The morning call., 1893-11-17

prevent the conversationlsts from enjoying
Sardou's genius and the admirable dramatic
talent oil Coquelin and HadIng, who. chief
among all the rest OF a well-rehearsed CON-
pany, Interpreted IL.
The opening OF 1hermIdor tak~s place on the
Danks OF the River Seine, between the Tele
LouVieTs ana the Arsenal, where the washer
women were accustomed to come for the pur-
pose OF rlnsing and beetling their linen. The
scene was very pictui esque and Introduces to
u ipe principa! characters In the piay-Citi-
zen Labussiere (CoquelInl. his friend Martial
Hugon tMr VOlneyl and Fabienne LecOul-
ieux (Mme. Jane Hading). Hugon tells Labus-
sltto wnom lie recognizes as former school
FELLOW and comrade III The army, that he l. try
lng 10 hnd Fsbienne, who, having been turned
ont INTO The world on the suppression OF The
convent In which she was making her noviti-
ate, was rescued by him as she lay dying In the
snowi he protected her ana was gong to
marty her. when his regiment was ordered on
Inc time being Martial finds Fabienne IN
inns scene among the blanchisseuses, and he
also saves her, with the assisianc OF Labus-
siere from being torn to pieces by them.
Inc love interest and IN fact the general In
tefest OF the play Is made by Martial aud Fabi-
ehne ana cerla ainy no love episode has ever
peen SO defiiy handled. and iD such an original
manner, as Sardou has handled this one-a
young girl with conventual vows impressed
on her mind, and believing thai she IN conse-
Grated 10 heaven. fighting against human af-
lectioh that threatens 10 draw her aside from
WHAT she conceives Is her higher destiny.
an through The terrors OF the time she main
ialhs thls position toward Martial. who loves
neI more Than his own soul aud still, with
LaDus,iere strives but in vain to proircI her
from the clutches OF the myrmidons OF The
committee OF Safety. Even to the last. when
sDe is ABOUT 10 be rolled of on tumbril 30 the
guiilotine, the friends almost fIantically en-
ueaVof 10 save her. Martial even goes TO the
lengtn OF asserting that she Is enceinte and
thai ne Is the father of the unborn child; but In
the presence of crowd of women and men
tnirs.Dg Tor her blood she DrOnOunces his
sl slaement false, although coniessing her love
Tor her fatal destination, land thanks for wha
you nave done. All, my dearest Martial 1 NAV
now love you without sin!"
Y, slime. ii aiding was transcendant In the role of
raOienhe. her whole manner breathed purity
ana salntllness: her soul seemed to rise to a
.igner plane as she walked through seas OF
piood. There was repOse so sunerb that no
raTtnIy lOVe could disturb II. She was Chris
tlan martyr. ready for any death that might
oelaiI ner, conhdent tnat heaven would receive
her at last.
Coquelin had glorious opportunity in La
6ussirre, and magnihceDily he improved 1t.
oaiuou makes Citizen Labussere an actor out
OF employment who has been appoint ed regis
tering clerk 10 the Committee Of Safety, and IS
In that position In the month of July (Thermi-
dor) when Macmillan Robespierre, the chief
instlgaior Of the reign OF terror, fails from his
pIoody eminenee aud meets by the gullotine
'he Same 1die he mees out 10 SO many victims.
bdUussiefe plays Gual role In his political
lie. Out OF doors lie Is free-tongu d. sharp and
snfeWd. III tie off1ce he assumes the air OF an
hesitation In his speech that has won for him
the nlckname stupid" When he lef his out
uOor manner and oOk on his official awkward
ness We was mo- readiv recognized at first. 1t
was most artistic piece oi facial play, and quite
equal TO Charles Matthews, who was celr brat ed
IuI thtl sort Ol ihIng. This actor never seems
To forge even in the most exciting seen, the
smallest det II necessary 10 make his persona
tiOn comDlrie. The pleasure In looking at and
nearing COquelin consists, 10 a great d gree In
the conviction that he cannot Will not do
anything wong in dramatic way. You fol-
low him not for the purpose OF critIciZlng, but
solely 10 enjoy his every tone and his
every action uneuestioningly. In a general
sense the performance of "ThermidOr''
was good one. The people had all been well
drilled and tie mObs shouted at the right time
and also gave pre- " good snatch OF the red
Republican song OF the period the "CaTmag
mole" he women behaved iiee true danes
du GuillOtine" and craved for blood with the
hunger OF iigresses. The scenery was all new
aud very realistic, that Of the last act especl-
ally so. The costumes were also true TO the
fashion OF tile time-when Partisan might be
sans culotte one day and the next dressed In
the height OF fashion as "incr0yable"
AT an easy estimate there was $1,000 In the
house, and the man gers met, we are pleased
10 say, with some reward for theii enterprise.
Sardou, We understand. demands a royalty Uf
500 francs for every performance OF 'Thermi-
dor"
This evening, lies Effrontes'' (Faces OF
Brass.