The evening world., 1894-01-02
CO0UELlN AND HADiNC.

The usual warm reception" FOR which
n New York audience Is famous. and
| which would be accorded just as grace.
fully to a troupe of Russian skirt dam
ccrS. or an lcclnn1ic tragcdian, was
given last night to ". Coqu"lin and Mine.
lane Hading ut Abbcy's Theatre. These
artists are not strangers here, and they
both love dear New York and the dear
New Workers. They did some splendid
work when they were here before. and 1t
Is pleasant to see them again, even II
one does not feel called upon to 10 into
cxubcrant Cathusiasm over plays peo-
duced Ia the language of another cUun-
try. TO somc-thc h~umbugs-the French
language viii undoubtedly greatly
hciRhtcn tho value OF these plays.
1t seems that W have got to get
"Thcrmldor' in every shape and form.
We had II nj Iroctor's Theatre in 1891,
when IN English version was pitch
forked on the stage vita the misguided
zeal OF the cntcrpriping manager who
ineists upon Americans revealing In what
has been discussed In Europe. "Thcr-
midor" was a failure then. 1t proved to
DO undoubtedly the least interesting Of
Sardou's plays. for we had not then
seen Americans Abroad'-which ] am
stu unable to believe that Sardou ever
wrote. "Thermidor'' was the cause OF
n political sensation in Paris, and 1t was
fondly hoped that It would go In New
York for that very reason. Bat 1t
didn't. There was no reason or earth
why II should. 1t Is essentially n play
for France, dealing with their much be-
loved and perpotunlly discussed RcvOlu-
ton. and dealing with It talkily, too.
The performance lsat night certainly
gave n new Idea of "Thcrmldor." The
atmosphere that was lacking nt Proc
tors was admirably supplied, and the
role Of Labussierc had n new signifi-
canoe In the hands OF the splcndidly eff
fective actor. Constant Coquelin. Nobody
but "A New York manager would at
tempt to cast such "A play with an Amer
lean company, can you imagine a Paris
manager presenting 'Shore Acres In
Paris with all the good New England
people talking French! Watching "Ther-
midor,' you were carried back. the hia-
tory that you have rend rushed back to
your mind: you understood the dreadful
Reign of Terror. and you felt n sym
DblnN 1DT tnf rove OF MARTIAL 11NSOT anu
Fabienne Lecoultcnux. which, for politi-
cal reasons. could not run smoothly. The
splendid art OF this company did as much
for this Snrlou play as possible. 1t rat
tied through the talkiness and empha-
sized tho dramatic value. II brought out
the fun strength of the third act. and
redeemed much of the weakness of the
first. In spite of which, "Thermidor'' Is
not n play that will he appreciated in
this country, or any country but France,
and ] am not at all sure that 1t was
not n good thing for Sardou. after all.
that II was stopped In his native land.
The eminent playwright Is growing gar
rulous. and he has "Earruled" II good
deal In "Thcrmidor."
Coduelln's art rs very satisfying. In
the nice little hoy In the story book, he
Is good In all thinga. His emotion is as
convincing ns his hnmor, and his facial
expression Is always IA study. Upon his
large fiabby countenarce n mental pano-
rama may always be watched. His de
livery IA perfect, and the most indiifer-
ent French scholar may understand
nearly all that he says. 40 perfect IL his
delivery. Nine. IIading played the not
N'' ih''i'S'lnS plTl 81 ilhl"Ilnt plcnS-
antly enough. In the second act, her
strong" scene. she became n tritle more
declamatory and tragedy -quecn-like than
the part warranted. She tore the air,
and she was cntanglcd In the meshes Of
Il fine old frenzy. Mime. iiaiinG IL not Il
great actress, She ~ IA careful artist,
who always manages to steer directly
away from the "'iyine spark" NJ.
Nolny was agreeable as Martial Hugon,
and Nine Patry was capital ns Fran
coise. The stage setting was admirable.
and the whole presentation of the play
as good as could he desired. And this
having been recognized. | hope that we
have finished with 'ThermIdor.'
ALAN DALE.