding only
preliminaries. There was a general air
| of appreciative satisfaction among the au-
dlence, the applause was active and posi-
tive and had less the nature OF the echo
that marked the recognition OF the
work of the actors in "fAventuriere"
and La Dame aux Camelias." when the
American element waited for the French
auditors to give them the lead. The reason
for this. plainly evident, was that the
vernacular of the people on the stage was
that of the greater number of those who
sat before them. It was also apparent
that this condition of things had its effect
on the stage work. There was more esprit
in the manner each individual entered into
his or her respective assignment, and, as a
con sequence. everybody was pleased both
before and behind the footlights.
Jules Sandeau's "Mlle. de Ia Seigliere,'
to the Interpretation OF which the evening
was devoted. deals with that period in
French history when the empire had COL
lapsed aud the Bourbon dynasty was re-
stored in the person OF Louis AFlll. The
characters are few: lie Marquis de la
Segliere, who hides the egotism of an old
man beneath the thOughtlessness of child /;
Destournelles, a schening avocat; JAS
min, valet de chambre TO the Marquis ;
! La Baronne de Vaubert, a diplOmatist
in pettcoats; Raoul, her son, who has
only the tastes and desires of savant;
! Hall don Of no
bic, heightened, honorable young woman,
quite the opposite of her father in respect
to those qualities, and Bernard Stamply,
on whom. notwithstanding its title. the
whole interest of the play centers Ber-
nard followed the wars with Napoleon,
and was supposed 10 have been killed in
Moscow. The Marquis. who was royal
isf. fed from the Chateau de la Sieg-
liere TO Germany during the Ma
poleonlc regime, and the property
came into the possession of the
father of Bernard, who had been a re-
tainer Of the Marquis, by purchase. After
twenty years exile in Germany, the Mar
quis came back with the Bourbons. Old
Stamply, grieving for the supposed loss OF
his son, aud worked upon by the diplo-
matte BarOnne, surrendered to him before
be died the chateau-a restitution, the
vain old aristocrat called it; but, according
TO the Code Napoleon, iI was a donation,
no consideration being shown. Demands
unexpected return changes the complexion
of affairs. Destournelles. the avocai,
who hates the Marquis. the Ba-
rome, and the whole lot, takes hold
of him, shows he is his fathers son and
heir, and the aristocrats would have been
summarily evicIed had not Bernard in the
mean line fallen in love with Helene de la
Seigliere and the way was thus smoathed
10 reconcile matters ana brin g everything
to a tisfactory conclusion. The cast was:
DestourneIIes M Coquellh
lie Marquis. M. Jean Coquelfn
bernard Stainpy. ............----.--....M NJ: Maury
Raoul de Vauoert. M. RAINY
Mie de- Ia selsere Jane Hadins
La Baronne de Vaubert.. Mime. Patry
AS Helene, Mile. de la Seigliere."
Hading played the ingenue with naivete
and certain grace of young woman hood.
NJ CoQuelin gave a fresh develo pment Of
his powers as an av0cat, and pa rlcian
in search of an appointment, and NJ. Jean
Coquein did TO discredit to his name as
the selfish old marquis.
Sandeau appears to have, in the con-
structiOn OF his comedies, the same method
as Angler. In both. the element of unex-
pc ctedness occurs toward the close of the
last scene. Clorinda, the adventures, as
tonishes Anibal by a sudden display OF
not suppose existed in her nature. So
in mile. de la Seiglere," when
DestourDells thinks he has the battle
won against the Baronne and Helene safe
to be the wife Of Bernard Stamply. whom
she deeply loves. the thought comes to the
young girl that her father has forgotten the
honor of his name and house and made her
hand The condition of securing his own
selfish wishes. She flames up, refuses Ber-
nard, tells him to go and accepts RaOul. the
plotting Baronne's son, whom in her heart
she despises. Hading was superb in this
little bit. The threatened fracture of
DestourDelles' plans is averted by the ac-
ton of Raoul. who declines the hand of
Helene, preferring to devote himself to
science rather than to matrim0Iy.
This evening Sardou's "NOs Intimes"
will be the programme.
During the last week of the engagement
it is proposed to produce "TheTmidor,"
the Sardou play that was interdlcted in
Paris.
Miss Fanny Davenport opened her Sec
ond week at the Baldwin to fair attend
ance. cleopatra" will be witnessed by
thousands Of our citizens before she bids
us good-by.
Barley Campbelps Fairfax" drew a
liberal mum Der of people to the Stockwell.
The comedy-drama was made familiar to
our people many years ago. when it was
lutlOOuCCo NY ITO dubuUss INV III tuO Ihuu
of shadows. Miss Ethel Brandon made
her re-entree on this occasion as Diana, and
played the part with all the effectiveness
of long stage experience. supplemented by
her present improved state of health.
The play is rather florid and textually
yerbose-faults that mark all Of poor
Campbelps work; but, at the same
time. the different scenes possess inter-
est. and in many instances it
| is absorbing. Campbell liked to find ma
teriaI for his dramas In the West and
Southwest. Fairfax is no exception to
his preferred practice. The first scene
opens in a wretched hut by the banks of
the Mississippi. and through the open
shutter one NAV see the melancholy
cypress of the swamps and hear the song
OF the negroes wooding up on steamer in
the distance. The scene in the hut Is
gruesome enough-a disslpeted gambling
husband, an almost distracted wife and a
dying child. The acting was dramatic
| and realistic, especially that of the negro
servant, who clung TO her "Missis" In the
depths of her misery.